45 years after his album debut, four-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Stanley Clarke shows he is still unapproachable on both the electric and acoustic, wielding a vision of fusion and funk, breakbeats and bass-interpreted cello suites with a little help from friends like rapper/beatboxer Doug E. Fresh and trumpeter Mark Isham.

Backed by a young versatile band and a collection of tunes written in the midst of a tumultuous tour of Europe, 'The Message' swells with an abundance of strength, soul and astounding musicianship.

'The Message' is unmistakably a Stanley Clarke record. Five decades of unapproachable bass mastery doesn't come easy and Clarke has no interest in relinquishing his throne. Propelled by the youthfulness of his bandmates, Clarke reaches even deeper into his bag of tricks for an incredibly satisfying listen.

The Stanley Clarke Band: Stanley Clarke (bass), Cameron Graves (synthesizers), Beka Gochiashvili (acoustic piano), Mike Mitchell (drums)