Creative Bursary Spotlight: Randolph Matthews

English Dance and Song April 2025

This news item is based on articles in English Dance and Song, the magazine of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. The world’s oldest magazine for folk music and dance, EDS was first published in 1936 and is essential reading for anyone with a passion for folk arts.

Supporting the development of a project about the untold stories of black sailors and the rich cultural tapestry of maritime history. Edited by Sammie Squire.

EFDSS offers a range of valuable professional development opportunities for artists, including our flagship Creative Bursary and Residency Programme. Named in memory of Alan James, former Chair of EFDSS, who died suddenly in 2019, the programme supports established artists to create new music rooted in and inspired by English folk, and provides them with an opportunity to undertake this creative exploration without the pressure of a final product.

For our 2024/25 programme we partnered with Black Lives in Music, Drake Music and Glasshouse International Centre for Music (Gateshead) to offer five bursaries worth up to £2,000 to support creative research and development together with use of rehearsal space at Cecil Sharp House and access to the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Randolph Matthews was one of five artists awarded a Creative Bursary.

Randolph is a celebrated composer and vocal artist with a career spanning over 25 years, and has toured over 30 countries and collaborated with musical luminaries like Richard Bona, Bill Frisell, and Herbie Hancock. He has performed at venues such as Buckingham Palace and the Royal Albert Hall.

Randolph’s bursary was in collaboration with Alcyona Mick, a pianist at the forefront of the London Jazz scene, recently nominated for a Parliamentary Jazz Instrumentalist Award. She is a member of various ensembles, including the London Jazz Orchestra and |Tori Freestone/Alcyona Mick Duo, and has performed worldwide.

The proposal: what is the creative idea that this bursary would support?

The ‘Black Salt’ project, initiated in 2022, explores the contributions of sailors from the African diaspora to the British maritime industry, focusing on the cultural and musical influences of sea shanties. Randolph applied for the bursary to continue and expand this research, creating new material and ideas, with the aim of presenting a complete and tour-ready performance.

His project investigates how African and Caribbean rhythms influenced the development of sea shanties. Historical records and literary sources, such as Marcus Rediker’s Villains of All Nations and Ray Costello’s Black Salt, indicate a significant cultural exchange between sailors and black dock workers.

The practice of ‘shantying’ likely has roots in this interaction, with songs that facilitated communication and cohesion among diverse crews. His aim was to highlight these cultural contributions by developing new musical compositions that blend historical influences with contemporary interpretations. This would involve an analysis of traditional sea shanties and African work songs to identify common rhythmic and antiphonal patterns. Collaborating with Alcyona, he reflected these themes.

The benefits: how would the bursary support the creative development of this fascinating project?

The bursary would enhance their creative development by providing the necessary resources to deepen their research and refine their musical compositions. It would enable them to dedicate time to exploring historical archives, consulting with experts, and analysing musical forms. This focused research would inform their creative process, leading to the development of innovative and historically grounded musical pieces.

Additionally, the bursary would facilitate collaborative sessions with Alcyona, allowing them to experiment with new ideas and refine their performance.

Access to rehearsal spaces and necessary equipment would ensure that their creative process was uninterrupted and productive. Ultimately, the bursary would help them achieve a high-quality performance that would educate and engage audiences about the cultural contributions of African diasporic sailors.

The next steps: what are the future plans for this Research & Development?

Their overall aim was to use the R&D (research and development) from the ‘Black Salt’ project to create a polished performance that can tour nationally and internationally. They hoped to present their findings and musical compositions to diverse new audiences, fostering a greater understanding of the cultural contributions of African diasporic sailors to maritime history. Beyond the initial tour, they envisioned producing a recorded album and a documentary that captures the essence of their research and creative process, making the project’s insights accessible to a wider audience. This would allow them to continue sharing the rich cultural history uncovered through this project, ensuring it reaches and resonates with a broad audience.

Update from Randolph (March 2025)

“I’m continuing my research and development work on the ‘Black Salt’ project through an expansion of cultural narrative projects. This includes integrating storytelling, voice, and movement into my upcoming Creators Retreat in Italy (June 2025). The retreat will focus on the transformative power of voice and movement, offering participants a unique opportunity to explore ancestral storytelling and rhythmic legacies while connecting deeply with their own creative expression”

Creative Bursaries
The other four Creative Bursaries for 2024/25 were awarded to: Lucy and Hazel, Amy Hollinrake, Emily Portman and Remorae.

Details about the 2025/26 Creative Bursaries application and deadlines will be announced soon.