Brief excerpt from a creative jam session with Raph Clarkson (trombone), Mia Marlen Berg (voice) and Simon Roth (drums)

Raph Clarkson/ Mia Marlen Berg/ Simon Roth - improv session excerpt

A couple of trombone solos from my time with the Little Voice Band

Jazz sampler (Beautiful Friendship/Someday My Prince Will Come)

Fourth in a set of six miniatures for string quartet, composed by Raph Clarkson and performed by the Coull String Quartet.

Bagatelle IV for String Quartet

Excerpts of Raph Clarkson's new project, 'Equal Spirits'

Recorded live at The Vortex Jazz Club, London, 16th January 2018

Featuring:
Raph Clarkson - trombone
Leeto Thale - spoken word
Chris Batchelor - trumpet
Phil Merriman - piano
Steve Watts - bass
Mike Pickering - drums

Taster includes the tracks:
'Playful' by Keith Tippett
and
 'Skip', 'Wise and Waiting', 'Hymn' and 'Back Again', all by Raph Clarkson


Raph Clarkson, trombonist,composer and educator, embarks on a project to celebrate the historic partnership between South African and UK Musicians, with a focus on free improvisers (see the collaborations between Keith Tippett and Musicians like Mongesi Feza and Louis Maholo)as well as the musical connections between the English hymnal and chorale tradition and the joyful melodies and gospel infused harmonies of the South African township jazz style.

He has written a whole new set of music for this project, which he brings to South Africa to perform alongside Musicians in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, including Yonela Mnana- piano, Siphiwe Shiburi - drums, Amaeshi Ikechi- bass and Nhlanhla Daniel Mahlangu - sax  who will be performing with Raph at The Mix in SophiaTown. 

The music has already had an outing in London this January, alongside Chris Batchelor (trumpet) and Steve Watts (bass), who recently toured SA with Tete Mbambisa, as well as SA poet and vocalist Leeto Thale. 

Raph hopes to establish long lasting partnerships with SA musicians with a view to hosting them in the UK and introducing them to UK audiences in the future. 

Alongside his performing activities, Raph’s experience as a workshop leader (which has led him to work with major UK arts organisations and orchestras including English National Opera and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) will see him lead workshops at The Mix - SophiaTown , helping children and adults to create new music and perform it alongside professional musicians. 

Raph Clarkson is best known as trombonist for jazz-punk ensemble WorldService Project, who have toured all across the globe, and release their fourth album ‘Serve’ on Rare Noise Records in May. He also leads his large ensemble The Dissolute Society, which he writes words and music for; they also release their debut album, Soldiering On, in May. www.raphclarkson.com

With enormous thanks to Help Musicians UK for all their support:
http://helpmusicians.org.uk

Equal Spirits - Taster Mix

"SKIP" written by Raph Clarkson
performed by EQUAL SPIRITS
live at The Chairman, Durban, South Africa, on 23/2/18.
Live recording by Clifi from Clifisoundworld.
Raph Clarkson - Trombone
Leon Scharnik - Alto sax
Sanele Phakati - keys
Q-Bass - BASS!
Riley G. - Drums.

As part of Equal Spirits tour of South Africa, feb 2018, supported generously by Help Musicians UK.

Skip - Equal Spirits Live In Durban

A clip from a workshop that I ran at the Saheti School in Johannesburg, in February 2018. This was part of a trip to South Africa supported by Help Musicians U.K., where I performed specially written music by me with musicians in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban; I also led workshops like this one.
This song is one that we wrote with 13-14 year olds within an hour:
'There are so many things to be grateful for,
Most of them are standing at your door'

'There are So Many Things to be Grateful for' - children from Saheti School, Johannesburg

This is Bosele's Song - as you can hear, directed very much by Bosele (aged 3!), as part of a workshop I led at The Mix centre in SophiaTown during my residency in South Africa in February 2018, supported by Help Musicians U.K.
With enormous thanks to Tricia Sibbons and everyone at The Mix!

http://sophiatownthemix.com

Bosele's Song - from workshops at SophiaTown The Mix

Excerpt of 'The Field', by RESOLUTE 
(words by Kristoffer from Sulivan Primary School)

from forthcoming self-titled album released on Babel Label, April 2019

recorded LIVE at The Brunswick, Brighton by Tom Ayres

mixed+produced by Liran Donin

RESOLUTE:
Gboyega Odubanjo - vocals
Raph Clarkson - trombone/FX
Phil Merriman - keyboards
Simon Roth - drums

The Field

Excerpt of 'It's Just Noise', by RESOLUTE 
(words by Gboyega Odubanjo)

from forthcoming self-titled album released on Babel Label, April 2019

recorded LIVE at The Brunswick, Brighton by Tom Ayres

mixed+produced by Liran Donin

RESOLUTE:
Gboyega Odubanjo - vocals
Raph Clarkson - trombone/FX
Phil Merriman - keyboards
Simon Roth - drums

It's Just Noise (excerpt)

Recorded live at The Vortex Jazz Club, London, 16th January 2018

Featuring:
Raph Clarkson - trombone
Chris Batchelor - trumpet
Phil Merriman - piano
Steve Watts - bass
Mike Pickering - drums

Raph Clarkson, trombonist,composer and educator, embarks on a project to celebrate the historic partnership between South African and UK Musicians, with a focus on free improvisers (see the collaborations between Keith Tippett and Musicians like Mongesi Feza and Louis Maholo)as well as the musical connections between the English hymnal and chorale tradition and the joyful melodies and gospel infused harmonies of the South African township jazz style.

He has written a whole new set of music for this project, which he brings to South Africa to perform alongside Musicians in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, including Yonela Mnana- piano, Siphiwe Shiburi - drums, Amaeshi Ikechi- bass and Nhlanhla Daniel Mahlangu - sax who will be performing with Raph at The Mix in SophiaTown.

The music has already had an outing in London this January, alongside Chris Batchelor (trumpet) and Steve Watts (bass), who recently toured SA with Tete Mbambisa, as well as SA poet and vocalist Leeto Thale.

Raph hopes to establish long lasting partnerships with SA musicians with a view to hosting them in the UK and introducing them to UK audiences in the future.

Alongside his performing activities, Raph’s experience as a workshop leader (which has led him to work with major UK arts organisations and orchestras including English National Opera and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) will see him lead workshops at The Mix - SophiaTown , helping children and adults to create new music and perform it alongside professional musicians.

Raph Clarkson is best known as trombonist for jazz-punk ensemble WorldService Project, who have toured all across the globe, and release their fourth album ‘Serve’ on Rare Noise Records in May. He also leads his large ensemble The Dissolute Society, which he writes words and music for; they also release their debut album, Soldiering On, in May. www.raphclarkson.com

With enormous thanks to Help Musicians UK for all their support:
helpmusicians.org.uk

Back Again - Equal Spirits Live In London

This is a page for you to explore bits and pieces of my music - enjoy!!!

raphclarkson

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