PRESS
14th Annual Jazz Critics Poll
Critic: Martin Longley
Best of 2019 —
Jazz Portugal
Jazz.pt/Melhores de 2019
Critic: Giancalo Falcao
Encuesta 2019 — Periodistas Internacionales
Critic: Zlatan Dimitrijevic, Piano Category
Best of 2018,
Acoustic Levitation
Critic: Steve Koenig
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2017 Top Ten List, Freejazzblog
Critic: Rick Joines
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Best of 2017, Percosi Musicali (Italy)
Improvisation Category
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Encuesta 2017 — Periodistas Internacionales
Critic: Gregory Applegate Edwards, Piano Category
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Reviews for Vertical Shores
NYC JAZZ RECORD
Zack Clarke pulls out the plug for the piano trio on Vertical Shores and follows the egalitarian models of forerunners such as Bill Evans and Paul Bley by allowing his colleagues equal agency in the edgy interaction he promotes.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ ITALIA
Un disco in piano trio veramente lodevole, come per buona sorte ci capita di ascoltarne non poi così di rado, in tempi recenti. Il che, per una formula che potrebbe apparire consunta e priva di sbocchi, non è davvero rilievo di poco conto.
Album della settimana.
TEXTURA.ORG
With double bassist Kim Cass and drummer Dre Hocevar as engaged co-pilots, Zack Clarke continues his bold reimagining of the jazz piano trio tradition on his third release for Clean Feed. A stellar follow-up to the earlier Random Acts of Order and Mesophase releases...
Reviews for Mesophase
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Clarke's prismatic creative streaks and multifaceted regimen proposes a host of captivating aspects to coincide with the implications set forth by the album title. He possesses an arsenal of ultramodern concepts and is most certainly one to watch.
TONESHIFT
Clarke gives us a heaping dose of playful detritus that defies any previously hinted-at conventions. It simply sends chills.
TEXTURA
Like its predecessor, Mesophase achieves a rapprochement between disparate forces that's both fascinating and startling.
IN ON THE CORNER
The best thing about listening to new music is hearing something that outright confounds.
FREE JAZZ BLOG
. . . what Clarke and his group have made here is equal parts enthralling and unsettling.
BIRD IS THE WORM
This never-ending cycle of deconstruction-unity is pretty damn fascinating.
JAZZ TRAIL
. . . an inveterate explorer who likes to push musical boundaries by distilling his creative ideas into new music.
Reviews for Random Acts of Order
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
On this showing it's clear that this is a triumvirate of names to watch out for in the future.
THE FREE JAZZ COLLECTIVE
The interplay between the trio is euphoric, aggressive. This group respects tradition but they’re not afraid to burn it down. They can play sweet as a gang of harpists, then buzz, furious as bees.
GAPPLEGATE MUSIC REVIEW
This is a free trio with a decided difference. Henry Fraser is the double bassist, Dre Hocevar the drummer, and they both contribute much to the outcome. But it is Clarke's pianism that especially wins me over.
JOE MORRIS
liner notes for Random Acts of Order
Although the three musicians on this recording are in their 20s, the playing on this recording is mature. It isn’t burdened by unnecessary contrived complexity. Instead, it relies on the precision of listening, collective engagement, and the courage to do something different.
PERCOSI MUSICALE
These considerations can be a good starting point for analyzing the onset of Clean Feed the young American pianist Zack Clarke, who is launching a trio of Henry Fraser on bass and on drums Dre Hocevar: its Random Acts of order is among the best music publications.
JAZZ TRAIL
. . . an inveterate explorer who likes to push musical boundaries by distilling his creative ideas into new music.