Sonny's Crib

Sonny Clark | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000008AKM
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #545,374 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. With a Song in My Heart

2. Speak Low

3. Come Rain or Come Shine

4. Sonny's Crib

5. News for Lulu

6. With a Song in My Heart [Alternate Take][*]

7. Speak Low [Alternate Take][*]

8. Sonny's Crib [Alternate Take][*]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Because the great hard-bop pianist died at age 31, each of his recordings carries that much more weight. This 1957 outing features a top-shelf unit including John Coltrane (two weeks before he waxed the legendary Blue Train), Donald Byrd, Paul Chambers, Curtis Fuller, and Art Taylor. Clark had all the urgency and drive of hard bop's funkiest pianists, but he tempered it with an artfulness and elegance that was perhaps a remnant of his West Coast years. This ensemble brings to life standards such as "Speak Low" (with vibrant Latin head), "With a Song in My Heart" (at brisk tempo), and "Come Rain or Come Shine" (caressed at an especially slow clip), while Clark's two originals give ample room for the soloists to shine. The 1998 reissue adds three alternate takes to an already exciting session. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description

Clark is joined by Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor. Features John Coltrane. Blue Note 1500 series on 200 gram vinyl. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bebop masterpiece of sound, November 12, 2000

By 

historyone (Republic of Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sonny's Crib (Audio CD)

My reviews of Sonny Clark are repeating themselves again because this album (CD) by Clark is another must have for any fan of bebop Jazz. Clark recorded this using his outstanding improvisational skill on the piano and the supporting musicians on this recording makes it a must have.

Clarks recordings of "With A Smile In My Heart", "Speak Low", "News For LuLu", and my personal favorite "Sonny's Crib" is bebop in your face Jazz at its best. This is a CD that is constantly in my stereo and everytime I listen to it, I am blown away at the amazing Piano playing that Clark had.

This CD as well as all of Clark's released recordings during his unfortunate brief life/Jazz Career are a definite must have.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Damn solid., August 21, 2000

By 

bruce horner - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sonny's Crib (Audio CD)

An excellent Blue Note blowing session. Trombonist Curtis Fuller(who does indeed also play on the Dial "S" For Sonny album) is in fine form and seems spurred on by the presence of Coltrane. Donald Byrd cooks on trumpet, and Coltrane shows what a good sideman he could be back then. Overall there's a better feeling to this September 1, 1957 session than on Dial "S", recorded only nine weeks later. While this album is perhaps not QUITE the equal of Cool Struttin' (Jackie McClean was a particularly apposite collaborator) Clark's sinewy lines and lucid sense of swing never fail to satisfy. Maybe the folks who program the Bluenote "Connoisseur" series will next reissue The Sonny Clark Trio, with all the alternate takes at the end as they did here. How about it folks?

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic set of music, March 25, 2000

By 

"jazzfanmn" (St Cloud, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sonny's Crib (Audio CD)

This is a hard swinging Blue Note session from the late 50's. It features a classic line up of Clark on piano, John Coltrane on tenor, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. All of the artists are comfortable in the session and no one musician dominates the set. The selections are arranged as to give everyone room to stretch and explore the collection of standards and Clark originals. Sonny's light, nimble touch is on display throughout the session. His solos are well worth listening to several times and swing on each track. Curtis Fuller has a warm, tender solo on the standard Come Rain Or Come Shine, and Coltrane shines on Speak Low. Everyone gets room to blow on the uptempo opening track, With a Song in My Heart, with Byrd's bright brassy trumpet leading the way. Finally, Clark's compositional skills shine thru on the classic that closes the set, News For Lulu. This is another great Blue Note "Connoisseur" reissue of a "lost classic", it gets one star automatically for putting all of the alternates at the end of the album instead of stringing them behind the master takes. I recommend this set as a classic straight ahead swinging hard bop date, especially to fans of the "Blue Note sound"