Conrad Yeatis Clark, otherwise known as Sonny Clark, was in many ways the quintessential hard bop pianist. Possessed of an enviable lyrical flow and a wealth of inventive melodic ideas that unfurled with clarity and without fuss, Clark had a deeply rooted feeling for the blues. After moving from his hometown of Pittsburgh to New York, Clark emerged as a ubiquitous presence on Blue Note starting in 1957. It was on his fifth Blue Note date as a leader that Clark arrived at his masterwork, Cool Struttin’, recorded in January 1958 with a top-shelf quintet featuring Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto saxophone, Paul Chambers on bass, and ‘Philly’ Joe Jones on drums. The album has only grown in stature as a timeless hard bop classic since Clark’s premature death at age 31 in 1963.

Sonny Clark's 1958 classic Cool Struttin' exudes the cool style of Jazz  Blue Note were pushing in the late 50's, from Reid Miles' classic cover design to the hard bop stylings found on the LP inside. Clark plays with a Monk styling on his 'Blue Minor' while the title track shows the exacting standards of the pianist and his band of Blue Note all stars. What a session!

By Adam