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David

To Fulfill, Learn and Enrich

About Me

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Hello... principally a bass clarinettist and a composer, I can find my voice on all members of the clarinet family from the C Clainet to Contra-bass. In my favour The Guardian newspaper considers me as ..The new hope of the clarinet.. although I have a reputation as a reediologist (a talent for all reed instruments). I am a North Londoner of Caribbean parentage although born in the East End of London. My first major musical experiences were in the classical world, playing regular recitals at St. James Piccadilly and becoming the principal clarinettist of the London Youth Synfonietta. Then somehow found my primary expression in the jazz world, where I made two cd's for Candid Records in London, two for Laika Records in Bremen; now I produce for my own label Flow-Time Records, which will soon released the long awaited ' East to South ' album... Over the years I have worked with stellar tenorist David Murray in a number of his projects, The Mingus Band in New York City, Van Morrison, Abdullah Ibrahim, Julian Joseph, Mervyn Afrika, James Carter, Ralph Peterson Junior, James Colligan, Byron Wallen, Shiek Tidiane Sek in Paris, Sarah Morrow, Morton Gronvad in Copenhagen, Ronald Tulle in Martinique, Tim Schikore...can't really talk of too many names like most of my peers can because I have been more focused on my own direction. Successful projects I have led include my eight piece Eric Dolphy Project recorded by BBC Radio 3, The UK Posse which toured with David Murray as a guest, The Righteous Reeds (clarinettist and four London Saxophonists), Jazz and Voices (the David Jean-Baptiste Quintet+5 gifted female singers and jazzoetry), and I am the leader of the London-Paris Connection. Musician friends in London who have known me for years call me the dark one, because I have a habit of showing up out of nowhere in the most suprising locations around the world. Also because I spend so much of my career exploring territories unknown to me; having lived extensively in New York City, Paris, Maritinique and Bremen. Perhaps now is the time to shed some light on the darkness...East to South my latest project demonstrates this same kind of restless attitude to my music; it is a flamenco/jazz/classical project. These days I spend running between London, various places in Holland, Bremen and Paris where my cd 'The Nature Suite' has been a hit with TSF Paris Jazz Radio. Musically I found that the most interesting German clarinettists I have met don't play jazz but play klezmer, I love the music and I found it suites me very well, adding a Central European dimension to my sound...I also found a small local clarinet making firm called Richard Muller, they make beautiful clarinets. One day I was presented with a German system basset-horn they had made; I loved the sound so much they made one for me and I mastered that system of clarinet as well as the boehm system I grew up with; which is controversial in the clarinet world to straddle both sides of the fence. Taking into account other aspects of my career, as well as studying the clarinet at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music many many moons ago, I have a Masters Degree in Composing for Film and TV from Kingston University making me proficient in technology and recording... A recent highlight for me was doing a recital at the First World Bass Clarinet Convention at the Rotterdam Conservatory. Definitely I would say that I am commited to clarinet mastery in Jazz, Classical music and where my passion is caught...Thanks for your time, sending you positive energy your way...Cascade Infinity

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Member Since: 12/8/2005
Band Website: davidjeanbaptiste.com
Band Members: ...The current cd ..East to South.. Musicians...David Jean-Baptiste (c, b flat and bass clarinets, sopranino saxophone), Fiona Troon (bassoon), Madeleine Easton (violin), Ivan Hussey (cello), Julian Joseph (piano), Tim Schikore, Andreas Stodter (flamenco guitars, palmas), Paulo Ro (guitar), Mark Hodgeson, Matthias Klinker (double bass), Mark Mondesir, Stefan Ulrich (drums)
Influences: Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane, J.S. Bach, W.A.Mozart, Thelonious Monk, Steve Williamson, Julian Joseph, David Murray, Courtney Pine, Brahms, Don Byron, Abdullah Ibrahim, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, The Mighty Sparrow, James Carter, Tony Coe, Bob Marley, Gervais de Peyer, Eddie Daniels, Branford Marsalis, Fela Kuti, John Williams, Wynton Marsalis, Henri Bok, Joan Amatrading, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, Byron Wallen, Klezgoyim, Glen Gould, Duke Ellington, Mervyn Afrika, Lalo Schifrin, Sonny Rollins, Ivo Papasov, Hariprasad Charasia, Tomatito, The World Saxophone Quartet, Quincy Jones, Gil Evans, Heitor Villa-Lobos...
Sounds Like: ..East to South.. (Flamenco Fire, Finesse, Eastern Spice)This cd is a New Jazz fusion, Flamenco, Spanish and Brazilian Classical music, with a slice of East Europa. Within are popular songs from jazz greats such as Olé from John Coltrane and Armando’s Rhumba from Chick Corea. Solo classical guitar music from Heitor Villa-Lobos beautifully arranged for David’s bass clarinet, the violin of Madeleine Easton , bassoon of Fiona Troon and cello of Ivan Hussey. There are also telling interpretations of Concerto d’Aranjuez and Zapateado by Joaquín Rodrigo. International piano star Julian Joseph’s presence is felt, and our original and intense flamenco input comes from one of Europe’s most special flamenco guitarists Tim Schicoré. Not to mention performances from the likes of Mark Mondesir on drums, and contributions made by great musicians from the music scenes of London and Bremen... Duende has a neuvo-european feel about it, moving through the Caribbean and South America...capturing the Gipsy spirit of those from the East who brought their music to Spain and Southern France, having an important part to play in the creation of what became Flamenco.
Record Label: Flow-Time
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

David's Musical Memory Exercise

Sample from the book:Music and Memory (www.myspace.com/musicandmemory)David's Musical Memory exerciseThink of the last time you played, maybe with friends, in a concert situation or in your bedroom o...
Posted by David on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:26:00 PST

Tarot Card

You are The SunHappiness, Content, Joy.The meanings for the Sun are fairly simple and consistent.Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were muddled come clear, everything falls...
Posted by David on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 02:10:00 PST