Stan Clarke is a young Philadelphian widely regarded as the most promising bassist of his generation of jazz-based players. For the past four years, almost his entire professional life, Clarke has been the keystone of Chick Corea's various editions of Return to Forever. This is Clarke's third album as a leader and to his credit Journey to Love fares somewhat better than his disappointing first outing.

Working in an amplified quartet setting that includes George Duke on keyboards and guitarist David Sancious, Clarke starts off with a spidery, synthesized riff ("Silly Putty") that recalls the mechanical funk of the electric Herbie Hancock. Our old friend Jeff Beck appears to solo on the title track and cannot manage to save it from congealing into the same Scientological pablum that Chick Corea often serves up.

Beck comes back to lead a jam ("Hello Jeff") among himself, Clarke and drummer Lenny White that rings with familiar Beckian signature phrases and makes me pine for the days when the "power trio" could still get some respect. Clarke works beautifully with Beck, consistently getting as round and full a tone as is possible with an electric bass. "Song to John" is an acoustic trio dedicated to Coltrane, with the support of John McLaughlin playing a quiet guitar in the style of his great My Goal's Beyond album and Corea on piano. This trio flies off on complex unison phrases which evoke the late master and provide the album's best moments.

Less impressive is Clarke's portentous "Concerto for Jazz/Rock Orchestra," a mix of already exhausted forms, from Maha-esque pyrotechnics to electronic noodling. As a bassist, Clarke is an acknowledged giant; as a recording artist, he's got his problems. (RS 204)

STEPHEN DAVIS