Exploding into the jazz world in 1971 he arrived in New York City, where he soon met a budding young pianist composer named Chick Corea. When Clarke and Corea formed the seminal electric jazz/rock band Return to Forever, the band recorded eight albums, two of which were certified gold with the wildly successful "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy" and the classic "Romantic Warrior" and won a Grammy award for "No Mystery" and received numerous nominations while touring incessantly. And this was a jazz band! He single-handedly started the 1970s "bass revolution," paving the way for all bassist/soloist/bandleaders to follow. In 1974 he released his eponymous "Stanley Clarke" album, and in 1976 Stanley released "School Days", of which the title track is now a bona fide bass anthem. He became the first bassist in history to headline tours, selling out shows worldwide, and have his albums certified gold. The word legend was used to describe Stanley by the time he was 25 years old. He was also the first bassist in history to double on acoustic and electric bass with equal virtuosity, power, and fire. He had also invented two new instruments: the piccolo bass and the tenor bass. He was Rolling Stone's very first Jazzman of the Year, and bassist winner of Playboy's Music Award for ten straight years. Stanley has also become one of the elite in-demand composers in Hollywood. The Biography of this musician, like Stanley himself, is a continuing work in process.