AMG Review of This Is Jazz, Vol. 41

John Bush
All Music Guide

Bassist Stanley Clarke's edition in the Columbia This Is Jazz series focuses on three distinct periods. About half of the tracks date from the mid-'70s, with tracks from Clarke's first solo albums (Stanley Clarke, Journey to Love and School Days) including the moving two-part Coltrane tribute "Song to John." From the mid-'80s, Columbia drew the Charles Mingus tune "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" from Clarke's If This Bass Could Only Talk. The other three selections come from 1993, including "Christmas in Rio" and "What If I Forget the Champagne" from East River Drive and the live "All Blues," with special guests Billy Cobham on drums and Najee on flute. This Is Jazz is a solid collection for listeners new to Stanley Clarke, though most would opt for the individual albums instead.