Raphael Ravenscroft

Raphael Ravenscroft has played saxophone (and sometimes Cello, Guitar, Vocals, percussion,Flute & Keys) for artists ranging from Marvin Gaye to Pink Floyd, but he will likely be remembered best for just one song — Gerry Rafferty’s late ‘70s mega-hit “Baker Street,” on which he played what was probably the most well-known saxophone part in an entire decade of popular music. Ironically, his work on that session came about by sheer chance. Gerry Rafferty had written “Baker Street” with the long instrumental break in mind, but without a specific instrument to play it, and he and producer Hugh Murphy experimented many with different sounds, including Rolling Stones guitarist ( ) before Murphy suggested a sax — their first choice for the session was, however, was Pete Zorn, a British session musician who had played with Andy Bown and other artists. Zorn was no longer playing much sax and suggested a list of other players, and Raphael Ravenscroft’s name was distinctive enough to get him the call. Ravenscroft turned the break into a long, moody vignette that just hung there on the radio, and was responsible for tuning it round from what was an ordinary and uneventful album track, it into an international hit, and Rafferty into mega star. Ravenscroft had already appeared on the international single & album by Maxine Nightingale, (Right Back Where We Started From) (1976), as soloist & arranger, but in 1978 he emerged as Rock and Roll’s most prominent saxmen, he was suddenly moving among the top international circles of recording artists. In 1979, Ravenscroft signed with CBS via its prestige label ”Portrait Records’ to record his first solo album, Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway, which included his versions of songs by Gerry Rafferty, (You put something better, inside of me) Paul McCartney (“Every Night”), and Ian Dury (“Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll”), but his heart & soul lay live performance and in his recording activities for other artists. He went on to play with, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, Tina Turner, Darren Emerson, ABBA, Fat Boy Slim, Chris Rea, Steve Wonder, Ian Gomm, The Undertones, Kim Carnes, David Gilmore, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Ten Years After, Sasha, Jonnie Mitchell, America, Aretha Franklin, Mike Oldfield, Michael Jackson, Jackson Brown, The Eagles, Alvin Lee, Foreigner, Roger Waters, Tom Petty, The Everly Brothers, White Snake, Seb Fountain, Frank Zappa. Judge Jules, Willie & The Poor Boys, Danny Ramplling, Phil Collins, Brand X, in addition to two more chart topping LPs for Rafferty. In 1988 Ravenscroft wrote and published the foremost treaties on playing the saxophone. The Complete Saxophonist immediately hit the international best seller lists, and has continued as the market leader to this day. Dear Pilgrim. For us all, the process of growing up is a journey, a voyage of discovery. It is a time of glorious, and on occasion painful learning, when our hearts and minds, our spirits and our giftings are moulded and fashioned into what we shall become. If we are truly blessed, it is a voyage of growth that will continue to the end. However, we sense the sound of a stirring on this journey, an irreversible awakening. We yearn to change, to recognize our global connectedness; we are hurting for the brokenness of the world and we grieve the advent of the shards of dysfunction. Our quest is surely to source a universal language and to communicate openly one with another. Music is my personal contribution to this quest. Music to illuminate our similarities, to celebrate our differences, and in effect quite simply, to still the hearts of Man. It is a small offering given with great love. Enjoy and God Bless.