Inner Sanctum
(2025)
Born from mindful presence in the deep hibernation of a Vermont winter, Inner Sanctum carries the listener into the dreamtime with 22 tracks of lush, ambient electric guitar. Shifting between vast open soundscapes and drifting soulful melodies, Raphael’s 1970’s Gibson Marauder shines with a myriad of voices and textures.
Inner Sanctum is a solo album and was recorded over the course of three days in January 2025 by Raphael in his Humming Bird Studio, located in the Green Mountains of Vermont. In the weeks that followed the recording, Raphael mixed and ordered the songs to create the sonic journey that is Inner Sanctum. A journey that carries the listener into the embrace of the sanctuary within until they emerge awake, attuned and renewed.
“Raphael’s music is a soothing relief, offering peace and reflection amidst the chaos.”
- Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck, NAMR Reviews Founder
“An impactful work, Inner Sanctum has carved a unique niche in contemporary classical and new age music, offering a transformative experience for its listeners.”
- Vivek Kumar, New Music Alert
Unity
(2024)
Unity began in 2020, when Raphael met Rebecca while playing a kirtan with a mutual friend. As their friendship and partnership grew, so did the repertoire found on this album. With ten songs offered as a healing balm for the world, Unity is Raphael and Rebecca’s prayer for this time.
Returning to Imaginary Road Studios to work with Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton, Raphael brought Rebecca and captured an album of heart opening, soul soothing music. Unity features Raphael’s nylon string guitar and flutes accompanied by Rebecca’s angelic violin. Rebecca’s violin shines, enriched at times with multiple layers creating an orchestral quality listeners have yet to hear in Raphael’s music. The additional highlights of Eugene Friesen on cello, Michael Manring on fretless bass and Will Ackerman’s timeless guitar weave seamlessly with the meditative and visionary qualities of this recording.
“I’ve worked with guitarist Raphael Groten over many years, and have always been touched by the heart and skill of his music. He has recently completed a new album entitled Unity with violinist Rebecca Kodis which is simply stunning. I found myself listening again and again to the album, discovering layer upon layer of heart and beauty as I went along. Unity is a remarkable creation by two very talented musicians.” - Will Ackerman
Great Blue
(2022)
Great Blue returns Raphael to his roots as a solo artist. Honoring his connection with the flute, Raphael offers this collection of channeled flute music for peace and meditation. Raphael shares,
"I came to playing the flute as a meditative instrument 10 years after putting down the saxophone in high school. I purchased my first flute at a craft fair in Vermont in the late 1990’s and as I began to play, I realized that all of my training in saxophone translated effortlessly. 20 years later, I had a vision of a solo flute album and placed it on my list of albums to record and release. I offer it now, in devotion to following my guidance."
“…meditative visionary excellence…you’ll hear some of the most sensitive flute you've ever listened to… An absolutely stunning album from a true master artist!”
- Rotcod Zzaj - Contemporary Fusion Reviews
"Great Blue reveals that Raphael Groten's flute playing is the equal of all the other great flutists recording today. His mastery of nuance, tone, breath and technique are all on abundant display. His improvisations are wondrous to hear and will leave you spellbound on the first playing.”
- Bill Binkelman - Wind and Wire
Happily Ever Now
(2021)
Happily Ever Now is Raphael’s first musical release for children and families. Released under the pseudonym, G’Raph, this album offers musical adventures and essential childhood lessons.
At the root of Raphael’s longstanding vision and two decades of work as a music educator echoes the question, “Why wait for the ultimate line of the story, ‘happily ever after,’ to get happy?’” The time to come alive is now. Happily Ever Now is a musical anthology of the moment, with songs of health, humility, and adventure, along with a grand dose of downright silliness. Embracing styles that range from folk, blues, soul, and rock; to funk, reggae/ska, country, and world, Happily Ever Now takes the listener on an excursion with a delight around every bend in the road.
Happily Ever Now was composed, arranged, performed, produced and engineered by Raphael a.k.a. G’Raph in his Humming Bird Studio.
“This music is Pete Seeger meets the Mother Ship!” – G’Raph
Potential
(2021)
Potential represents the birth of a new genre in Raphael’s music – one he calls “world medicine groove”. Listeners can expect an entirely new soundscape as he shares many unusual instruments and unique styles. A further evolution into Raphael’s instrumental and vocal sound, Potential is broad and dynamic, offering guitar to ukulele, percussion to gong, bamboo flute to kalimba and hand pan to a chorus of voices. Potential marks the milestone of the first album entirely composed, arranged, performed, produced and engineered by Raphael in his newly established Humming Bird Studio.
"What is potential? Raphael Groten’s new album seems to answer that question on many levels. Potential is a creative, playful, genre-defying, and most importantly: an incredibly well-made album that takes the listener on a voyage deep into the wild using a wide variety of instruments. Its meditative, perhaps even hypnotic, qualities are easy to enjoy even if you only listen to a track or two. Groten’s love for nature is also present everywhere on the album. But the most prominent feature must be how Potential inspires us to reflect on the capabilities that dwell in us all. That in itself is a significant accomplishment." - BT Fasmer, New Age Music Guide
“…truly award-winning spiritually moving magic!…full-body and vibrations of pure reverence…I give Raphael a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating for this amazing album!”
– Rotcod Zzaj, Contemporary Fusion Reviews
Star Lullaby
(2019)
A fascinating tour de force and a display of Raphael’s acoustic guitar artistry and talent, Star Lullaby is a unique approach to instrumental music. Presented as a two-disc set, the first disc holds fourteen solo guitar pieces played with grace and intimacy, while the second disc offers the same recordings with the addition of stellar guest stars on a variety of accompanying instruments. The resultant contrast turns Star Lullaby into an exploration of two musical landscapes; one of more subtle and personal solo works followed by expanded textures as other instruments are added to the mix on the second disc. Disc two also showcases Groten’s versatility by featuring his steel and nylon string guitars, ukulele, percussion, clay whistle and voice. The list of guest artists reads like a “Who’s Who” of contemporary instrumentalists: bassist Michael Manring, cellist Eugene Friesen, flutist Ron Korb, violinist Charlie Bisharat, percussionist Jeff Haynes, vocalist Noah Wilding and Will Ackerman on guitar. Star Lullaby was produced by Grammy winner Ackerman, Tom Eaton and Raphael. Eaton engineered, mixed and mastered the album.
“Raphael Groten’s pieces are a bit like a Japanese rock garden. Though Raphael is a fine guitarist, his compositions on Star Lullaby are wonderfully spare of unnecessary ornamentation and concentrate exclusively on the essential. The many listeners who responded so enthusiastically to his previous recording, Journey Home, will find a gentle evolution in Star Lullaby.” – Will Ackerman
Journey Home
(2015)
Although he had been playing guitar for 30 years at the time of its release, Journey Home was Raphael’s debut album of solo guitar music. Produced with the legendary Will Ackerman at his Imaginary Road Studios, this album is a collection of songs developed for ease and healing while volunteering as a musician
in the lobby of the local hospital.
“Raphael Groten’s music is an exercise in grace and ease…His music beguiles… Raphael paints pictures of peace and contemplation and creates musical worlds that one longs to visit.”
– Will Ackerman
“Journey Home displays an artist who is supremely comfortable in his introspective style of playing, revealing a sensitive composing and performing manner that is sure to resonate with listeners who are seeking an inward voyage of self- discovery and revelation.”
– Bill Binkelman, Retailing Insight
"Groten has complete command of his instrument. As he becomes one with nature so he does with his guitar… if you like solo acoustic guitar music you will love this album!”
– Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck – New Age Music Reviews
“I must reiterate about the spaciousness of these compositions… Journey Home is one of the most serene acoustic guitar albums I’ve ever heard.”
– Michael Diamond – Music and Media Focus
