Clark Tracey, a British jazz drummer and band leader, was born 5 February 1961. Tracey began playing piano and vibraphone at the age of three, before switching to drums when he was thirteen. He studied under Bryan Spring. From 1978 to 2013, Tracey was a member of several ensembles, including Fathers and Sons in the 1990s with John and Alec Dankworth. Tracey played with many American musicians throughout his career, including Johnny Griffin, Red Rodney and Barney Kessell. From 1984 to 1986, he recorded and worked with Buddy DeFranco (88), Alan Skidmore (1989), Tommy Smith (1989), Guy Barker (1992). Since the 1980s, he has been leading his own ensembles. He has performed with Django Baates, Iain Ballamy and Guy Barker as well as Guy Barker, Jamie Talbot and Tommy Smith. He has been a bandleader on two international tours, including one to the Far East, Yugoslavia and France. His current quintet features luminaries Chris Maddock and Henry Armburg Jennings as well as Harry Bolt, Daniel Casimir, and Harry Bolt. His three-time British Jazz Awards “Best Drums Award” was his best. In 2007, he won “Best Drums at the Ronnie Scott’s Club Awards. In 2006, his quintet won Best Performance Award for Birmingham Jazz. Clark became the manager of Herts Jazz’s promotions in 2009. He now manages a weekly jazz club in Welwyn Garden City as well as an annual festival. With his wife Sylvia Rae Tracey he runs two record labels, Tentoten Records as well as Resteamed Records. The latter is dedicated to reissues on CD of his father’s recordings and a website that allows you to download it. Clark Tracey is the author of Exploring Jazz Drums, Schott Publishing. He also teaches at the Birmingham Conservatoire as well as the Purcell School of Music. From Wikipedia
