Stanley Clarke - Stanley Clarke (1974)

Tracklist

01 - Vulcan Princess
02 - Yesterday Princess
03 - Lopsy Lu
04 - Power
05 - Spanish Phases For Strings & Bass
06 - Life Suite (parts 1 to 4)

No one ever accused Return to Forever of playing too few notes, and bass wonder Stanley Clarke commits a few similar sins of excess on his first solo album (see "Life Suite, Parts 1-4"). But, hey, this was 1975, and there's no denying Clarke's genius for sublime grooves and fancy fretwork. As funky as Larry Graham and more fun than Jaco Pastorius, he moves agilely between the convoluted pleasures of "Lopsy Lu" and the more highbrow charms of "Spanish Phases for String and Bass." The album is one of the best showcases for Clarke's mastery of both double bass and electric. --Billy Grenier