Stanley Clarke (born June 30, 1951) is an American bassist, composer and founding member of Return to Forever, one of the first jazz fusion bands. Clarke gave the bass guitar a prominence it lacked in jazz-related music. He is the first jazz-fusion bassist to headline tours, sell out shows worldwide and have recordings reach gold status.
Clarke is the recipient of five Grammy Awards, with 15 nominations, three as a solo artist, one with the Stanley Clarke Band, and one with Return to Forever. Clarke was selected to become a 2022 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship.
A Stanley Clarke electric bass is permanently on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
Tap on any album for track list.
The full Jazz à Sète concert has arrived. Watch Stanley Clarke and Stewart Copeland trade ideas and create musical magic for an hour.
Victor Wooten gave Reverb a tour of his bass collection, from his first Univox and beloved Fodera basses to Stanley Clarke’s “School Days” Alembic.
Stanley Clarke brings huge tone and nonstop intensity to “School Days” while Stewart Copeland pushes the chaos even further.
Explore the custom Lieber Spider Grinder Folk Bass built for Stanley Clarke’s 70th birthday, featuring carbon fiber construction, ornate inlays, and Fishman electronics.
Stanley Clarke has revealed new details about his upcoming album Last Train to Sanity, a February release pairing new music with reimagined classics.
