Interview with Mike Clark
by Rickard Holmgren
June 10, 2010
1. Hi and welcome to Melodic.net. How are you doing?
Mike: I feel great thanks and I am very excited about my new 'CD Carnival of Soul' coming out.
2. For those of us out there that don't know too much about you, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Mike: I was well known for my work with Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters, I was on some of his recordings that sold quite a bit one which went gold and we were credited for caming up with a new style of playing. I also played for years with Vince Guaraldi and was on several of his Charlie Brown Christmas Special soundtracks. I have also worked with Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, Gil Evans, Sonny Stitt, Nat Adderley, Chet Baker and Tony Bennett to name a few of the jazz stars. I also worked with Brand X a jazz fusion group from England. I recorded with them and toured when Phil Collins was to busy to make it. I have made quite a few cd's as a leader as well one in particular,Blue Prints of Jazz which was picked at one of the best of the decade by Downbeat Magazine. I am also a co-leader of the legendary band The Head Hunters. I am well known for playing jazz, funk and blues. I have a method book out featuring my original funk beats that are very popular and a video as well. I am one of the most sampled drummers in hip hop music from a tune I co-wrote along with Paul Jackson entitled God Make Me Funky!
3. How would you describe your own music?
Mike: Blues soaked, hard swinging and funky! Conversational, loose and open, yet traditional.
4. What can you tell us about your new album "Carnival of Soul"?
Mike: That I have history with each musician that I picked for the date. I have played many years with all of these artists except for Rez Abbasi who is a new friend and he loves boxing as I do so that makes it really great! They were almost all first takes and it went down very naturally. I think the CD is funky and swings hard getting to the roots of the organ jazz thing but looking toward the future. Drum great Lenny White put the finishing touches on the CD for me with his brilliace on Catlett Outta the Bag. I also love what Delbert McClinton did with his treatment of Cry Me a River, it doesn't get any deeper than that. Personally I think it's fun to listen to. Check it out!!
5. Who is the best artist you have ever shared a stage with?
Mike: Not sure as after they arrive at a certain level they are all different but there is no best.
6. Who would be a dream artist to share a stage with?
Mike: John Coltrane or Miles Davis but that's not going to happen.
7. During your long career, what is the most important change the music industry has gone through, and how has it affected you as an artist?
Mike: I think that sampling is a big change anyway and by not getting paid by the artist who sampled my beats even though I wrote the tunes has made it so I have to play until I die unless I hit lotto. I say if you use someone's art ...pay them. I would play until I die anyway but this way I won't own a yaht in the Carribean.
8. Name one album that everyone should own?
Mike: 'A Love Supreme' (John Coltrane, editor's note)
9. What does the future hold for you?
Mike: Touring, writing, creating, recording and sharing my gift with the world. Also being well known allows me to introduce new artists that I feel deserve attention due to their talent.
10. Thanks for answering the questions, do you have any final words for our readers?
Mike: Thank you for dropping by and hearing my point of view and for all the years of support, I sincerely appreciate it.