Chicagoist Weekend Theater: Remembering Clark Terry

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 22, 2015 8:45PM

The world of jazz lost another icon with the death of Clark Terry, who died Saturday at age 94. Born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 14, 1920, Mr. Terry was influential as one of the first musicians to popularize the flugelhorn as a jazz instrument. He also played the trumpet, was one of a handful of musicians to play in both Dizzy Gillespie's and Count Basie's orchestras (displaying his versatility across several different styles of jazz) and was a popular bandleader and soloist in his own right. Mr. Terry spent a decade as part of "The Tonight Show" orchestra under Skitch Henderson and Doc Severinsen, and his mumbles-style scat singing produced an unlikely hit with "Mumbles" in 1960.

Here are clips of Mr. Terry's performance at the 1985 Chicago Jazz Festival.