Mike Clark Headhunters

When Herbie Hancock refers to you as ‘a great jazz drummer’ you know that you’re doing something right…

That is just one of many accolades bestowed upon Mike Clark during a career that has spanned a staggering seven decades. The US-born sticksman has made his mark as a tasteful jazzer, a fusion pioneer and a funk master as he got behind the kit with the likes of Brand X, the Headhunters and the aforementioned Hancock. He’s also an accomplished bandleader with a wealth of solo records under his belt and is one of the most engaging clinicians out there. Given that he started playing aged just four, and that he turns 71 this October, you’d expect that Mike has plenty of drumming knowledge to share. We found this very much to be the case during our chat with him, and he was only too happy to pass on a few pearls to Rhythm readers.

You started playing aged four but were self-taught for a long time. What kind of impact did that have on your playing?