Buddy Clark
b. 10 July 1929, Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA. After starting to learn trombone and piano Clark took up the bass at high school and studied at the Chicago Musical College (1948-49). He played with Bud Freeman and Bill Russo, before touring with the bands of Tex Beneke and Les Brown. In the early '50s he moved to Los Angeles and worked with Peggy Lee, Red Norvo, Dave Pell and Jimmy Giuffre among others. In addition to continuing this busy studio life into the '60s he worked with Gerry Mulligan whose usually pianoless band exposes the bass player more than is usual: Brown's round, bright tone and fluid lines suited the context well. In 1972 he joined with Med Flory to found Supersax, a band dedicated to playing the music of Charlie Parker—not just the themes but arranged transcriptions of the solos too. Clark's arrangements for the saxophone section usually featured the lead alto and baritone in octaves with the other saxophones filling in the harmonies. In 1975 he returned to studio work.