DELUXE
His instrumental virtuosity and melodic sensitivity have earned him four Grammy Awards. Monaco welcomes this pioneer of jazz fusion, who has turned the bass into a solo instrument.
He is one of the most respected acoustic and electric bass players in the world. By thrusting his instrument into the spotlight through songs that attained a cult following, Stanley Clarke paved the way for an entire generation of bandleaders.
To begin with, this Philadelphia boy had in fact started learning to play the violin, but his large fingers and his discovery of a double bass in the corner of a music room changed his trajectory. It was alongside Chick Corea that he founded the emblematic Return to Forever, a key jazz fusion band, in the 1970s.
In a career spanning more than 50 years, Clarke’s creativity has been rewarded in all ways possible: gold and platinum discs, Grammy Awards, nominations at the Emmy Awards and the title of Jazz Master awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest distinction for jazz in the US. Clarke was also the very first Rolling Stone magazine Jazzman of the Year and as a bassist won the Playboy's Music Award 10 years in a row.
A popular composer in Hollywood, he has more than 70 film and TV credits. Committed to transmission, with his wife Sofia he created the Stanley Clarke Foundation, which offers a grant to support young talented musicians. With a residency at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica since 2023, he combines performances with transmission.
His concert at the Salle Garnier is an exceptional interlude.
STANLEY CLARKE
The evening will open with Stanley Clarke, an iconic figure of the bass and jazz fusion, delivering an elegant and rhythmic performance before the main concert.
With over 40 albums to his name and four Grammy Awards, Stanley Clarke has rightfully earned the status of a living legend. Since the 1970s and the success of Return To Forever, founded alongside Chick Corea, he has stood as one of the cornerstones of American music.
He has collaborated with some of the world’s greatest artists: Quincy Jones, Stan Getz, Art Blakey, Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, The Police, Herbie Hancock, and many more.
A virtuoso on both double bass and electric bass, Stanley Clarke is one of the few musicians to have elevated his instrument to the spotlight. As a renowned composer, he has also written the soundtracks for iconic films such as Boyz N The Hood, What’s Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner biopic), Romeo Must Die, and The Transporter.
Honored with numerous awards and distinctions – gold and platinum records, Grammy Awards, BMI Award, Emmy® nominations, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Bass Player Magazine – he continues to inspire generations of musicians. In 2013, Downbeat Magazine named him “Best Electric Bass Player.”
For this tour, he will be joined by Cameron Graves (keyboards), Beka Gochiashvili (piano, keyboards), and Mike Mitchell (drums). Together, they promise an exceptional performance blending virtuosity, emotion, and groove.
