The Turk – 1968
Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band
A powerful rendition of a military melody
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In the 1960s, drummer Kenny Clarke and pianist-arranger Francy Boland led one of the top big bands, a jazz orchestra active in Europe that was filled with top American and European soloists.
Taken from a 1968 television special, the Clarke-Boland Big Band is featured on Boland’s arrangement of “The Turk.”
Boland takes a chordal solo on piano that sets the mood for the piece; the band’s two drummers (Kenny Clarke and Kenny Clare) play a military rhythm, the band enters with the theme and trumpeter Benny Bailey hits some high notes that bring the stirring piece to its climax.
-Scott Yanow
Herbie Hancock