Terry Clark - Clark the autobiography of Clark Terry

Clark Terry is an American Master. I love to listen to him, particularly Mumbles. I was so delighted when we received degrees together, along with Edward Kennedy, at the New England Conservatory in 1997.

ARETHA FRANKLIN

Ive always been a great admirer of Clark Terrys work on the trumpet and flugelhorn, and now I have become a big admirer of his work as an authoryou will love this book.

CLINT EASTWOOD

I met Clark when I was sixteen years old. He saw something in me and without hesitation planted me in the most fertile soil any aspiring artist could hope to be in... his heart. I am eternally grateful for his generous spirit, love, encouragement, storytelling, and above all laughter throughout the years! Clark... I love you madly.

DIANNE REEVES

Ive come to know Clark as undoubtedly the greatest teacher in the history of jazz. From the mentoring of Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, to the millions of young musicians touched by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz all over the globe, Clark and his incredible music stand as a symbol of intellect and spirituality of the highest order to all of us. Thank God for Clark Terry!

THELONIOUS MONK, III

Thank you, Clark, for a lifetime of your incredible talents, and for filling this world with so much love. All of us at the Jazz Foundation of America are sincerely thankful for your compassion and involvement in our efforts to help musicians in need. You are an inspiration and a classic role model truly beyond category!

WENDY OXENHORN

His style, his sound, his look, his voice, his heart, his soul. Thats what inspires Snoop Dogg about Mr. Terry. If I could only do half of what he did in the music business, my life would be complete. I had the honor and pleasure of spending a few days with Mr. Terry. Hes the greatest to ever do it. Thank you, Uncle Quincy, for introducing me to Mr. Mumbles!!!

SNOOP DOGG

Clark and I have been friends for many decades, and Ive always enjoyed his music. Recently, on a long, three-hundred-mile drive to our gig, we listened to Clarks wonderful Porgy and Bess album. This was the second or third time that wed done that. It sure was some great playing on your part, Clark! We enjoyed those Chicago Jazz Orchestra brass players, too. Congratulations on your book.

DAVE BRUBECK

Whenever I see Clark Terry, I always look forward to talking to him and reminiscing about the early bebop years. Theres an expression coined by Lester Young that succinctly says it all about Clark Terry: chandelier, a raconteur par excellence, Mumbles-brilliant, original musical brilliance. It has been a privilege.

BILLY DEE WILLIAMS

When I saw Clark performing at the Blue Note in New York, I thought to myself, Could this be what all of us instrumentalists are really trying to do? Before my eyes and ears, the legend/man/craftsman went there. As I saw it, there was straight to the source of personal expression. Through Mumbles or through the flugelhorn, the man spoke to me that night, and Ill remember that always as a larger than life experience.

ESPERANZA SPALDING

Clark Terry is a jazz superstar and one of the most extraordinary individuals I have ever encountered. Hes a world-class musician, educator, composer, jazz pioneer, and a cofounder of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. He has inspired people of all ages with his humor, courage, passion, and vision. Thanks for your friendship, Clark, and for always being there for the Institute.

TOM CARTER

The one I admire without restriction is Clark Terry, whose pronunciation at the trumpet or bugle is a model of sharpness, clearness, and authority. A model which is given with generosity to all of those who want to play this instrument... the way it should be played.

MAURICE ANDR

THE GEORGE GUND FOUNDATION
IMPRINT IN AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES

The George Gund Foundation has endowed
this imprint to advance understanding of
the history, culture, and current issues
of African Americans.

The publisher gratefully acknowledges the
generous support of the African American Studies
Endowment Fund of the University of California
Press Foundation, which was established by a major
gift from the George Gund Foundation.

Clark

The Autobiography of Clark Terry

WITH GWEN TERRY

Preface by Quincy Jones
Foreword by Bill Cosby
Introduction by David Demsey

University of California Press

BERKELEY LOS ANGELES LONDON

University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu.

University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California

University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England

2011 by Clark Terry and Gwen Terry
Preface Quincy Jones
Foreword Bill Cosby

Every effort has been made to identify the rightful copyright holders of material not specifically commissioned for use in this publication and to secure permission, where applicable, for reuse of all such material. Credit, if and as available, has been provided for all borrowed material either on-page, on the copyright page, or in an acknowledgment section of the book. Errors or omissions in credit citations or failure to obtain permission if required by copyright law have been either unavoidable or unintentional. The author and publisher welcome any information that would allow them to correct future reprints.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Terry, Clark.
Clark / the autobiography of Clark Terry, with Gwen Terry ; with a preface by Quincy Jones, a foreword by Bill Cosby, and an introduction by David Demsey.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-520-26846-3 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Terry, Clark. 2. Jazz musiciansUnited StatesBiography. 3. Trumpet playersUnited StatesBiography. I. Terry, Gwen.
II. Title.
ML419.T375A3 2011
788.9'2165092dc22
[B] 2011007956

Manufactured in the United States of America

20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This book is printed on Cascades Enviro 100, a 100% post consumer waste, recycled, de-inked fiber. FSC recycled certified and processed chlorine free. It is acid free, Ecologo certified, and manufactured by BioGas energy.

To my beautiful wife, Gwen, and to the past, present, and future creators of jazz

Clark Terry is a dear, dear friend of mine. He is a giant, as a musician and as a human being. Hes also a great storyteller, so I give big-time props to his autobiography. He wrote the sixth chapter of mine.

Our friendship goes way, way back. Like he says, Backer than that! It began when I was a young teenager in Seattle, where he was performing with Count Basie. In the late 40s, they worked at the Palomar Theater each night, and even though the early morning was Clarks sleep time, eventually he graciously offered to give me trumpet lessons before I went to school.

One of the greatest joys of my life was when he left Duke Ellingtons Orchestra to join my band in Belgium when I was music director for the musical