June 17, 2025

Stanley Clarke and his band 4EVER perform a locked-in set of classics from the bassist’s catalog while also giving them new life

Michael Zamora/NPR

Once the Tiny Desk logo fades away, one of the things you’ll notice is a wall of amps. Robust sound has always been a hallmark of bassist Stanley Clarke’s musicality; he reminded our audio team not only to pay attention to what the soundboard says but also if it sounds good.

Clarke’s storied career has been awash with showcases in his virtuosity on the acoustic and electric basses. He’s worked with fellow music titans like Chick Corea, George Duke, Jean Luc Ponty, Al Di Meola, and has scored for film and television. From 1974–1976, Clarke dropped a series of solo albums (Stanley Clarke, Journey to Love and School Days) that would herald his status as a force in music and foreshadow his 2022 designation as an NEA Jazz Master.

Indicative of his passion for spotlighting young musicians, Clarke’s latest ensemble, 4EVER (a call back to his band Return to Forever), features saxophonist Emilio Modeste, guitarist Colin Cook, drummer Jeremiah Collier, violinist Evan Garr and keyboardist Cameron Graves.

Opening the set is “Song to John” from 1975’s Journey to Love, with Graves and Cook proving they’re more than up to the task laid before them. “Yesterday Princess,” from Clarke’s 1974 self-titled album, gives violinist Garr the chance to shine as his fingers dance over the fingerboard. The performance moves into the electric realm with 2003’s “1, 2, To The Bass,” a track that manages to be both smooth (hat tip to Modeste) and funky at the same time. Collier’s toms build up to the entry of Clarke at work as they close with one of his biggest hits, “School Days.” A little over 50 years since his solo debut, Clarke reminds the audience that there are still new ways to be dazzled by the innovative and solid fullness of his instrument. —Mitra I. Arthur

Watch Stanley Clarke's Tiny Desk Concert

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• KCRW in Los Angeles filmed Sharon Van Etten and her band The Attachment Theory performing a nine-song set at the station’s concert hall.

• The Current in Minnesota’s Twin Cities invited Lucy Dacus into their studios to perform three songs from Forever Is A Feeling.

• WNRN in Richmond, Va., treated its members to a short Lucius concert at In Your Ear Studios.

• KNKX in Washington state hosted the blues-inspired sister duo Larkin Poe, whose stand-up lap steel guitar is something you need to see.

• From The Top, NPR’s show highlighting talented young classical musicians, featured pianists Daniel and Justin Kang performing The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a - VIII. Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky.

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Tiny Desk Fun Fact

Regional Mexican star Carin León's Tiny Desk concert on May 16 had more than twice as many views as any other video on the NPR Music channel last month. You can watch a short interview with León at the Desk with Alt.Latino host Anamaria Sayre on NPR Music's Instagram profile.

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