Tour Dates

26 Feb 2010 
The Courthouse Otley

27 Feb 2010 
National Centre for Early Music York

28 Feb 2010 
HiFi Club tbc Leeds

5 Mar 2010 
St Pauls Centre Cambridge
 
6 Mar 2010 
Under One Sun @ The EMN Hall Monksilver nr Taunton
 
12 Mar 2010 
Greentop Yorkshire Circus Centre Sheffield
 
13 Mar 2010 
Lift Club @ The Globe tbc Glossop, Derbyshire
 
20 Mar 2010 
World Unlimited @ Hare & Hounds Kingsheath tbc Birmingham
 
25 Mar 2010 
Babel Med Music Forum Showcase tbc Marseilles
 
1 May 2010 
St Ethelburga’s Centre for Peace and Reconciliation London
 
10 May 2010 
Channel Islands mini-tour Alderney
 
11 May 2010 
Channel Islands mini-tour Guernsey
 
12 May 2010 
Channel Islands mini-tour Sark
 
13 May 2010 
Channel Islands mini-tour Jersey
 
14 Jul 2010 
Larmer Tree Festival tbc Salisbury
 
23 Jul 2010 
WOMAD BBC R3 Stage tbc Malmesbury,Wiltshire

Rafiki CD & Gig reviews & comments

RAFIKI JAZZ     More Big Muzik from Over There!            (KONICD09)

How exciting and special! A home grown band with solid UK release support and distribution. It's something that really could only happen here, with an amazing diversity of musicians taking part from such a wide diaspora, and performing for this live studio recording with such inventive unity. It's great too, to enjoy the sounds of a big-band, as latterly this has been more the province of the Americans.

Particularly gratifying is finding such fine UK-based African musicians gaining a stature through this release that has often been denied them. With Kudaushe Matimba, Kadialy Kouyate and Juldeh Camara, plus the introduction of Pa Jobarteh's new kora voice, we hear them all coming forward to play to their strengths with the utmost respect for each others creativity, yet vividly maintaining their own distinctive voices.

And it’s great to find relative new-comers coming through too, alongside both seasoned and newer on the scene English musicians…all given a rare opportunity to truly flex.

Above all it is the combined and solo female voices that give Rafiki Jazz such an edge and cohesion that has hitherto been missing in UK product, especially the wonderful discovery of Zanzibari Mim Suleiman who composes key tracks as well. The beatbox and hard bass don't go amiss either!

More Big Muzik.. is a well-produced album which manages to avoid the too bright, too keen pitfalls, and instead comes across with a maturity and slow-burning beauty, to savour and enjoy.

Debbie Golt (African Essence/Resonance FM)

RAFIKI JAZZ

More Big Muzik From Over There!

(KONICD09) www.konimusic.co.uk

Putting a whole new spin on the exhortation “think global, act local”, Rafiki Jazz is a loose collective of musicians from diverse geographical and musical backgrounds whose common link is their status as UK residents.

Fronted by the formidable vocal trio of Rosie Brown (UK), Vanessa Chutturghoon (Mauritius/UK) and the unstoppable force that is Mim Suleiman (Zanzibar), the band also boasts the presence of Gambian riti ace Juldeh Camara, Senegalese kora player Kadialy Kouyate and Brazilian percussionist Guery Tibirica, alongside home-grown talent including human beatbox Unome, steel pan player Catherine Carr and bassist Tony Koni.

Recorded live over a single weekend, More Big Muzik … has an infectious spontaneity that’s hard to resist, as these talented musicians interact to create a slinky global groove guaranteed to raise the temperature. From the reworking of Mandinka classic ‘Kelefa Jah’ which opens the album, through the lessons in how to dance like a hippopotamus (‘Mali Sajo’), the universal right to freedom (‘Mingi Mingi’), and Fula praise song ‘Jallo Jerry’ to ‘Muhogo Wa Jango’mbe’, the Swahili song that brings proceedings to a close, this is a life affirming and uplifting celebration of multi-culturalism and the sheer joy of making music.

Dave Haslam R2 Magazine (formerly Rock’n’Reel) Issue 19/Jan/Feb 2010

Rafiki Jazz

More Big Muzik from Over There! (KONICD09)

Maybe this CD should have been titled More Big Muzik from Over Here!..this collection of very talented musicians, all living in the UK and brought together for this project is exciting enough, but what they have produced makes me proud to be living in the UK at this time. Using or bringing together influences from their individual origins & cultures, they've woven together 8 tracks, most of which extend beyond 6 mins, for our enjoyment..a  rich colourful sound that is bound to be a hit. Surely a record like this deserves to be aired on radio to a wider audience? It definitely represents or says something about the extraordinary range of music from 'Over There' now available and present over here in the UK.

Great vocals from 4 different singers, underpinned with kora, riti, marimba, steel pans and more.. it's a delicious brew that is very drinkable

Wallee McDonnell (Music Programmer: Centre for Peace & Reconciliation London)

Hi Everybody in Rafiki
thanks for a great gig in Settle on Friday, your music is just what i love, a real mix, the nearest description I can think of for it is "Lo'Jo unplugged", I will keep a lookout for another gig so I can hear the full band

Martin (myspace) Settle 2008

Mim Juldeh Jazz Café gig May 09

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/may/19/justin-adams-juldeh-camara-review

you have some fantastic tunes I am definitely a fan

paul miskin Home made reKords (soznak)

Thanks Rafikians!
We loved your music - it was a fantastic night - thank you very much for a wonderful performance.
would love to see Rafiki Jazz again next year - we all thought you were great.

Simon Smith
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LndvcmxkZmVzdC5jby51aw==

Diz Heller: Arc Music Productions International

‘gorgeous tracks’

Karin Tubbesing : Arc

‘really great music