The Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation proudly presents Stanley Clarke, undoubtedly one of the most celebrated acoustic and electric bass players in the world, as its Artist-in-Residence for the 2019 Detroit Jazz Festival presented by Quicken Loans. Clarke’s much anticipated return and performances will be a highlight at the festival, now celebrating its 40th year.
As the 2019 Artist-in-Residence, Clarke will support educational clinics for students across the region throughout the year and lead multiple performances during Labor Day Weekend. Clarke will also be featured during an April 2 preview luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club to unveil the Festival’s 2019 full lineup; and perform at a fundraiser at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe that same night. Previously, his scheduled sets during the 2014 and 2017 festivals were cancelled due to inclement weather.
“Stanley Clarke is the perfect ambassador for our Festival during this banner year. His musical accomplishments, perennial career and commitment to the perseverance of jazz have unequivocally positioned him as a ‘living legend’,” said Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival. “We’re fortunate to bring him back as the 2019 Artist-in-Residence for what will be an exceptional 40th year jazz celebration.”
Clarke is a 4-time GRAMMY® Award-winning, recording artist, performer, composer, conductor, arranger, producer and a composer for recordings and film. He truly has attained “living legend” status during his more than 40-year career as a bass virtuoso. He is the first bassist in history to double on acoustic and electric bass with equal ferocity and the first jazz-fusion bassist ever to headline tours, selling out shows worldwide. A veteran of more than 40 albums, Clarke’s creativity has been recognized and rewarded in every way imaginable. He was Rolling Stone’s very first Jazzman of the Year and bassist winner of Playboy’s Music Award for ten straight years. Clarke was honored with Bass Player Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of Guitar Player Magazine’s “Gallery of Greats.” In 2011, he was honored with the highly prestigious Miles Davis Award at the Montreal Jazz Festival for his entire body of work. In September 2016, Clarke became a part of the permanent collection displayed at the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
Clarke believes in giving back to help young musicians hone their skills. He and his wife, Sofia, established The Stanley Clarke Foundation fourteen years ago as a charitable organization, which offers scholarships to talented young musicians each year.
“Our mission of jazz not only brings dynamic artists and performances to Detroit but also showcases the discipline and creativity of jazz artists in our community,” continued Collins. “This mission and the support of our sponsors and supporters are what gives us the ability to deliver the world’s largest and best free jazz festival in the world.”
Some of the Festival’s past Artists-in-Residences include Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Pat Metheny.
About the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation:
The Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization that presents jazz and educational workshops throughout the year. The Foundation supports the Detroit Jazz Festival presented by Quicken Loans, which is the largest free jazz festival in the world and a major tourist attraction for the City of Detroit, with 26 percent of its audience coming from out of state. For more information, visit detroitjazzfest.org.
The Foundation receives grant funding from the Kresge Foundation, Erb Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the D’Addario Foundation. Hundreds of individuals also contribute to the Festival through membership and donations.
Major corporate partners include Quicken Loans, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., DTE Foundation, Carhartt, Inc., Mack Avenue Music Group, Absopure, Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe and Comcast Cable. Additional partners include AARP, AMTECH International, Andiamo, Ascension Michigan, Bedrock Detroit, Bingham Legal Group, Blake’s Hard Cider, Central Michigan University, Cliff Bell’s, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Detroit Saxophone Center, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Digital Planet, Domino’s, Downtown Detroit Partnership, DTE Energy’s Beacon Park Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Motor Company, George Johnson & Company, Giffels Webster, Greektown Casino-Hotel, House of Pure Vin, Metropolitan Hotel Partners, MGM Grand Detroit, Oakland University, Pepsi, Plante Moran, Rocket Fiber, Schupan SustainAbility™, Stella Artois, Steinway Piano Gallery of Detroit, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Wayne State University, Whole Foods Market and Woodward Gallery. Media partners include Fox 2, WJR, WEMU-FM,DownBeat, JazzTimes, Metro Times, WDET, WRCJ and Detroit Public Television.
