The Complete Garnet Clarke
by Phil Schaap
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American jazz prodigy Garnet Clarke first played piano professionally at age twelve, went on to engross Europe with dazzling performances, and mysteriously died at just twenty two in an asylum in rural France, leaving behind less than twenty five minutes of recorded music. The premature rise and fall of Garnet Clarke adds a new story to the Black American music experience, one both unique and familiarly tragic. But there is triumph in the music. Garnet Clarke's 1935 record session made in Paris is among the most beautiful examples of jazz abroad during the 1930s.
In an expansive new work aided by a team of researchers that included the late Melissa Jones, NEA Jazz Master Phil Schaap tells 'The Garnet Clarke Story' in his signature style--thorough, entertaining, scholarly, revelatory. The Hot Club of New York is proud to print a very limited run of The Complete Garnet Clarke by Phil Schaap with a biographical essay, musical analysis, and a comprehensive discography with color reproductions of the original 78 labels.
Hot Club Edition #1. 86 pages.
Additional Research
This addendum to The Complete Garnet Clarke makes available research that came to light after the completion of the essay. We believe that this additional information enriches the story of Garnet Clarke’s life, and we include it in the spirit of comprehensiveness in which the essay was written. Citations for the following information are already included in the bibliography for the essay. As research continues into the life and work of Garnet Clarke, we’ll continue to post updates to hotclubny.com/garnetclarke and philschaapjazz.com.
Washington, D.C. (1916-1932)
Garnet Clarke’s birth was announced in the “Births Reported” section of The Washington Post on February 9, 1916 (see p. 29)
An October 7, 1928 Washington Post article confirms that Garnet Clarke’s participation at a Randall Junior assembly consisted of a performance of solo piano
Garnet Clarke was part of a Randall Junior High platoon that won a symbolic first prize banner of the annual junior high military cadet drill [The Washington Post, May 18, 1929]
The “D.C. Society” pages of the Afro-American [Baltimore] report Garnet Clarke’s piano performance at a farewell party for Miss Alma Montouth of York, PA [July 29, 1929]
Baltimore gossip columnist Ivan Sharp, the Prophet of “The Green Pastures,” evaluated Clarke’s talents: “Seventeen years old and a wizard at the ivories, is little Garnet Clarke, Washington’s best piano player. All I have to say is, you have to hear the lad swing.” [Afro-American, March 4, 1933]
In addition to the WMAL solo piano broadcasts cited in the essay, Garnet Clarke also performed on 12/1/1932, 12/8/1932; 12/22/1932; and 4/4/1933. The December 22,, 1932 performance is notable as Clarke took the air just after the Duke Ellington Orchestra (see p. 33)
In addition to the WMAL Tommy Myles band broadcasts cited in the essay, Garnet Clarke also likely performed with the group on 11/8/1932; 11/9/1932; 11/16/1932; 11/18/1932; 11/24/1932; 11/25/1932; 11/29/1932; 12/5/1932; 12/9/1932; 12/14/1932; 12/19/1932; 12/21/1932; 12/23/1932; 12/31/1932; and 1/4/1933
Additional documentation exists for the Tommy Myles band in the period that Garnet Clarke is reported to have performed with him, but anything explicitly mentioning Garnet Clarke is dealt with in the essay
Paris (1935-1937)
Edgar Wiggins, Parisian correspondent for the Chicago Defender, befriended Garnet Clarke during the latter’s time in the city and was a frequent source of information about Clarke’s activities. Wiggins reported the following:
“…but ONE musician on the bandstand is the cynosure of attraction. Who is he? Benny Carter? No, it’s the little 19-year-old pianist, Garnet Clarke. He has ‘stolen the show’ and the assemblage only have eyes for him. Is he ‘swinging’? Man, that cat ain’t swinging, he has swung. But wait a minute, he is leaning over to tell me something. Well! of all things, this is what he said: “Gate, this piano is whipping the hell out of me. Won’t somebody page Mr. Herman Chittison and tell him that Garnet Clarke has come to Paris and created a sensation. With Benny Carter and Garnet Clarke in his outfit, Willie Lewis automatically becomes the “Jazz King of France,” having not only the best swing unit, but the only 100 per cent American Negro jazz orchestra in this country.” [August 10, 1935]
After disembarking the S.S. Aquitania in Southampton, England, Clarke and Benny Carter journeyed to London and Brussels before joining the Willie Lewis Orchestra in Paris [August 10, 1935]
Wiggins’ August 10, 1935 columns were syndicated in the Philadelphia Tribune with the headline, “Garnet Clarke, Piano Marvel, Creates Sensation In Paris” [August 15, 1935]
Garnet Clarke was with the Lewis band in Cannes and claimed to be an artist who was going to make caricatures of all the members of the Lewis band [August 24, 1935]
Clarke was to be kicked out of the Lewis band due to "making a ‘bad fellow’ of himself with Monsieur Victor, manager of Chez Florence’s and the majority of Willie Lewis’ musicians by being just a little too conceited and overbearing…” But regardless of whether his work permit was renewed, Lewis was to give Clarke a return ticket to America [November 2, 1935]
Willie Lewis released Garnet Clarke from his band and Clarke is now working with a "small French orchestra" at the Derby Bar [November 16, 1935]
After a complaint from a rival French pianist, Clarke was forced to quit the Derby Bar and has no permit to work in France [November 30, 1935]
Garnet Clarke returns to Willie Lewis orchestra [January 4, 1936]
“Garnet Clarke, young temperamental pianist, achieved a distinction all his own by being the only musician in Paris unemployed for Christmas, an occasion when all musicians, especially colored ones, are held at a premium.” [January 18, 1936]
Garnet Clarke was working at Fred Payne's bar [February 8, 1936]
In a description of the formation of the Black and White Birds Revue, Wiggins calls Clarke the “erratic young pianist” [February 22, 1936]
Clarke threatened to quit the Adelaide Hall show in Basel, Switzerland, but was persuaded to remain [March 7, 1936]
Having returned to France, Clarke is described as having experienced "considerable difficulties" in Switzerland [April 18, 1936]
While appearing in "Conte Cristo" with Adelaide Hall, Clarke walked out of a performance because people were talking while he was playing [April 25, 1936]
Garnet Clarke was scheduled to return to America in May 1936, but postponed his trip to create an act with Al Brown [May 30, 1936]
Garnet Clarke has become a "victim of schizophrenia" and was sent to a local hospital [October 31, 1936]
A benefit gala to raise money to send Clarke back to Washington, D.C. has fallen through. All of the “race” musicians and entertainers, as well as many other performers had agreed to take part. Clarke remains hospitalized in a straitjacket. [January 2, 1937]
Additional documentation exists for Adelaide Hall in the period that Garnet Clarke is reported to have performed with her, but anything explicitly mentioning Garnet Clarke is dealt with in the essay
Musicians’ Reminisces
In conversation with jazz researcher Johnny Simmen in 1952, pianist Stridin’ Joe Turner recalled, “Speaking about the years 1935-37, there was one of the most talented youngsters who ever sat down at a piano: Garnet Clark. He had – among many other things – a terrific arrangement of ‘Tiger Rag’ and it is one of jazz music’s great losses that he died so soon (1938, in Paris, at the age of 20 or 21). His recordings of ‘Rosetta,’ ‘Object Of My Affection’ and ‘I Got Rhythm’ (French HMV) show him in fine form.”
Pianist Ram Ramirez also had memories of Clarke, which he recounted to Simmen in 1971: "Garnet had never heard Clarence Profit, but he is a fan of the things I had always heard Clarence do and that I play to him."