DESCRIPTION:
Karekare (by Justin Firefly Clarke)
This piece is called Karekare and is from my first album: "Open Ended Curve". Justin Firefly Clarke is playing nylon string guitar and Carla Russell is playing didgeridoo. Big big thank you to Ron Pontifex for all your help and generosity in helping me make this album. Footage from the public domain: "Song Birds as Neighbors" circa 1920.

https://www.facebook.com/jazzfirefly

ABOUT THE COMPOSER:

Justin Firefly Clarke, composer and guitarist, performs in a wide variety of musical styles drawing on his diverse musical experiences including jazz, classical and various traditional and folk styles. As an educator Justin has taught guitar for over 20 years both in Germany and New Zealand.

Justin grew up in Wellington where he graduated from the Conservatorium of Music in 1998 with a Bachelor in Performance Jazz Guitar before leaving for Europe. While based in Berlin (1999-2006) he worked as full-time performing musician while investigating various non-Western musics; of particular interest were the musical cultures of Bulgaria, Yemen, India, Ethiopia, Mali and Nigeria. In pursuance of this niche interest he collaborated with many leading World musicians such as Zoriya (Yemen), Dr Bajan (Russia), The Firefly Orchestra (Turkey/Germany/Bulgaria), Mandala Trio (Germany), The Aki Ueda Ensemble (Japan/India), Mandala Trio (Germany), and Das Wallahalla Orchestra (Germany). With these groups he performed at festivals throughout Europe and Japan winning awards at Rudolstadt, Musica Vitale, Perleberg World Music Festivals.

Since returning to New Zealand in 2006 Justin has reintegrated himself into the New Zealand music scene, producing Jess Chambers and the Firefly Orchestra, The Woolshed Sessions and To Serve the Waves as well as appearing with Fat Freddy’s Drop, Fly My Pretties IV, Age Pryor and two Shogun Orchestra albums. He is a prominent, respected and highly active member within the Wellington jazz community performing guitar with local talents such as Lucien Johnson, Adam Page, James Illingworth, Ed Zuccollo, Myele Manzanza, Jonathan Crayford, Reece McNaughten and Paul Dyne (to name a few). In New Zealand he has performed at WOMAD on numerous occasions as well as other prominent festivals and won awards from Smokefree Rockquest, APRA country music awards, and Douglas Lilburn Victoria University Composers competition.

Justin recently completed a Master of Musical Arts in composition at the New Zealand School of Music under the guidance of John Psathas, Kenneth Young, Dugal McKinnon and Paolo Cavelone. His exegesis was an investigation in which he explored “synchresis” as a way of conceptualizing the interaction between visual media and musical sound.

As a session-artist Justin has worked with the film composer Tom McLeod on numerous films for German Television, as well as local movies such as Last Dogs of Winter by Costa Botes. Justin has also performed for John Psathas’s soundtrack for the film Good For Nothing which featured the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

"Justin is an extremely high-level musician, able to hold his own internationally. He has lived and worked professionally abroad for a number of years, exploring, absorbing, and forming his own perspective on the music of many cultures. He is a very rare asset in the New Zealand musical landscape, a truly 21st century ‘world’ musician. Justin has a deep understanding of many strands of the world’s music... He is a highly talented composer, an extraordinary guitarist, and has an acute musical sensitivity." (2011) From a letter written by John Psathas in support of Justin’s funding applications for The Firefly collaboration Project.