Acker Bilk

About

When Acker Bilk lost his two front teeth in an adolescent fist fight and a half finger in a sledging accident, it helped him develop a unique approach to playing the clarinet that is unmatched by any modern player. While these two incidents might serve to deter a half-hearted musician, they helped bolster the credibility and uniqueness of Bilk - eventually serving him with a unique sound that people keep returning to. Though most of his recordings center around a jazz/easy listening sound, Bilk is able to bond with nearly any musician and add layers of subtle clarinet nuance to nearly any genre of music.