Zack Clarke
Pianist and composer Zack Clarke has received international acclaim for his explorations of jazz improvisation, classical, and electronic music. Random Acts of Order, his debut release on Clean Feed Records, gained recognition as a notable work in both US and international publications, including Freejazzblog critic Rick Joines’ Top Ten for 2017 and the Best of Improvisation from Italy’s Percosi Musicali. He has also appeared in the top pianist selection by Gregory Applegate Edwards in the 2017 El Intruso International Critics’ Poll. Zack’s second release on the Clean Feed label, entitled Mesophase, has drawn acclaim for its ability to unite through-composed ensemble performance, electronic music and improvisation in a captivating defiance of musical convention. Vertical Shores, his third album featuring jazz trio, was released in 2019, earning mention as a notable new release in the 14th Annual NPR Jazz Critics Poll.
Discography
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Collaborations
Zack Clarke is a pianist and composer living and working in New York City. Random Acts of Order, his debut album on Clean Feed Records, was released in 2017, followed by his 2018 release of the electro-acoustic album Mesophase. His third album, Vertical Shores, was released in 2019. Previous recordings include the electronic album Music For Headphones, and Dialectic, a collaboration with cellist Chris Irvine that features free improvisation based on Bach’s third cello suites. Clarke’s emerging body of work reveals a command of diverse musical styles and a determined pursuit of new ideas through experimentation and improvisation. His music draws from classical, jazz and electronic music; serving to explore the broader concepts involved in improvised and free music.
An active session artist and performer, Clarke has recorded or shared the stage with a number of prominent artists and has appeared before audiences in the US, Europe and South America.
As a collaborator he has appeared on numerous recordings, including Luis Antonio Castro’s albums Koyari, Mirrors, and Rosa; and with percussionist Dre Hocevar on the album Transcendental Within the Sphere of Indivisible Remainder.
A Texas native and alum of Houston’s acclaimed High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Clarke’s abilities as a jazz improviser were recognized early on with multiple awards, including outstanding soloist awards from Downbeat Magazine and from the North Texas Jazz Festival. He attended The New England Conservatory in Boston, majoring in Jazz Performance, and while there had the opportunity to study with jazz greats Danilo Perez, Fred Hersch, and Jason Moran. Upon completion of his Bachelor of Music degree he moved to New York to study with Kenny Werner and attend NYU, where he earned a Masters of Music and worked as adjunct faculty.
In addition to performing and composing, Zack is a dedicated teacher who is grateful for the mentorship he has received, and finds rewards in sharing that knowledge with others through instruction in piano and music theory.
Press
Encuesta 2017 — Periodistas Internacionales
Best of 2017, Percosi Musicali (Italy)
2017 Top Ten List, Freejazzblog
Best of 2018,Acoustic Levitation
Encuesta 2019 — Periodistas Internacionales
14th Annual Jazz Critics Poll
Best of 2019 — Jazz Portugal
Reviews
NYC JAZZ RECORD
Zack Clarke pulls out the plug for the piano trio on Vertical Shores and follows the egalitarian models of forerunners such as Bill Evans and Paul Bley by allowing his colleagues equal agency in the edgy interaction he promotes.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ ITALIA
Un disco in piano trio veramente lodevole, come per buona sorte ci capita di ascoltarne non poi così di rado, in tempi recenti. Il che, per una formula che potrebbe apparire consunta e priva di sbocchi, non è davvero rilievo di poco conto. Album della settimana.
TEXTURA.ORG
With double bassist Kim Cass and drummer Dre Hocevar as engaged co-pilots, Zack Clarke continues his bold reimagining of the jazz piano trio tradition on his third release for Clean Feed. A stellar follow-up to the earlier Random Acts of Order and Mesophase releases…
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Clarke’s prismatic creative streaks and multifaceted regimen proposes a host of captivating aspects to coincide with the implications set forth by the album title. He possesses an arsenal of ultramodern concepts and is most certainly one to watch.
TONESHIFT
Clarke gives us a heaping dose of playful detritus that defies any previously hinted-at conventions. It simply sends chills.
TEXTURA
Like its predecessor, Mesophase achieves a rapprochement between disparate forces that’s both fascinating and startling.
IN ON THE CORNER
The best thing about listening to new music is hearing something that outright confounds.
FREE JAZZ BLOG
. . . what Clarke and his group have made here is equal parts enthralling and unsettling.
BIRD IS THE WORM
This never-ending cycle of deconstruction-unity is pretty damn fascinating.
JAZZ TRAIL
. . . an inveterate explorer who likes to push musical boundaries by distilling his creative ideas into new music.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
On this showing it’s clear that this is a triumvirate of names to watch out for in the future.
THE FREE JAZZ COLLECTIVE
The interplay between the trio is euphoric, aggressive. This group respects tradition but they’re not afraid to burn it down. They can play sweet as a gang of harpists, then buzz, furious as bees.
GAPPLEGATE MUSIC REVIEW
This is a free trio with a decided difference. Henry Fraser is the double bassist, Dre Hocevar the drummer, and they both contribute much to the outcome. But it is Clarke’s pianism that especially wins me over.
JOE MORRIS
liner notes for Random Acts of Order
Although the three musicians on this recording are in their 20s, the playing on this recording is mature. It isn’t burdened by unnecessary contrived complexity. Instead, it relies on the precision of listening, collective engagement, and the courage to do something different.
PERCOSI MUSICALE
These considerations can be a good starting point for analyzing the onset of Clean Feed the young American pianist Zack Clarke, who is launching a trio of Henry Fraser on bass and on drums Dre Hocevar: its Random Acts of order is among the best music publications.
JAZZ TRAIL
. . . an inveterate explorer who likes to push musical boundaries by distilling his creative ideas into new music.
Media
Calendar
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Past Performances
March 1 @ 7:00
Turtle Bay Music School Artist Series
with Nathan Bellot, saxophone;
and Chris Irvine, cello
January 20 @ 8:00
Jazz Habitat
with Leo Galaganov,
Evan Crane and Welf Dorr
December 9 @ 7:00
El Barrio Art Space
Zack Clarke Ensemble
with Charlotte Greve, Chis Irvine,
Leo Galaganov and Evan Crane
November 30 @ 7:00
Happy Lucky #1
Zack Clarke, solo
September 12 @ 9:15
Happy Lucky #1
Zack Clarke Ensemble
with Charlotte Greve, Chis Irvine,
Leo Galaganov and Evan Crane
August 8 @ 11:00
Rockwood Music Hall
with Ken Ychicawa
August 2 @ 9:00
Pete’s Candy Store
with Ken Ychicawa
May 25
Turtle Bay
with Chris Irvine and Nathan Bellote
May 18 @ 7:00
Spectrum
Aurelius Cloud
May 2 @7:00
Shapeshifter Lab
Aurelius Cloud
April 30 @ 10:00
Bushwick Public House
Techeser Holmes Quartet
February 24
Spectrum
Zack Clarke Trio
with Dre Hocevar and Kim Cass
February 19 8:15 PM
Shapeshifter Lab
with Dre Hocevar, James Brandon Lewis and Max Johnson
December 17
Glass Box Theater
New School
with Alex Louloudis and Lester St. Louis
October 29
Cornelia Street Cafe 6:00 PM
Unbridled
with Stephanie Lamprea, Charlotte Munn,
Adam Bilchik and Christine Papania
October 19
New School Glass Box Theater
October8
Spectrum 7:00 PM
Unbridled
with Stephanie Lamprea, Charlotte Munn,
Adam Bilchik and Christine Papania
July 16
Shapeshifter Lab
Premiere of Communer
electronic and acoustic quintet
July 9
The Footlight Improvisations
Brooklyn, NY
June 8 – 10
Burlington Jazz Festival
Burlington, VT
June 4
Figment NYC
June 2
Greenpoint Gallery
May 28
Rockwood Music Hall,
Stage One
May 25
Recording Session
Wombat Studio
May 12
Private Event
Houston, TX
April 25
Recording Session
Park West Studios
March 29
Pianos Upstairs
duo with Walker Adams
March 21
Bowery Poetry Club
Solo Piano 6:00 – 8:00pm
March 15
Rockwood Music Hall
with Quinton Zoto and Walker Adams
March 14
Pianos Upstairs
with Walker Adams | Duo with drums and Juno Synthesizer
February 27
Shapeshifter Labs, Solo Piano
February 9
Ecuador Jazz Festival, Quito, Ecuador
Teatro Nacional Sucre 7:30 pm/with Koyari and Luis Castro
February 7
Garua Cafe, Quito, Ecuador with Koyari
October 30
Spectrum, with Logan Strosahl, Robin Betton and Sam Lisbeth
October 14
La Casa Musica, Quito, Ecuador; with Luis Castro, Marta delGrande and Koyari
October 11
El Pobre Diablo, Quito, Ecuador; with Luis Castro, Marta delGrande and Koyari
September 21
Spectrum, with The Zack Clarke Trio
July 11, 18
NYU, Jazz Masterclass with Billy Drewes
July 7-9
with Tyshawn Sorey’s Conduction Orchestra, The Stone
July 1
Gold Sounds, Brooklyn
June 22
Dialectic, with Chris Irvine, Spectrum
May 6 9:00
with Sam Pluta and Jeremy Corren, Spectrum
March 18 7:00
Solo performance, Spectrum
March 14 7:00
Zack Clarke Trio, Spectrum
February 28 7:00
Solo performance, Shapeshifter Labs
Dre Hocevar Large Ensemble 8:00 PM
February 7 7:00
with dre Hocevar, Spectrum
January 30
Shapeshifter Labs
with Dre Hocevar Large Ensemble
November 21 5:00 PM; Nov 22 2:00 PM
Hudson Guild Theater — Upsurge Choreography Platform II
Dance performance featuring pieces from Music for Headphones and Dialectic
Christina D’Arrigo, choreographer
November 8 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Cleveland Cello Society; conducting workshop on improvisation
November 6 8:00
The Bop Stop | Cleveland, OH
Performance of Dialectic
October 31 9:00
The Living Room
October 17 7:00
Private Concert — performance of Dialectic with Chris Irvine
Upper West Side
September 28 7:00
Why Not Jazz Room with Jeremy Warren and The Rudiment
September 21 9:30
Shapshifter with Dre Hocevar
August 23 9:30
Shapshifter with Sana Nagano
December 7
Kimmel Theater
December 4
Ella Lounge
November 12
Bite
November 8
Silvana
October 10
Ella lounge
October 9
Pips Art Gallery
October 5
Lavo
October 2nd
Santos party house
September 28
Midway cafe, Boston
September 14 and 21
Lavo
September 13
The Stanton S
September 7 with Dangermen
Pianos, 158 Ludlow St @TBD
August 31
Douglas Street
August 17
Lavo
August 10
With Brad Mulholland Group
Pianos, 158 Ludlow St @TBD
July 6
With Daniel Carter, Leonid Galaganov, Sung Ho Choi and Evan Crane
Downtown Music Gallery, 13 Monroe Street
July 5
Interrobang
Pianos, 158 Ludlow St
June 8 & 15
Dan Kirfirst Trio
Lavo, 39 E 58th St
May 22
Dangermen
The Firehouse, 246 Frost St, Brooklyn @ 9:00 PM
May 22
With Luis Castro
123W 71st @ 7:00 PM
May 17
With Billy Drewes
Provincetown Playhouse @ 7:00 PM
April 23
With Billy Drewes
The Firehouse, 246 Frost St, Brooklyn @ 9:00 PM
April 22
With Daniel Carter and Leo Galaganov
3rd North, NYU @ 8:00 PM
April 22
With The Zack Clarke Trio
3rd North, NYU @ 7:00 PM
March 2
Dangermen
The Firehouse, 246 Frost St, Brooklyn @ 9:00 PM
