Chris Clark
Born
and raised in Los Angeles, Chris Clark had the opportunity to take advantage of a highly developed
music program in the secondary school system. While continuing on at Santa
Monica City College and Los Angeles City College, he was able to work
with many established artists including Anita O’Day, Les McCann, Joanie
Sommers, and The Jerry Gray Orchestra.
At the age of twenty he joined the Les Brown band and spent
the next three years on road trips, Christmas USO tours with Bob Hope,
and working with Jerry Lewis in the original filming of the popular movie
comedy, “The Nutty Professor.” Chris
then worked a three-year stint with jazz pianist Calvin Jackson, broadening
his experience by doing radio and TV jingles, working as a CBS TV staff
musician, performing live radio remotes all while playing six nights a
week with Calvin at night clubs throughout Hollywood and the San Fernando
Valley. Chris went on to work as personal accompanist to Vic Damone,
Della Reese, and Jim Nabors. He also worked for Red Norvo, Stan Kenton,
Chris Conner, and Patti Paige.
In 1977 Chris left Los Angeles, relocating to Orcas Island,
Washington. He has continued to perform with some of the best musicians
in the Pacific Northwest, including Joe Massters, Marius “Butch” Nordal,
Brian Nova, Fred Radke and Gina Funes (twelve years at the Four Seasons
Olympic Hotel), Primo Kim, Trish Hatley, Jim Day, Bob Hammer, and Floyd
Standifer. In Chris’ own words, “there is no question that working with
Floyd in the Pampas Band at El Gaucho for five years was one of the most
enjoyable gigs of my career.”