Every Wednesday, we present Chicago’s top jazz artists in a lively atmosphere, full of cocktail-shaking and spirited conversation.
Clark Sommers is a two-time Grammy award-winning bassist, composer and educator that currently resides in Chicago. He has had the privilege of touring the world with jazz-vocal icon Kurt Elling since 2008 and has performed for audiences from Tokyo to Paris. Clark can be heard on seven Elling recordings including “Dedicated to You” and “Secrets are the best Stories” featuring Danilo Perez and Miguel Zenon, both of which won the Grammy for Best Vocal Jazz Album in 2009 and 2021, respectively.
When not on the road with Kurt Elling, Clark is actively engaged in leading his own bands. One of these groups is the genre-bending guitar trio Typical Sisters for which Clark co-leads, composes and plays bass. The band features forward-thinking musicians: LA based guitarist Greg Uhlmann and Copenhagen based drummer Matt Carroll.
Clark’s songs have been featured in The New York Times and Best of Bandcamp playlists. Additionally, Clark leads two other groups: Ba(SH) and the Lens Project which have yielded multiple albums. The latest “Peninsula” featuring longtime collaborators Dana Hall and Geof Bradfield was released in the Spring of 2020. The group's first recording, eponymously titled Ba(SH), was released in August 2013 and has received critical acclaim. It was acknowledged on the "notable and not to be missed" list by All About Jazz of that same year. In 2017, he released his second recording as a band-leader, featuring all original compositions entitled the Clark Sommers Lens Project “By A Thread”. Released on the Ears and Eyes record label, the recording features Kendrick Scott on drums, Jeff Parker on guitar and Gary Versace on organ. Clark has also had the privilege of performing and recording with Portland pianist and composer Darrell Grant in his “Territory” and “Step by Step” ensembles with Brian Blade, Joe Locke and Steve Wilson. Clark is featured on Darrell Grant’s newest release “The New Black”.
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