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Richard
Sinclair is known by his music writing, bass playing and singing
with the groups ‘Caravan’ ‘Hatfield and the North’ and ‘Camel’
during the 1970’s, as well as his activities since then in which he
has created his own groups or continued to perform as a solo artist.
CANTERBURY
SCENe
In the beginning, of what later became known as ‘The Canterbury
Scene’ at age 15, Richard
teamed up with the brothers Hugh and Brian Hopper to fire up the first Canterbury
band ‘The Wilde Flowers'
Through
this group passed Richard Sinclair, Hugh Hopper, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayres, Pye Hastings, Richard
Coughlan, cousin David Sinclair, Graham Flight among others. And from this
generic band of friends, emerged new groupings: ‘The Soft Machine’
‘Caravan’ ‘Gong’ ‘Kevin Ayres and the Whole World’…and the
‘family tree’ then branched out to include many other players and
groups.
THE WILDE FLOWERS
Left to
Right: Brian Hopper, Richard Sinclair, Robert Wyatt,
Hugh Hopper and
Kevin Ayres. (Canterbury in 1963)
Thanks to the Kent Messenger Group Newspapers for the picture.
The
result has been over 35 years of wonderful original music, an
undulating, delightfully inventive blend often based on Anglican church
hymnery, jazz, folk music, early 20th century classical
music, (all done up with rock instruments and amplification) which has
positively “stood the test of time”.
Those original albums, beginning
for Richard with ‘Caravan’ first from 1968, are all being
re-released and made available again. For
a good reason and Richard Sinclair, present at the creation, is one
reason for the continued interest.
Probably
the
‘best selling’ Caravan album entitled ‘In the Land of Grey and
Pink’ has never gone out of production since it’s release in 1971. The
writing and performance of which, features the work of Richard Sinclair
significantly.
The new music is very much an extension of the classic
recordings we remember: tuneful,
cheery, thought-provoking and fairly demanding of multiple listenings.
Several
websites carry the 'Canterbury Scene' and much has been written on all aspects of
the music and musicians responsible. Please
see Links page.
CARAVAN 
Richard Sinclair pic from the album 'Waterloo Lily'
ALBUMs
'Caravan'
1968
'If I could do it
all over again I'd do it all over you' 1970
'In the Land of Grey and Pink' 1971
'Waterloo Lily' 1972
'Back to Front' 1982
'Caravan Live 1990'
Also
'Singles' and
other later compilations.
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some
collaborations
with recordings:
'Coxhill/Miller.
Miller/Coxhill' 1973
with Steve Miller and Lol Coxhill.
ROBERT WYATT BAND
Left to Right: Richard Sinclair, Dave Macrae, Andy Summers,
Nick Mason, Robert Wyatt, Fred Frith, (B.B.C. picture).
'I'm a Believer' and
'Rock Bottom' 1974 :
with Robert Wyatt.
'Singing a Song in the
Morning' 1976
with Kevin Ayres
'Before a Word is Said' 1981
with Alan Gowan, Phil Miller, Trevor Thompkins.
'D.S. Al Coda' 1982
in memory of Alan Gowan, with Dave Stewart.
'Somewhere in France' 1983
with Hugh Hopper
'SkaBoosh : Freetown' 1987
with Anthony Aldridge
'Split Seconds' 1988
with Phil Miller
'Seven Year Itch' 1988
with Pip Pyle
'Earth to Ether' 2004
with Theo Travis
HATFIELD
ANd THE NORTh
'Virgin' publicity photo
'Hatfield
and the North' 1973
'Rotters Club' 1975
'Afters' 1980
'Hatfield and the North Live 1990' 1993
'Hatwise Choice' 2005
(archive release).
camel
pic: 'Dr. Jazz' see
Links page
'Raindances'
1977
'A Live Record' 1977
'Breathless' 1978
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RICHARD
SINCLAIR'S
CARAVAN OF DREAMS
Kingston Greenfair (nr
London, UK) pic H Sinclair
sinclair songs
RSS CD 001 : 'R.S.V.P.' 1994
RSS CD 002:
'Richard
Sinclair's Caravan of Dreams'
RSS CD 003 : 'Richard Sinclair LIVE TRACKS' 1995
RSS CD 004 : 'What in the World' 1996
To date there are four albums produced by Richard Sinclair for the
Sinclair Songs series. There are some favourite moments captured here and
they all feature Richard on some new tunes with many of the
musician friends from a rich past and present to grace the music.
these CDs, for
various reasons have been out of production for some time and will be reproduced
as product for sale this year.
LIVE
music in 2007
2005 saw the
release of the long awaited archive 'Hatfield and the North' CD entitled
'Hatwise Choice' - Richard with Dave Stewart, Phil Miller and Pip Pyle
'...agreed to agree' and then worked together on the CD release.
At this time 'The Richard Sinclair Band' included Theo Travis sax and
flutes, Roy Dodds drums, Phil Miller guitar and Alex Maguire keys. But
with the release of 'Hatwise Choice' there was interest in
the music of Hatfield and the North as a live show too and 'Richard Sinclair Band'
then evolved into 'Hatfield and the North'
version 3, with
Alex Maguire taking up the piano parts, until the incredible and sudden demise of
drummer Pip Pyle in August 2006.
Presently
under construction is a new
'Richard Sinclair Band'
Richard continues
to perform as a Solo artist
Duo
shows with flute and sax player,
Theo Travis
Trio formation with David Rees Williams piano
and Tony Coe, clarinet and
sax.
As well as joining in with other groups of musician friends, for
example: 'Richard Sinclair's
Taranterbury Band of Dreams'
Booking
Now for summer 2007~Please
Email direct: richard@richardsinclair.net
Heather
Sinclair and Kenneth Egbert
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