- Aliases
-
Kenny Clarke and His 52nd Street Boys
Kenny Clarke & His 52nd Street Boys
Kenny Clarke's Sextet
Liaqat Ali Salaam
- Real name
- Kenneth Clarke Spearman
- Born
- January 9, 1914
- Died
- January 26, 1985
- Country
- United States
- IPI
-
00006271024 1 work
00006278003 2 works
00027284778 3 works
- Affiliation
- ASCAP, SACEM
- Comments
-
Important bop drummer who used the ride cymbal instead of the bass drum to obtain a steady 4/4 pulse, freeing the bass and snare drums for independent rhythms. Clarke led the house band at Minton's Playhouse and was a participant in the famous jam sessions that led to the developmen bop. At the time bop was first being widely recognized, Clarke was in the military (1943-1946), and from September, 1944 to April, 1946 in Europe.
Clarke converted to Islam and adopted the name Liaqat Ali Salaam, which he used professionally for only a brief period of time. He had a brief affair with a young Annie Ross in 1949, resulting in the birth of a son, who was raised by Clarke's family. In 1956 or 1957, Clarke moved permanently to France, where he led an octet and big band with Francy Boland from 1961 into 1973. - Member of
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The Modern Jazz Quartet (1952-1955): left after a dispute with John Lewis over the musical direction of the quartet.
The Be Bop Boys Drums
The Lou Bennett Quartet
- Family
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Carmen McRae Spouse (1944-1956; separated in 1948)
- Related
-
Sahib Shihab Member of the Kenny Clarke Francy Boland Big Band (1961-1973)
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