Blues In The Night

The piano trio material on this reissue gathers a body of work that was never released in LP format during Sonny Clark's tragically short lifetime.

Clark was an underrated master of hard bop, with a subtle, artful touch that comes through beautifully here. On this session, you can hear the influence of Ahmad Jamal and Red Garland in the lighter feel, with less of the Bud Powell-inspired, hard-driving bebop lines.

The arrangements are simple and concise, and the set leans into well-known standards. Sonny's approach is especially accessible here, with relaxed tempos and blues-inflected improvisations that give these performances a real warmth.

His chord voicings and harmonies are exquisite throughout, especially on I Cover the Waterfront, Somebody Loves Me, Dancing in the Dark, and Cole Porter's All of You.