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 considered 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 "Feeling Tones" and "Neuriba", two for Laika Records in Bremen "The Nature Suite" and a cd of film music "Sketches of Classicism" ; but still have my fingers in a few classical pies. Now I'm in the decision making process of whether to start my own label Flow-Time Records, to release the long awaited "East To South" album...

Over the years I have worked with 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), more recently Fra-Fra Sound in Amsterdam, 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. One day I was presented with a German system basset-horn at the Richard Muller shop, one 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 a little 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

David…