Share the post "Album review: STANLEY CLARKE – The Message"
Mack Avenue [Release date 29.06.18]
With Stanley Clarke’s rare gigs in the UK in 2017, my interest in his music was rekindled and not least as a result of a lengthy chat for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.
I grew up – musically – in the 1970s and 1980s on a diet of ‘Schooldays’ and other such jazz funk sorties. When Stanley came to Manchester last year he was very much in jazz mode, with only a hint of former – mainstream – glories. This theme is continued on the latest album offering.
The short opener ‘And Ya Know We’re Missing You’ with its deep funk vibe is the only concession to the heavy jazz funk purveyed in days of old whilst ‘To Be Alive’ adds Doug E. Fresh’s vocal/rap to bring things more up to date. He revives the Return To Forever classic ‘After The Cosmic Rain’ and elsewhere the album is punctuated by incredible musicianship and the dual keyboards of Beka Gochiashvili and Cameron Graves who accompanied Clarke on those UK dates.
‘Combat Continuum’ features the spoken word of Steve Blum and is hardly likely to be on repeat play whilst the reflective title track features Pat Leonard on synth textures. ‘Lost In A World’ is an attractive ballad with spoken words by Mrs. Clarke and one of only two tracks that list a guitar, played both times by Michael Thompson.
As I commented in the live review the lack of rock guitar is now the main distance, and difference, between those frenetic fusion excursions in the seventies. It’s safe to say that ‘Schooldays’ are over and Clarke’s music has matured to a smoother if spritely jazz, (as epitomised by ‘Alternative Facts’), but there’s still much here to interest his loyal fanbase. ***1/2
Review by David Randall
David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.
Gig review (Manchester, July 2017) and interview
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
Next session: Sunday 19 January
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: STANLEY CLARKE – The Message"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
