Research Catalog

Title

Oral history interview with Clark Terry.

Publication

New York : Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 1993.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Terry, Clark
• Owens, Jimmy, 1943-
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.

Description

2 videodiscs (125 min.) : sound, color; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

The oral history interview with Clark Terry, jazz trumpeter, begins with his brief description of St. Louis during his childhood; an important place for music and the development of jazz. Clark Terry was born in 1920 in St. Louis, Missouri, a city he says lured musicians traveling along the Mississippi River with its gorgeous women, good food and good clubs. From a family of eleven children, Clark's oldest sister married a top St. Louis tuba player, Cy MacField. He was exposed to jazz by attending band rehearsals (Dewey Jackson's Music Ambassadors) with Cy; a prominent trumpet player in the area also encouraged Terry's interest in music. Terry tells about a homemade trumpet he constructed as a youngster and how the neighbors chipped in to buy him his first real trumpet from a pawn shop. He never received any formal or private music lessons. At age 14 or 15, Terry got involved in the [Town Powell] drum and bugle corps, and played bugle in the school concert band. Terry recalls the big bands and musicians in St. Louis around 1935 and what a huge star Louis Armstrong had become, influencing all musicians and singers alike. At 15 or 16, Terry describes what he was practicing, and demonstrates his "doodle" method of teaching vowels on trumpet. While still a teenager Terry left St. Louis to go on the road with the Rubin and Cherry Carnival, this was followed by work with small bands in locales such as Peoria and Danville, Illinois (1941). From 1942-45, Terry entered the Navy and got involved in the Great Lakes Naval Training Station Band which consisted of a marching, concert and jazz band. Terry was now reading music and practicing profusely. At age 25, Terry returned to St. Louis and joined George Hudson's Band. From 1946-47, Terry played with Charlie Barnet's Band in California and was its first Black musician. The distinct qualities of Terry's style at this point were his articulation, elongation of passages and bent notes. Terry then explains his circular breathing method he learned as a teen which enables him to play longer. In 1948, Terry joined Count Basie and later (1951-59) Duke Ellington's Band, after which he joined Quincy Jones in Europe (1960). He tells how his leaving Basie to join Ellington transpired and describes his experiences playing with both bands. After playing with Quincy Jones, Terry joined the NBC Orchestra for 14 years. Terry then demonstrates the various techniques of using the plunger in trumpet playing. Terry briefly talks about marriage and his family. He responds to the question of how he came to be called "Mumbles", and elaborates upon how he came to play and record with the fluegelhorn. Terry mentions some trumpet players who really impressed him: George Hudson, Levi Madison, Shorty Baker, Ham Davis (all from St. Louis), along with Dud Bascomb; and he gives credit to the obscure yet phenomenal players everywhere. Terry concludes the interview by talking about his involvement in the jazz education scene, his work at the University of Iowa in LeMars with the inception of the Clark Terry Jazz Institute for which he will devise the curriculum . He is still performing in jazz festivals and in clubs occasionally with his quintet, and also with Lionel Hampton and the Golden Men.

Donor/Sponsor

The Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project was funded by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.

Subjects

• Dewey Jackson's Music Ambassadors (Musical group)
• Basie, Count, 1904-1984
• Interviews
• Terry, Clark > Interviews
• Clark Terry Jazz Institute
• Saint Louis (Mo.) > History
• Jones, Quincy, 1933-
• Trumpet > Studies and exercises (Jazz)
• Flügelhorn
• Oral histories
• Lionel Hampton and the Golden Men (Musical group)
• MacField, Cy
• Trumpet > Methods (Jazz)
• Jazz musicians > United States > Interviews
• Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974
• Jazz > History
• Terry, Clark > Childhood and youth
• Hudson, George I
• Clark Terry Quintet
• African American musicians
• Armstrong, Louis, 1901-1971 > Influence
• Nonfiction films
• Great Lakes Naval Training Center (Great Lakes, Ill.)
• Jazz > History and criticism
• African American college teachers
• Barnet, Charlie
• Trumpet players > United States > Interviews

Genre/Form

• Nonfiction films.
• Interviews.
• Oral histories.

Note

• The Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project was funded by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.

Event (note)

• Interview conducted September 15, 1993, at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Biography (note)

• Clark Terry is a jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player and teacher of jazz. Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1920, Terry began playing trumpet at an early age, was self-taught and has played with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones and the NBC Orchestra. He is known for his articulation, elongation of passages and bent notes. Terry is currently teaching at the Clark Terry Institute of Jazz at the University of Iowa in LeMars, Iowa; performing in jazz festivals, clubs, and occasionally with his quintet and Lionel Hampton and the Golden Men.

Linking Entry (note)

• Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.

Call Number

Sc DVD-1076

OCLC

1122566045

Title

Oral history interview with Clark Terry.

Production

New York : Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 1993.

Country of Producing Entity

United States.

Type of Content

two-dimensional moving image

Type of Medium

video

Type of Carrier

videodisc

Digital File Characteristics

video file DVD

Biography

Clark Terry is a jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player and teacher of jazz. Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1920, Terry began playing trumpet at an early age, was self-taught and has played with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones and the NBC Orchestra. He is known for his articulation, elongation of passages and bent notes. Terry is currently teaching at the Clark Terry Institute of Jazz at the University of Iowa in LeMars, Iowa; performing in jazz festivals, clubs, and occasionally with his quintet and Lionel Hampton and the Golden Men.

Performer

Interview conducted by Jimmy Owens.

Event

Interview conducted September 15, 1993, at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Linking Entry

Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.

Connect to:

Request Access to Schomburg Moving Images and Recorded Sound

Added Author

Terry, Clark, interviewee.

Owens, Jimmy, 1943- interviewer.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.

Research Call Number

Sc DVD-1076

Sc Visual VRA-194 VHS

Sc Visual VRC-17 MII