Rafael Statin aka Leafar is one of those rarest of multi-instrumentalist who can combine great passion, intellectual discipline, and a spiritual fire that is evocative of great artistic creativity. He has so far established himself as a remarkable composer and musician not defined by any one particular genre or style. Appearing as Leafar, a pseudonym created by Rafael in order to further free his music and himself from trap establishments of being boxed in only as a saxophonist jazz musician. As Leafar he is unconstrained to completely utilize his experimental mind & soul. 

Rafael Statin has had the greatest privilege of sharing the performance space among some of greatest creative artist and musicians on the scene today including the 7x Grammy (4x Emmy) awarded bassist Robert Hurst III, jazz master Reggie Workman (bassist of John Coltrane & Art Blakey), drum legend Jeff “Tain” Watts, NEA Jazz master Jimmy Owens, Detroit Trumpet legend Marcus Belgrave, Grammy awarded producer/ musician Kamau Kenyatta, drummer/producer Greg Hutchinson, and Detroit experimental hip-hop producer Sterling Toles to name a few. 

Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, Rafael's connection to music was jazz, r&b & soul, fostered from a musical family at an early age. His parents gave an immeasurable amount of time and energy to make sure could have the opportunity to go to decent schools often back and forth from suburban education to artist opportunities in the urban Detroit area that would eventually prove fruitful despite the metro Detroit challenges throughout the 1990's and 2000's. Rafael attended and graduated from prestigious institutions such as Detroit School of Arts, Detroit Symphony Civic Jazz Orchestra, and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. In the midst of education Rafael often played with notable influences such as Robert Hurst Group (2011-current), Marcus Belgrave (Toledo Art Museum 2010), Vincent Chandler Septet (2009-2010), Jeff Tain Watts Drum Club (Detroit Jazz Festival 2011) and often appearances as a leader on the Detroit music scene since 2009. 

Currently Rafael tours with Robert Hurst Group, he is one of many members of the Detroit super group Video7 as a saxophonist/producer, and a member of an upcoming influential music collective called PolyFold.

Leafar Village