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Stanley on the passing of Jeff Beck

What shocking news on the passing of Jeff Beck.

There’s some artists that have such a tremendous impact on the planet that they seem so invincible. Jeff had the best sense of humor. Some might’ve thought it to be a bit strange. I liked it. This guy really lived.. he was not a person that was dead while he was alive if you know what I mean.

I enjoyed every moment on the stage with him and all the times we recorded together.
Jeff had so much fire and patience at the same time in his playing along with an unmatched uniqueness.
I have so many great memories with him.
I remember once staying at his place outside of London in Tunbridge Wells along with Mike Garson…we were rehearsing for something and Jeff had his guitars laid out all over the place in every nook and cranny. We had a great time. We went from playing music to messing around with what I believe was Jeff’s greatest love…. his cars. He had the most amazing cars, American cars.
He loved his roadsters.
He had this beautiful brown roadster I believe it had red fire decals on the side. What a fine looking car….
I can only wish that he’s in that traveling to his next stop….
Safe travels, my friend!!!

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Introducing Stanley Clarke *N* 4EVER

Four-time Grammy Award winner Stanley Clarke is thrilled to be back on the road with his exciting new band 4EVER. Already in 2022/2023 the tour has played international and domestic venues with immense success.

“After the Pandemic hiatus, I’m invigorated being back on the road. The audience, creativity of the band and new music arrangements, makes my artistic life complete,” stated Clarke.

The Stanley Clarke N•4EVER tour’s emphasizes Clarke’s jazz fusion legacy. In addition to playing the hits that the audience expects, Clarke has put together other stellar with complicated arrangements. True to the evolution of jazz fusion, expect a powerful combination of jazz harmony and improvisation with rock, funk, R&B, hip-hop and electronic music influences.

Joining Clarke, 4EVER’s young band members bring a dynamic youthful energy and freshness to the music. All extraordinarily consummate musicians and performers, the 4EVER band includes Jeremiah Collier on drums, Beka Gochiashvili piano and keyboards, Colin Cook on guitar, Emilio Modeste on saxophone and, of course, Stanley Clarke on acoustic and electric bass. This band is a true concert band with a big jazz band sound. They excel in creating an electrifying performance, always pushing the boundaries of their instruments.

Pianist/keyboard player Beka Gochiashvili is an award-winning child jazz piano prodigy and has performed with many of the jazz greats of our time. He was brought to the US in 2008 with the help of Condoleezza Rice, then U.S. Secretary of State and an accomplished pianist herself. Rice brought Gochiashvili to New York to participate in auditions at the Juilliard School and at the Manhattan School of Music. Not surprisingly, he was accepted in both schools. He has released two of his own albums and is a Clarke touring veteran.

Drummer Jeremiah Collier is from Chicago’s Southside. 22-year-old Collier is a fierce drummer with a wide understanding of music genres. He combines technique with enthusiastic physical energy. Jeremiah has been performing with Clarke for several years and performed with him in concert when Clarke won the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master honor in Spring 2022.

Tenor saxophonist Emilio Modeste is a gifted young musician from Williamsburg, VA. With his lyrical style, he is one of the greatest young jazz sax soloist in the country today. Modeste began playing sax at the age of eight and has performed and studied with world-renowned musicians. He was also a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on tour and has travelled the world. Clarke considers Modeste to be in the Wayne Shorter school of playing. He is also a talented composer.

Guitarist Colin Cook is a remarkable musician originally from McLean, VA, with a new, fresh and exhilarating approach to jazz. He studied at USC’s Thorton School of Music and since has become a sought after artist, performing his with his searing guitar style in a number of bands.

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Stanley Clarke in Warsaw on te%

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Stanley Begins Residency at The Blue Note NYC on April 29

Stanley is scheduled to begin a week-long residency at the famed Blue Note in New York City starting on April 29 running through May 7th. The run will be highlighted by pairings with numerous notable guests, including Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Kenny Barron and Billy Hart, DJ Premier and Cory Henry with Cameron Graves and Jeremiah Collier. Tickets for the shows can be purchased here. If you’re in the New York, come check out the shows!!!

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Stanley named 2022 NEA Jazz Master

Stanley has been selected as a 2022 recipient National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship. The fellowship is the highest honor that the United States bestows on jazz artists. Clarke’s fellow honorees for next year are saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr., drummer Billy Hart and vocalist Cassandra Wilson.

“It’s an honor to be chosen as a 2022 NEA Jazz Master along with its generous fellowship in commemoration of my long career in jazz as a recording artist, performer, composer, conductor, arranger, producer and film score composer,” stated Clarke. “It is a tribute to now be included among such an elite group of past fellowship winners.”

Since 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded a select group of 165 fellowships to great figures in jazz. Clarke and the other recipients will receive a substantial monetary award and will be formally honored at a special ceremony and concert held in collaboration with and produced by SFJAZZ on March 21, 2022, at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, CA.

Regarding the announcement of Clarke as a recipient, Jon W. Poses, Columbia Daily Tribune, wrote, “Stanley Clarke stands as one of the most facile, technically brilliant instrumentalists in modern jazz.”

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Stanley’s thoughts on the passing of friend & bandmate Chick Corea

I want to thank all my friends who reached out with condolences who knew that Chick was like a brother to me. We shared many many stages, recording studios, and our passion for Jazz and “Mama Corea’s Beef Cutlets”…..but what really created the bond between us was our similar beliefs in the power of the individual to create the most beautiful and inspiring art, “the great healer,” for people. We sure had fun sprinkling that magic all over the world!!I will miss doing that with him. He was the best all-around musician that I’ve ever stood shoulder to shoulder with. I will miss standing next to him on the stage as much as many of you who have had the pleasure to stand with him. And to all his fans, his impact in musical art was of such a great magnitude that it will be impossible to lose sight of him. His spirit is always with us.I love you Chick and I know you’re doing just fine… Travel well my friend and very very well done…

Stanley Clarke's Bass Nation
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Stanley Clarke’s Bass Nation – The New Monthly YouTube Series

Stanley has developed an 8-episode monthly web series entitled Stanley Clarke’s Bass Nation. The first episode of Bass Nation will debut November 16th on Stanley’s YouTube channel. The series shares Stanley’s wealth of experience garnered over his 50-year career as a musician, band member, soloist, arranger, composer, and bandleader.

The episodes centered around the dynamics of the music industry, recording and performing, and includes Stanley’s conversations with noted musicians, gear reviews, playthroughs and performances. He also has a slew of interesting personal anecdotes, which he imparts regarding his experiences. Bass Nation’s is also relavent to musicians of other instruments as well as those who are not musicians, but just love music.

“We are giving life lessons for musicians through the eyes of bass players. I’ve played with many musicians and these lessons are a common denominators running through all master musicians,” Stanley said. “I believe that the platform will be equally interesting to fans and non-musicians. Musician life lessons can also be applied to the
lives of all.”

Guests in the series include Verdine White, Marcus Miller, Steven “Thundercat” Brunner, Carlitos de Puerto, Jr., Jack Cassady, Salar Nader, Niki West, Brady Watts, Sekou Bunch, Karl Vincent, Francesca Alinovi, Hadrien Feraud, Aaron Cruz II, Les July, Travis Rodgers, and Clayton Cameron, among others.

Check out these trailers from the series:

Don’t forget to subscribe to Stanley’s YouTube channel and smash the notification bell to be alerted when new episodes and additional segments are released.

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EBS Releases Stanley Clarke Acoustic Bass Pre-Amp

With superior sound quality, powerful filters, and essential features, the new Stanley Clarke Signature Acoustic Preamp by EBS is the perfect tool to deal with all the challenges that come with amplifying acoustic instruments.

“I have been using this new preamp on every show and in the studio since November 2019, when I got the final sample in my hands. It has become a mainstay to my upright bass sound. I think it is absolutely essential for every acoustic bass player to own one of these. The 2-channel preamp allows you to have a completely different setting for bowing and pizzicato at the push of a button. 

The effects loop, EQ, ¼”, and XLR input and outputs make it extremely versatile for stage or studio. It even sounds great on the electric bass.”, comments Stanley Clarke.

Learn more about the EBS Stanley Clarke Signature Acoustic Bass Pre-Amp here.