Jeff Cloke was born in Torquay, Devon in 1947. He learnt the piano accordion and progressed via recorder and clarinet to the alto saxophone. Musically his development encompassed Skiffle, Trad Jazz then authentic Traditional Jazz, through big-band, cool, bebop, Miles Davis and finally Ornette Coleman. His jazz tastes stop there! He became active in the experimental music scene in the 1960s, and more recently has become part of the London free-improv scene. His main influences today are Keith Rowe and other active artists in the international improv scene.
Away from jazz & improv Jeff has maintained a keen interest in what might be called the art-music scene, listing Berio, Bryars, Cage, Feldman, Glass, Messiaen, Radulescu, Scelsi, Rzewski & Skempton as his favourites, alongside 'electronic' composers such as Jonty Harrison, Mathew Adkins, Darren Copeland, Robert Normandeau & Barry Truax.
Jeff now lives in London, regularly performing with his unique 'Reson8' setup, either as a solo performer or collaborating with other musicians, poets, dancers or painters.
'Resonation' performances have included:
2002 Bretton Hall and Dartington Summer Schools
2003 Opera Paese, Rome
2004-2005 Curated regular, monthly performances at Lewisham ArtHouse: performed with many of the foremost improv artists, including Tony Moore, Eddie Prevost, Lol Coxhill, Mark Wastell, Philip Wachsmann, Alessandro Bosetti, John Edwards, Chris Sacker, Angharad Davies, John Russell & Marcio Mattos
2005 London's Freedom Of The City Festival. 'Off The Record', Marquardt, Germany
[2006 & 2007 spent developing 'Reson8']
'Reson8' performances (solo & ensemble) include:
2008 LiveArt Falmouth. Exploratorium & Wedding Salon, Berlin. Rathaus Galerie, Berlin (with video installation). 'Zeichen des Kontakts', Marquardt, Germany. MOPOMOSO. Klinker Club. Vortex Jazz Club (with poet & dancer).
2009 'Art, Flesh, Priceless', Covent Garden. Cafe Oto. Ghost Farringdon. Scaledown. Pacha Mama, Potsdam, Germany. 'Zeichen des Kontakts', Marquardt, Germany. 8-day residency at The Shunt Vaults, London Bridge.
2010 Battersea Art Centre. Berlin Natural History & Medical History Museums. Exploratorium, Berlin. Quendel, Potsdam, Germany. 'Zeichen des Kontakts', Marquardt, Germany
Currently planning performances in Singapore for December 2010.
