Mike Clark: Time Without Beginning

WIDE HIVE 0393 (RELEASED AUGUST 7, 2026)

Although he only takes one extended drum solo on his new release, Time Without Beginning can best be described as a drummer-forward session. Leader Mike Clark’s rhythmic accentuations, backbeats, paradiddles and crisp cymbal hits drive the veteran ensemble of trumpeter Eddie Henderson, saxophonist Craig Handy, pianist Patrice Rushen and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet through nine diverse tunes. As evidenced by the selections on Time Without Beginning, Clark has come a long way since his early days in the Bay Area’s R&B and funk scene and his rise to fame as a member of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters. Today, at age 80, he embraces works by Sonny Rollins (“East Broadway Down”), Thelonious Monk (“Monk’s Dream,”) Wayne Shorter (“Beauty and the Beast,”) a pre- Headhunter’s Hancock tune (“Toys”) and a classic from the pen of Sigmund Romberg (“Softly as in a Morning Sunrise”). These are all delivered with solid arrangements and concise and strong solos from all. The hard bop swagger of Towner Galaher’s “Austin City Shuffle” is a perfect vehicle for soulful solos and a rousing piano/horns interchange. The mysterious sounding “Eddy and Hyde,” written by Gregory Howe and Erik Jekabson, could easily be the soundtrack for a 1960s detective movie. Jan Hammer’s “Lungs,” allows the band to explore the angular/modal sound of post-bop jazz, complete with some pianoless trio sections and strong bass and drum solos. The band gets to experiment with free jazz on the open form of Clark’s “Kuon Ganjo.” Powered by the front and center drumming of Clark, this group of veterans, with an average age of 75, bring a youthful zest to Time Without Beginnings.

BOTTOM LINE: Time Without Beginnings is definitely a drummer’s record. The performance bristles with Mike Clark’s energy. The tunes provide an array of rhythms for Clark as well as his band members. Horn, piano and bass solos are consistently propelled by percussive punctuation marks. Unfortunately there is one more telltale sign it is a drummer’s record — no ballads!