Kenny Clarke
Born: 1914
Kenny Clarke (born Kenneth Clarke Spearman, later aka,
Liaqat Ali Salaam, on January 9, 1914 in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania-died January 26, 1985 in Paris, France) was
a jazz drummer and an early innovator of the bebop style of
drumming. As the house drummer at Minton’s Playhouse in
the early 1940’s, he participated in the after hours jams that
led to the birth of Be-Bop, which in turn lead to modern jazz.
He is credited with creating the modern role of the ride
cymbal as the primary timekeeper…. Continue