Photo: Tsaorin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Stanley Clarke sits in a category of his own for me. He took the bass guitar from background duty and dragged it center stage, proving the instrument could sing, lead, and headline. As a founding member of Return to Forever he helped launch the entire jazz-fusion era, and he was the first fusion bassist to sell out global tours and reach gold status. That isn't just skill; it's vision about what an instrument can be. Philadelphia-born and trained at the University of the Arts, he fused theory with raw feel. The NEA Jazz Masters honor is fully earned. I deeply respect this man.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Stanley Clarke
- Name (Japanese)
- スタンリー・クラーク
- Reading
- すたんりー・くらーく
- Born
- June 30, 1951 (age 75)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Rabbit
- Origin
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- bassist / composer / jazz musician / film score composer / guitarist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Roxborough High School
- University
- The University of the Arts
Awards & achievements
- NEA Jazz Masters
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Stanley Clarke born?
Born June 30, 1951 (age 75).
Where is Stanley Clarke from?
Stanley Clarke is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
What does Stanley Clarke do?
Stanley Clarke works as bassist, composer, jazz musician, film score composer, guitarist.
Bassist — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.