Entre Amigos – Magpie - The Music Of Joe Clark

Jazz

Entre Amigos – Magpie (The Music Of John Clarck)

A Composer in Full: Joe Clark’s “Magpie” Shines with Brilliance, Heart, and Community Spirit.

In an age when genre boundaries are increasingly porous and musical collaborations stretch across continents and traditions, the work of Chicago-based composer, trumpeter, and arranger Joe Clark stands as a singular beacon of connectivity, craftsmanship, and inspiration. Admired by musicians as diverse and distinguished as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, soprano Renée Fleming, drummers Jeff Hamilton and Gustavo Cortiñas, trumpeters Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, and Marquis Hill, baritone Kurt Elling, saxophonist Phil Woods, and the late multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan, Clark’s compositions have woven their way into a staggering variety of ensembles, from the Minnesota Orchestra and the WDR Big Band to the Chicago Brass Quintet, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and New Standard Jazz Orchestra, as well as adventurous chamber ensembles like Spektral Quartet, Quince, V3NTO, and the Chicago Q Ensemble. Even musicians from the Grant Park Symphony and the Louisiana Philharmonic have joined in interpreting his evocative works.

A significant contributor to the Negaunee Music Institute at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Clark has composed extensively for the institution’s educational initiatives, including the Once Upon a Symphony, Orchestra Explorers, and CSO for Kids programs, offering music that delights the imagination while anchoring itself in meticulous technique.

And now, 2025 marks the release of Magpie: The Music of Joe Clark, a resounding celebration of this multifaceted artist, brought to life by a dazzling ensemble of musicians: saxophonist Roy McGrath, pianist Hana Fujisaki, bassist Kitt Lyles, and drummer Gustavo Cortiñas. Critics have been unanimous in their acclaim. “The quality of the compositions is immediately striking,” enthused Paris Move, which praised the arrangements as “clever and joyful at once, traversing a broad emotional palette, from tender romanticism to pulsing rhythms that make you want to dance.” Chicago Jazz declared Entre Amigos, the ensemble’s previous outing, “a cornerstone of a new generation that transcends conventions while remaining fully accessible.” The Arts Fuse hailed the project as “a generous serving of inventive compositions,” and Making a Scene! saluted a “tight-knit and incredibly expressive group,” going so far as to tease a sequel: “What’s even better? A second volume is already on the way.”

What lingers most is the sense of wonder. The album’s opening title track, Magpie, is a revelation, a tender yet exuberant jazz waltz whose sophisticated poise belies its emotional immediacy. Is it the composition, or the arrangement, or some alchemy between the two that gives this music its disarming charm? Whatever the source, it evokes both grace and delight. The performances, layered and luminous, carry an aura of shared intention and unspoken dialogue, a musical conversation among friends who know each other’s silences as well as their solos.

Though Magpie was recorded during the same sessions as Entre Amigos, it stands apart as a tribute to Clark himself. And for good reason: Clark’s work defies easy classification. The Chicago Tribune has called him “fascinating,” The Journal of Singing described his music as “intriguing and seductive,” and Chicago Classical Review went so far as to name him a “tour de force.” Whether writing for a classical chamber group or a large jazz orchestra, Clark’s voice is unmistakable — lyrical, generous, and finely tuned to human emotion.

“He’s one of the most joyful and inspiring people you’ll ever meet,” says drummer and longtime collaborator Gustavo Cortiñas. “He truly embodies the spirit of community. And to me, he’s also one of the greatest composers and arrangers Chicago, or the world, has to offer.”

Clark, in turn, seems humbled by the experience of hearing his work interpreted by people he knows and admires. “I’m honored that Entre Amigos brought these personal compositions to life in such a beautiful way,” he says. “This process brought so much positive energy into my life, and I hope that energy continues to ripple through our community here in Chicago, friends playing the music of friends.”

It is tempting, then, to say that Magpie is an album best experienced “entre amigos”, among friends. But that would only tell half the story. This is music that invites anyone, anywhere, into its warmth. Its joy is as expansive as its craftsmanship is precise. And in an era hungry for both meaning and connection, Joe Clark’s voice, carried by those who believe in him, feels like a gift.

Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News

PARIS-MOVE, June 7th 2025

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