Alex Henderson

Stanley Clarke     "Time Exposure" [Expanded Edition]



Philadelphia is not only famous for cheesesteaks, the Liberty Bell, rowhouses, the Philadelphia Phillies and “Rocky” movies—it also known for giving the world an abundance of world-class musicians. Take a stroll along the Philadelphia Walk of Fame (Philly’s version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame) on Broad Street, and you’ll see the names of numerous jazz and R&B greats who had a strong Philly connection. One of those names is Stanley Clarke, who was born in Philly on June 30, 1951 and is among the most influential electric bassists of all time (he is also quite accomplished on the acoustic bass). In the 1970s, Clarke’s ability to combine the influence of Sly & the Family Stone’s Larry Graham with the improvisatory language of jazz established him as a major innovator. Anyone who learns to play instrumental jazz-rock fusion on the electric bass is likely to cite Clarke and the late Jaco Pastorius as key influences.

The group that did the most to catapult Clarke to the top of the jazz world was pianist/keyboardist Chick Corea’s Return to Forever, one of the most influential fusion bands of the 1970s. As a sideman, Clarke played with many well-known jazz musicians during his youth, including Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Gato Barbieri, Pharoah Sanders and Horace Silver. But Return to Forever, more than anyone, cemented his reputation as a jazz heavyweight.

Clarke, however, has never considered himself a jazz snob. The Philadelphian not only offered instrumental jazz on his 1970s albums, but also, soul, funk and rock. And when Epic Records released Time Exposure in 1984, it was evident that Clarke had eclectic tastes. Clarke’s fans knew him for Return to Forever and the group Echoes of an Era (which boasted Chaka Khan singing straight-ahead bop instead of her usual soul and funk), but they also knew him for the R&B-friendly Clarke/Duke Project (which he co-led with keyboardist/singer George Duke) and that outfit’s 1981 hit “Sweet Baby” (a quiet storm/adult contemporary ballad that reached #6 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #19 on Billboard’s pop singles chart). In 1984, Clarke was interested in playing jazz extensively but not exclusively—and with Time Exposure, he draws on both his jazz side and his non-jazz side.

The long list of musicians who join Clarke on this album is a diverse one, ranging from Duke, tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, keyboardist Denzil Miller and bassist Louis Johnson (of Brothers Johnson fame) to R&B singer Howard Hewett. And the legendary Jeff Beck is featured on electric guitar. Beck, of course, is one of the most influential rock guitarists of all time; his contributions to the Yardbirds during the 1960s established him as a major name in hard rock, psychedelic rock and blues-rock, but in the 1970s, Beck demonstrated that he was equally capable of playing instrumental jazz-rock fusion.

Beck, much like Clarke, has never been comfortable playing one type of music exclusively—and Clarke doesn’t allow himself to be pigeonholed on Time Exposure. Clarke’s fusion side asserts itself on instrumentals that include “Are You Ready (For the Future)” and the driving title track. The jazz-rock factor is also prominent on “Spacerunner,” whereas funk is the main ingredient on “Future Shock,” “Speedball” (not to be confused with the song by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan) and “Future” (which Clarke co-wrote with Louis Johnson). Meanwhile, “I Know Just How You Feel” combines an Earth, Wind & Fire influence with a strong rock influence. 

All of the songs on Time Exposure were written or co-written by Clarke except for the single “Heaven Sent You,” which Hewett co-wrote with Miller (who had been part of Twennyine, the funk/soul band that drummer Lenny White of Return to Forever fame founded two years after RTF’s 1977 breakup). A romantic quiet storm slow jam, “Heaven Sent You” features Hewett on lead vocals and made it to #21 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. In 1984, Hewett was a big name in R&B thanks to his contributions to the vocal trio Shalamar (which he joined in 1979). Shalamar had their share of lineup changes along the way, but the most famous lineup consisted of Hewett, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel—and Hewett helped to define the Solar Records sound with Shalamar hits like “The Second Time Around,” “A Night to Remember,” “Make That Move” and “This Is for the Lover in You.” But Hewett’s six-year association with Shalamar ended in 1985, when he left that group to pursue a solo career. And the moderate success that “Heaven Sent You” enjoyed a year earlier demonstrated that there was life outside of Shalamar for the expressive singer.

“Heaven Sent You” is heard three times on this expanded edition of Time Exposure: in addition to the version from Epic’s original 1984 LP, two alternative versions are offered as bonus tracks. Other bonus tracks on this reissue include the 12” single versions of “Speedball,” “Future” and “Are You Ready (For the Future).”

After Time Exposure, Clarke didn’t become any less versatile. The second half of the 1980s found him doing everything from recording a hip-hop version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” to co-leading the rock band Animal Logic with singer Deborah Holland and former Police drummer Stewart Copeland. And in the 21^st Century, Clarke has had a variety of jazz activities (including a Return to Forever reunion that got underway in 2008) but hasn’t forgotten about either funk or rock.

When this journalist interviewed Clarke (who is now 61) for a New York City Jazz Record cover story in 2011, the veteran bassist had a lot to say about his musical upbringing in Philadelphia and his eclectic tastes. “I listened to Jimi Hendrix with as much passion as I listened to John Coltrane,” Clarke recalled during that interview. “I was really into John Coltrane, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix, and when you’re really into those three artists, it’s going to come out in your music.” Yes, it certainly is. And that passion for rock, funk and jazz makes for unpredictable listening on Time Exposure.

—Alex Henderson, May 2013

Alex Henderson’s work has appeared in Billboard, Spin, Creem, The L.A. Weekly, JazzTimes, Jazziz, AlterNet, Cash Box, HITS, CD Review, Skin Two, Black Beat, The Pasadena Weekly, Black Radio Exclusive (BRE), Music Connection, Latin Style, The New York City Jazz Record and many other well-known publications. Henderson (alexvhenderson.com) has also contributed several thousand CD reviews to The All Music Guide’s popular website and series of music reference books.