clark terry

Biography

Clark Virgil Terry Jr. was born on December 14, 1920, in St. Louis, Missouri, where he began playing trumpet as a teenager and launched his professional career in the early 1940s. After serving in the US Navy during World War II, Terry's musical star rose rapidly through successful stints with bandleaders George Hudson, Charlie Barnet, Eddie Vinson, and Charlie Ventura. His prominence became firmly established in 1948 when he joined Count Basie's legendary big band for three years, followed by an even more significant eight-year tenure with Duke Ellington's renowned orchestra beginning in 1951, where he served as a featured soloist and participated in many of the composer's ambitious suites.

Terry's innovative approach blended the characteristic St. Louis tone with contemporary styles ranging from swing to hard bop, and he became a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, influencing generations of musicians. His exuberant, swinging horn playing and technical proficiency, combined with his engaging sense of humor, made him a distinctive stylist capable of adding a unique element to any musical setting. Beyond his work with major orchestras, Terry achieved historic significance when he became the first African American staff musician on a major US television network, joining NBC's Tonight Show band in 1960—a position he held for twelve years, which helped popularize jazz to a broader audience and broke significant racial barriers in American media.

Throughout his career spanning more than 70 years, Clark Terry became one of the most recorded jazz musicians in history, appearing on over 900 recordings as both a bandleader and sideman. His greatest passion outside of performing was jazz education; he mentored numerous musicians who would become jazz legends, conducted extensive jazz workshops, co-founded Jazz Mobile in Harlem, and hosted Clark Terry Jazz Festivals on land and sea from 2000 onwards. Terry performed for eight U.S. Presidents, served as a Jazz Ambassador for State Department tours in the Middle East and Africa, and received numerous honors including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. He passed away on February 21, 2015, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy as a consummate musician, educator, and cultural ambassador.

Fun Facts

• Clark Terry was the first African American staff musician on a major US television network when he joined NBC's Tonight Show band in 1960, breaking the color barrier in American broadcast media and helping to popularize jazz to millions of viewers over his 12-year tenure.
• Terry was known for his engaging entertainer persona and would often perform solo duets with himself in concerts, alternating between trumpet and flugelhorn in musical conversations that showcased his technical mastery and sense of humor.
• Despite his monumental career achievements, Terry's greatest passion was jazz education; students from all corners of the globe traveled to his home to receive jazz lessons, and he composed over 200 jazz songs during his lifetime.
• Terry appeared on over 900 recordings throughout his career, making him one of the most recorded jazz musicians in history, and he performed for eight U.S. Presidents while serving as a Jazz Ambassador for State Department tours in the Middle East and Africa.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Billy Taylor - Prompted Terry early in his career to engage in music education and youth instruction (Jazz Mobile founding initiative) [1940s onwards]

Key Collaborators

• Count Basie - Big band leader with whom Terry was a featured member (Count Basie's big band and octet) [1948-1951]
• Duke Ellington - Maestro who recruited Terry as a featured soloist in his renowned orchestra (Duke Ellington's orchestra, various suites and compositions) [1951-1959]
• Charlie Barnet - Big band conductor who hired Terry early in his career (Charlie Barnet's big band) [1940s]
• Oscar Peterson - Pianist and frequent recording collaborator (Various recording sessions and 'One-on-One' duet project) [1950s-1990s]
• Bob Brookmeyer - Co-led a quintet with Terry (Terry-Brookmeyer Quintet) [1950s-1960s]
• Johnny Carson - Tonight Show bandleader; Terry was featured soloist in the NBC Tonight Show band (The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson) [1960-1972]
• Ella Fitzgerald - Jazz vocalist with whom Terry recorded and performed (Various recording sessions) [1950s-1960s]
• Dizzy Gillespie - Bebop pioneer and frequent collaborator (Various recording sessions) [1950s-1980s]
• Aretha Franklin - Soul/jazz vocalist with whom Terry collaborated (Various recording sessions) [1960s-1970s]
• Quincy Jones - Producer and collaborator; credited Terry as major influence on his early career (Various recording and production projects) [1950s onwards]

Artists Influenced

• Miles Davis - Young Miles idolized Terry in St. Louis; Terry was a formidable influence during Miles' early career stages (Miles Davis' early recordings and development) [1940s-1950s]
• Herbie Hancock - Pianist mentored by Terry during his jazz education initiatives (Herbie Hancock's jazz development) [1960s onwards]
• Wynton Marsalis - Trumpeter mentored by Terry through jazz camps and festivals (Wynton Marsalis' trumpet development) [1970s onwards]
• Pat Metheny - Guitarist mentored by Terry (Pat Metheny's jazz development) [1970s onwards]
• Dianne Reeves - Jazz vocalist mentored by Terry (Dianne Reeves' vocal jazz development) [1970s onwards]
• Terri Lyne Carrington - Drummer mentored by Terry (Terri Lyne Carrington's drumming development) [1970s onwards]
• Art Farmer - Flugelhorn player influenced by Terry's pioneering use of the instrument (Art Farmer's flugelhorn style) [1950s onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Mumbles (Oscar Peterson's Finest Hour)
2. Mack The Knife (Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One)
3. In A Mist (The Happy Horns Of Clark Terry)
4. Spanish Rice (Spanish Rice)
5. Tin Tin Deo (Spanish Rice)
6. Rockin' In Rhythm (The Happy Horns Of Clark Terry)
7. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are (Brilliant Corners)
8. Brotherhood Of Man (Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One)
9. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me (The Happy Horns Of Clark Terry)
10. Jim (Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia