It has been somewhat of a frustrating run for fans of uber-bassist Stanley Clarke's legendary, genre-defining '70s work. After establishing himself as the world's premier four-string jazz-rock maestro with his work in Return to Forever and solo albums such as School Days, Clarke altered his focus by churning out middling commercial funk pop and soundtracks. They diluted his status as a talented musician whose fleet-fingered style and elaborate picking technique influenced a generation of bass players. But he's back now, with an anti-war-propelled set that is an encouraging and convincing return to form. The opening 11-minute, six-part suite, featuring fiery fiddle from the intriguingly named Mads Tolling, sounds like prime-era Mahavishnu Orchestra, and also highlights Clarke's frantic yet precise staccato technique on his instrument. It alone is worth the price of this disc, but the remaining dozen tracks emphasize Clarke's intentions to prove he's never lost his touch. He shifts between acoustic and electric settings, inserting stark solo and duo interludes that spotlight his prodigious talent between longer work-outs with his tight group. "Bad Asses," where he is accompanied only by drums, sizzles with thumb-numbing, lightning-hot funk and "Chateauvallon 1972 (Dedicated to Tony Williams)" finds Clarke in fusion territory again working a sizzling, dramatic slow riff as powerful and vital as anything he has done in decades. Long-time admirers now have an album that indisputably proves Stanley Clarke hasn't lost a step as the foremost bass player of his generation. --Hal Horowitz
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
The Master Raises The Bar:
This may very well be Stanley Clarke's finest album to date. Although the album displays a variety of styles each track is superb. Beginning with the title track which begins with a Fusion feel and eventually transitions into a more traditional Jazz sound. All Over Again is a vocal track written and sang by Esperanza Spalding that is so good it should be given air play. Clarke has a few solo tracks with just him and a Victor Bailey acoustic bass and these are the reasons I say he raises the bar. Two of them... more info
His best record since 'Rocks Pebbles And Sand':
Stanley Clarke is a bass legend. He is arguably the greatest bass player of all-time. And his newest CD release, 'The Toys of Men,' released last October, is just amazing. I saw him in June and he is quite the showman. I think he was promoting his CD. Either that or his 'Night School' DVD. Anyhow, the title track is the way to start a record. 11+ minutes of great bass hooks and great musicianship. The highlight for me is 'Bad A**es,' which is, in my opinion, one of his best songs. I think it would... more info
The Bass Of Clarke:
It is very common place in the past decade to have to wait a very long time for Stanley Clarke to put out new material. And the wait between this and his last album 1, 2, To the Bass pretty much fits the bill. 'The Toys Of Men' is one of those albums that sounds like it was made for the pleasure of every kind of Stanley Clarke fan-there are bombastic fusion excersises,some funky numbers and a good helping of electric and acoustic bass solos.My personal opinion is that too many of them ring somewhat... more info
Toys In The Attic:
On his new label - the Cleveland, OH-based Heads Up International - Stanley Clarke in The Toys of Men provides the listener with a cornucopia of musical styles that has defined the bassist's outstanding career of more than 30 years. But it is this vast exploration - Clarke is the writer or co-writer of 12 of the 13 compositions - that can be as frustrating as breathtaking. Take his opus - the anti-war title track, in six parts, which kicks off the CD - with violinist Mads Tolling's energy reminiscent... more info
