Discography
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.
"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."
"As I reviewed the rough tracks, I contemplated adding nature sounds, as often songs would evoke a certain place or element, whether rain, river, ocean, wind, birdsong, or thunder… Yet as I listened to these songs in the woods or by the river, I recognized that nature was bringing it's own voice to each moment. I invite you to bring this music into nature with you and allow the sounds of your environment to sing with the flutes."
- Raphael
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 Groten 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.
This album marks the milestone of being entirely composed, arranged, performed, produced and engineered by Raphael in his newly established Humming Bird Studio.
“…truly award-winning spiritually moving magic!…full-body and vibrations of pure reverence…I give Raphael a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99 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.
“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
