MIKE CLARK DRUMMER / BAND LEADER
MIKE CLARK gained worldwide recognition as one of America's foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock's group The Headhunters in the early 1970's. Replacing Harvey Mason in the drummer’s chair, Mike became known as a major innovator through his groundbreaking, incisive playing on Hancock's Thrust album, which garnered him an international cult following; it is widely accepted that Clark is one of the few, in the category of Elvin Jones and Tony Williams, to have changed the fundamental language of the drums.
A long-time resident of New York City, Mike has performed with jazz greats from A to Z too numerous to list, but including, in addition to Hancock, Nat Adderly, Chet Baker, Larry Coryell, Gil Evans and his orchestra, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Wallace Roney, Christian MacBride, Donald Harrison, Wayne Shorter, and Woody Shaw.
Originally from Oakland, California, Mike is credited with pioneering a particular style of East Bay funk drumming along with Dave Garibaldi of Tower of Power fame, and as a child prodigy, Mike grew up playing blues and rhythm and blues, learning on the stages of American music legends such as Bill Doggett, Mose Allison, Maxine Brown, Albert King, and Frogman Henry. He also did a stint with Brand X, the acclaimed British fusion band, founded by Phil Collins.
A faculty member of Drummers Collective, Mike has appeared at college clinics throughout the world, and has been featured in Downbeat, Musician, International Musician & Recording World, Modern Drummer, Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazziz and many jazz history and method books.
Called "the most sampled drummer in hip hop" Mike's beats have been used on tracks by musicians as diverse as NWA, Grandmaster Flash, Britney Spears, Prince and many others. His numerous recording credits, both as a sideman and bandleader include a compilation of his legendary, innovative funk beat samples, Mike Clark—The Headhunter, and a brand new edition of his beats on futureloops.com. Mike just completed a jazz effort with Donald Harrison, Patrice Rushen, and Christian Scott, and alternates his Headhunters tours with his own Prescription Organ Trio/Duo, and his popular jazz quartet. His diverse genre-defying talent continues to astound audiences and influence successive generations of drummers since his explosive arrival on the music scene with Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters.
