A good percussionist who often worked as a sideman in mainstream, soul-jazz, and funk situations (recording with the likes of
Freddie Hubbard,
Herbie Hancock, and
Les McCann),
Buck Clarke led a late-'50s date, Cool Hands, for the Offbeat label and issued a small-pressing album, Hot Stuff, featuring
Russ Freeman and
Gerald Albright, in 1960. The Buck Clarke Sound, including the
Clarke ensemble's reading of "A Night in Tunisia," followed three years later on the Argo label.
Buck Clarke died in October of 1988 in Los Angeles. ~ Ron Wynn