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Stanley Clarke Band, "The Message" Record Label: Mack Avenue

Stanley Clarke...repeat after me STANLEY CLARKE!!!! What does one say about the innovator, bassmaster, composer, arranger, bandleader, member of Return To Forever and one of the greatest bassists of all time? The name conjures up images of mythical proportions. The one residing on Mount Olympus among the pantheon of the Gods of the Bass.

I first heard Stanley on the iconic Light as a Feather album as a 15-year-old back in the seventies so I have been a fan of his and Chick Corea ever since.

Almost five decades later Stanley shows why he is still untouchable on both electric and acoustic bass with his latest album where he wields his instrument and guides his band like a true master with a cornucopia of fusion, funk, jazz, backbeats, Bach cello suites and more.

Helping Stanley bring his vision to fruition aside from his incredibly versatile young band are the likes of rapper and beatboxer Doug E Fresh and trumpet legend Mark Isham.

The music was written during a rather eventful European tour where sometimes adversity actually turns into a blessing in disguise. The Message brings forward an overwhelming sense of power, heart and a level of astonishing musicianship and compositional savvy.

Upon multiple listening’s to the album one can only agree that the virtuosity displayed by his young band is truly astounding, pushing the boundaries of musicianship into the stratosphere.

In 2015 Clarke brought this astounding band consisting of Beka Gochiasvili and Cameron Graves on keyboards and Mike Mitchell on drums with Stanley keeping it all together as the anchor.

When an explosion in Tunisia prevented the band from continuing their tour (which was where they were headed next) they opted to stay on in Paris and to make use of that time writing new material.

The Message opens with homage to several great friends that Clarke has lost in the last few years including George Duke, Al Jarreau, Tom Petty, “Ndugu” Chancler and Prince. Clarke slaps out a funky riff for “And Ya Know We’re Missing You” while beatboxer Doug E. Fresh lays down a solid beat. A rare pairing that just works.

The opening “After the Cosmic Rain/Dance of the Planetary Prince” is a reflection of Clarke’s career in a nutshell. The basis of the tune was written in the early ‘70s for Return to Forever, but this time the keyboardist is Cameron Graves. The young keyboardist, a member of the West Coast Get Down phenomenon, has toured with Clarke for a number of years. His sizzling keyboard work is the focal point of the performance.

Amid the whirl wind of drum and bass on “The Rugged Truth” is Beka Gochiashvili, a native of Tbilisi, Georgia, who has toured with Clarke for the past five years. His piano work on this piece holds an endless combination of ideas and impeccable technique integrating seamlessly with Graves’ supporting keyboard work.

Gochiashvili is an award-winning prodigy and has already performed with many of the greats of our time. He was brought to the US in 2008 with the help of Condoleezza Rice, to New York to participate in auditions at Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music. As expected, he was accepted in both schools. He is one of the most exciting young keyboardists today with a flawless technique and a musical maturity that far surpasses his youth.

The recognizable voice of Steve Blum narrates “Combat Continuum,” a cosmic fusion fantasy.

Powerhouse, young Texan drummer Mike Mitchell stands out as a driving force on this album and in the band. “If he continues down this path, he could very easily be a Tony Williams or Elvin Jones,” says Clarke.

“The Message” and Bach’s “Cello Suite, No. 1” are two sides of the same coin for Clarke, showing his virtuosity with both with the electric and acoustic bass with a technique and feel that is uniquely his. In his own words “The Bach cello suite is like a serious thing to attempt. It’s a hard piece. I do it in the same key as the cello. I don’t change it to suit the bass or make it easier. I worked out the fingering and I’m just trying to make it sound pretty."

The slow groove of “Lost In A World” is a duet between vocalists Skeyler Kole and Trevor Wesley. Tight harmonies and Gochiashvili’s dreamy piano carry the tune on a cloud while “Alternative Facts” burns that same piano to ashes. The band is playful but centered and Beka Gochiashvili once again shows off his acoustic chops with focus and, control.

“The Legend of Abbas and the Sacred Talisman” is a meditation from Clarke on upright bass with Beka on piano. They weave together effortlessly on the same wavelength reflecting mutual respect and admiration. The warmth and musicianship are undeniable as the ship points the way home to “Enzo’s Theme,” a track from the European session bolstered by the additions of trumpeter Mark Isham and saxophonist Doug Webb.

The Message is unmistakably all Stanley Clarke. Five decades of unsurpassed bass mastery doesn’t come easy. Couple this with the youthful energy of his young band and one finds him digging deeply from his bag of goodies to deliver.

This is a worthy album for any purveyor of great music and is, without doubt, a worthy addition to your collection to be savored over and over again.

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