Sonny Clark
- Born:
- , Herminie, Pennsylvania, USA
- Died:
- , New York City, New York, USA
- Instrument:
- Piano
- Notable collaborations:
- Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Art Farmer, Sonny Rollins
- Genres:
- Jazz, Electronic, Stage & Screen, Folk, World, & Country
- Styles:
- Hard Bop, Bop, Cool Jazz, Post Bop, Swing, Soul-Jazz, Free Jazz, Big Band, Modal, Contemporary Jazz
Sonny Clark is a quintessential Hard Bop pianist whose brief but brilliant career (he died at 31) produced some of the genre’s most enduring recordings. His career timeline demonstrates his central role in shaping the Blue Note sound: from his arrival in New York in 1957 to his remarkable run producing classics like “Cool Struttin’” and “Leapin’ and Lopin’”. He was a first-call pianist for countless Blue Note sessions, appearing alongside giants like Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, and Jackie McLean, while his own leader dates showcased his gift for memorable compositions and groove-oriented arrangements. His style combined bebop fluency with blues inflections, making his work accessible yet sophisticated. Despite his tragically short life, his recordings remain essential documents of late-1950s Hard Bop.
Essential Sonny Clark Albums
Cool Struttin'
Sonny Clark
1958
Hard Bop
Sonny's Crib
Sonny Clark
1958
Bop
Leapin' And Lopin'
Sonny Clark
1962
Hard Bop
Dial "S" For Sonny
Sonny Clark
1957
Hard Bop
Sonny Clark Quintet
Sonny Clark
1976
Hard Bop
Blues In The Night
Sonny Clark
1979
Hard Bop
My Conception
Sonny Clark
1979
Hard Bop
Hank Mobley Quintet Featuring Sonny Clark
The Hank Mobley Quintet, Sonny Clark
1984
Hard Bop
The Art Of The Trio
Sonny Clark
1980
Hard Bop
Oleo
Grant Green Quartet With Sonny Clark
2015
Similar Artists
Top Labels
| Label | Releases |
|---|---|
| Blue Note | 237 |
| EMI | 18 |
| Universal Music | 14 |
| Mosaic Records | 13 |
| Verve Records | 11 |
| Prestige | 10 |
| Riverside Records | 10 |
| Documents | 9 |
| Capitol Records | 8 |
| Musica Jazz | 8 |
Sonny Clark Collaborations
As Leader
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Chambers | Bass | 8 |
| Jymie Merritt | Bass | 5 |
| Wes Landers | Drums | 5 |
| Art Farmer | Trumpet | 4 |
| "Philly" Joe Jones | Drums | 4 |
| Hank Mobley | Tenor Saxophone | 3 |
| Curtis Fuller | Trombone | 3 |
| Art Taylor | Drums | 3 |
| Donald Byrd | Trumpet | 3 |
| John Coltrane | Tenor Saxophone | 2 |
As Sideman
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Chambers | Bass | 16 |
| Bobby White | Drums | 12 |
| Eugene Wright | Bass | 10 |
| Bennie Green | Trombone | 9 |
| Art Taylor | Drums | 8 |
| Buddy DeFranco | Clarinet | 7 |
| "Philly" Joe Jones | Drums | 7 |
| Butch Warren | Bass | 7 |
| Red Mitchell | Bass | 6 |
| Roy Haynes | Drums | 6 |
Key Personnel
| Person | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred Lion | Producer | 24 |
| Rudy Van Gelder | Recorded By | 24 |
| Various | Leader | 16 |
| Reid Miles | Design [Cover] | 14 |
| Francis Wolff | Photography By [Cover Photo] | 13 |
| Rudy Van Gelder | Engineer [Recording] | 11 |
| Rudy Van Gelder | Lacquer Cut By | 9 |
| Alfred Lion | Producer [Original Session] | 8 |
| Bennie Green | Leader | 8 |
| Robert Levin | Liner Notes | 7 |
Discography
Total: 182 releases
| Artist | Album | Label | Leader/Sideman | Style | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra | Still Blooming | - | Sideman | 2025 | |
| Various | Blue Note: Alts 'N Outs | - | Sideman | 2025 | |
| Bill Dixon's University Of The Streets Orchestra, Bill Dixon | NYC 1968 / Live At Newport Jazz Festival 1966 | Affordable Tangible Media | Sideman | Free Jazz | 2024 |
| Jackie McLean | Jackie's Bag | - | Sideman | 2024 | |
| Dexter Gordon | Go | - | Sideman | 2024 | |
| Lee Morgan | Candy | - | Sideman | 2023 | |
| Hank Mobley | Hank Mobley | - | Sideman | 2022 | |
| Sonny Clark | Sonny's Crib | - | Sideman | 2021 | |
| Mario Rusca Trio | Monochrome Blues | Mono Jazz | Sideman | Modal | 2021 |
| Sob & The Czyks | A Soulful Journey (From Big Apple To Big Easy) | Swingin' Gate Records | Sideman | 2021 | |
| Sonny Clark Project | Sonny Clark Project | Ikaros Music | Sideman | Bop | 2020 |
| Sonny Clark Trio | Sonny Clark Trio | - | Sideman | 2019 | |
| Chihiro Yamanaka | Prima Del Tramonto | Blue Note | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2019 |
| Don Wilkerson | Preach Brother! | - | Sideman | 2019 | |
| Lee Morgan | Here's Lee Morgan | - | Sideman | 2019 | |
| Various | Pannonica - A Tribute To Pannonica - Deluxe Edition | Cristal Records | Sideman | Bop | 2018 |
| Bennie Green | The 45 Session | - | Sideman | 2017 | |
| Jon Irabagon, Joe Fiedler, Todd Neufeld | In Formation Network | Nuscope Recordings | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2017 |
| Dexter Gordon | A Swingin' Affair | - | Sideman | 2017 | |
| U.J.T | We're All Together | Tape Addict Recordings | Sideman | Swing | 2016 |
Styles & Genres Distribution
Styles
| Style | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hard Bop | 63 | 11.3% |
| Bop | 35 | 6.3% |
| Cool Jazz | 16 | 2.9% |
| Post Bop | 10 | 1.8% |
| Swing | 5 | 0.9% |
| Soul-Jazz | 5 | 0.9% |
| Free Jazz | 4 | 0.7% |
| Big Band | 3 | 0.5% |
| Modal | 3 | 0.5% |
| Contemporary Jazz | 3 | 0.5% |
Genres
| Genre | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz | 150 | 26.9% |
| Electronic | 1 | 0.2% |
| Stage & Screen | 1 | 0.2% |
| Folk, World, & Country | 1 | 0.2% |