CHET CLARK

Chet Clark was born Peter Clark in England. In the late 40s, he moved with his family to Australia, where, at age 10, he began six years of study in classical piano. At age 16, he moved to Sydney to begin a career as a commercial artist. However, a successful appearance on Australia's Amateur Hour at age 17 proved to be the turning point, and he became a professional musician, using the name Chet Clark.

He began playing with jazz and pop groups in the Sydney area after studying recordings by Fats Waller, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing, and Nat Cole, all major influences. He appeared all over the Sydney area in 1955-57 appearing with many other emerging performers such as Johnny O’Keefe and Barry Crocker. At the same time, he performed with top jazz musicians, becoming the first Australian artist to have simultaneous careers in Jazz as well as Pop Rock. 

In 1957 he opened at El Morocco in Brisbane with his trio, and a year and a half later moved to the Surfer's Paradise Hotel on the Gold Coast, where he became nationally known. At this time, he also began to make guest television appearances. An engagement at the Embers in Melbourne followed, where he opened for top jazz artists Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Eckstine, Oscar Peterson and others. Returning to Sydney, he took over the big band at Andre's working with Shirley Bassey, Billy Daniels, Dorothy Dandridge and others.

Also at this time, several of his songs were hits for some of Australia's top recording artists. He was then signed as host on one of Australia's top TV shows, Six O'Clock Rock on ABC Television for a year and a half. He left Australia for California in 1963 where he had a very successful career. Chet Clark died in 2021.

EPs

'Chet Clark Sings Brubeck' 1962 Festival

References

http://www.artjazz88.com/pages/bio-1.html