Terry Clarke

Terry Clarke (drummer) was born in 1944, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He began displaying rhythmic aptitude at a very early age, and was just 12 years old when he began studying formally with noted drum teache and author, Jim Blackley, Blackley was, and remains, a primary figure in Clarke’s continuing development as a musician.

In 1965, Clarke moved to San Francisco to work with the legendary saxophonist, John Handy III. He performed with Handy for the next two and a half years, during which time the Grammy nominated recording, Live at The Monterey Jazz Festival (Columbia-1966) was made. Following the John Handy experience (which included Terry’s long-time musical collaborator and friend, Don Thompson), Clarke began building his reputation for versatility by joining the world-famous pop vocal group, “The Fifth Dimension” at the height of their popularity, travelling and performed extensively with them throughout the U.S.A., Canada and Europe.

Clarke left “The Fifth Dimension” in 1970, subsequently relocating to Toronto where, for the next 15, he played an abundance of jazz in all styles, and established himself as a major figure in Toronto’s then considerable studio scene. Countless television shows, jingles and recording dates were his mainstay, as well performances in legendary Toronto jazz clubs including “George’s Spaghettti House”, “Bourbon Street”, and “Basin Street”, often working with international jazz figures including Frank Rossolino and Lenny Breau. During the same period, he also toured extensively in Japan and Europe with jazz guitar legend Jim Hall and piano great, Oscar Peterson.

Terry Clarke is an original member of the “Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass” jazz big band, recording and touring with the world-acclaimed ensemble for 25 years. In 1985, seeking greater musical challenges, Clarke moved to New York City to pursue an exclusively jazz-oriented career. During his tenure there, he worked and recorded with The Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, Helen Merrill, Toots Theilemans, Ann Hampton Callaway, Red Mitchell, Marvin Stamm, Jim Hall, Bill Mays, Roger Kellaway, and Joe Roccisano, to list a few.

Having recorded over 300 albums with various jazz artists, Terry Clarke is a familiar face at jazz festivals, concert halls, and venues throughout the world. In August of 1999, he returned to Toronto, reuniting with Rob to join his exciting new ensemble, “The Rob McConnell Tentet”, Terry Clarke’s most recent CD release is “Bick’s Bag” (Triplet Records) featuring the trio of Bill Mays, Neil Swainson, and Terry Clarke, in tribute to Canadian jazz guitar legend, Ed Bickert.

Steve Holt: Impact

by Jack Kenny
June 17, 2025

To create a new album after a twenty-year gap is intriguing. In his long career Steve Holt has worked with Archie Shepp, Larry Coryell Eddie Henderson, Pat LaBarbera, James Moody and Michel Urbaniak. He studied with Kenny Barron, an experience that affected his keyboard style. Surrounding himself with some major Canadian musicians, he has produced some new vital work: a library of new themes for the group to work on. The main task of a composer is to ...

Album Review

Matthew Halpin, Stefan Bauer, Matthias Akeo Nowak, Terry Clarke: Mosaic

by Pierre Giroux
October 5, 2024

Mosaic, a live recording from Dachtheater, Warendorf and Domicil Dortmund in Germany, captures the thrilling spontaneity of four master musicians coming together for the first time. They are Matthew Halpin on tenor saxophone, Stefan Bauer on vibraharp, Matthias Akeo Nowak on bass and Terry Clarke on drums. With two exceptions, all compositions were written by Bauer, and they unfold like conversations among strangers who, nonetheless, find a common universal language in jazz. The result is an interplay that is both ...

Album Review

Scott/Grant 5: Horizon Song

Read "Horizon Song" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
July 8, 2024

This release from guitarist Andrew Scott and trombonist Kelsey Grant, Horizon Song, is a tutorial in jazz which feels both refreshingly innovative and an ageless classic. This collection of original compositions from Scott or Grant can be categorized by their unwavering coolness and a distinct absence of musical anxiety. The other artists in this session are pianist Amanda Tosoff along with the indispensable rhythmic duo of bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Terry Clarke. The opener is the title track, “Horizon ...

Album Review

Mike Murley and Mark Eisenman: Recent History

Read "Recent History" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
October 30, 2023

Mike Murley and Mark Eisenman are well-recognized jazz musicians known for their considerable talent and contributions to the jazz genre. Their collaborative album Recent History is a testament to this music, showcasing their ability to create a cohesive and engaging musical conversation. Added to this satisfying outing is the internationally acclaimed rhythm section of bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Terry Clarke to complete the quartet. The make-up of this mainstream session is four Murley/Eisenman duo tracks ...

Album Review

Guido Basso: One More For The Road

Read "One More For The Road" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
September 1, 2023

Guido Basso, known for his mastery of the flugelhorn and trumpet, died in February of 2023. From his earliest days in Montreal playing with the Maury Kaye band, to working in the US with top performers such Vic Damone and Pearl Bailey, Basso gained a reputation as a consummate musician who was capable of working in a variety of settings. Deciding not to remain in the U.S., Basso returned to Canada and settled in Toronto. Here, he established himself as ...

Album Review

The Rob McConnell Sextet: Old Friends / New Music

Read "Old Friends / New Music" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
July 2, 2023

Rob McConnell was a valve trombonist, arranger, composer and leader of the big band called the Boss Brass, which set a new standard for jazz writing through the use of complex passages and close section harmony, and in 1983 won a Grammy. In this digital-only release by Cornerstone Records, McConnell leads a sextet comprised of Guido Basso on trumpet/flugelhorn, Rick Wilkins on tenor sax, Ed Bickert on guitar, Steve Wallace on bass and Terry Clarke on drums in a session ...

Album Review

Joe Coughlin: Dedicated To You

Read "Dedicated To You" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
October 6, 2022

Joe Coughlin has been on the Canadian jazz scene since the late 1970s, when he began his performing and recording career in Toronto. . In 1995, he relocated to Vancouver BC where he continues to record and perform. Over the course of his career he has garnered many accolades and on two occasions was given the National Jazz Award Jazz Vocalist of the Year. This session in many way brings Coughlin full circle as he is ...

228

Award / Grant

Canadian Grammy to Drummer Terry Clarke

Source: Michael Ricci
April 19, 2010

Drummer Terry Clarke and his Blue Music Group release “It's About Time" has won the 2010 Jazz Recording of the Year Juno Award. It's About TIme features saxophonists Joe Lovano, Greg Osby and Phil Dwyer, guitarist Jim Hall and bassist/pianist Don Thompson. It's About Time is Clarke's premier album as leader, after an extensive career as a supportive sideman on hundreds of recordings. The Down Beat magazine rated It's About Time with 4 1/2 stars: “A remarkable example of group ...
read more

170

Recording

Canadian Jazz Icon Terry Clarke Releases CD "It's About Time"

Source: Michael Ricci
November 9, 2009

Award-winning Drummer and Canadian Jazz Icon Terry Clarke releases his FIRST recording as a leader,

It's About Time (BlueMusicGroup.com - CD #7023)

Featuring Phil Dwyer, Don Thompson, Jim Hall, Joe Lovano and Greg Osby

...and celebrates his first fifty years in Jazz!!!

“It's About Time is a series of intimate and emotionally compelling jazz conversations between friends and colleagues...my sole purpose at this juncture in my life is to present music that embodies the joy that I feel playing with ...
read more

180

Music Industry

Terry Clarke Signs with Blue Music Group

Source: Michael Ricci
September 14, 2009

Grammy nominated and Juno Award winning drummer Terry Clarke signed with Blue Music Group for his release It's About Time featuring Joe Lovano, Jim Hall, Greg Osby, Phil Dwyer and Don Thompson. Terry Clarke was born on August 20, 1944 in Vancouver, British Columbia. His natural rhythmic aptitude was obvious from an early age, and at the age of twelve, he began studying formally with the noted drum teacher and author Jim Blackley. In 1965, Terry moved to San Francisco ...
read more