Sonny Clark is another under-appreciated hard bopper who was prominent in the '50s and early '60s but has since faded from view, largely because of his death in '63 at age 31, a victim of his addictions. He's better-known for his extensive work as a sideman, but I'm getting into his albums as a leader. Last year Amy got me Cool Struttin' (outstanding cover art) from 1958 and the previous year's Sonny Clark Trio. Art Farmer's trumpet on Struttin' is a highlight.
(And speaking of bop, Verve has a nice primer on jazz history describing how various styles evolved from and built upon their precedents. The links and images are skewed toward Verve artists--gotta pay the bills--but the text seems pretty even-handed.)
tags: jazz sonny clark cool+struttin'