Off Nights (2020) is the first solo venture of Philly-based producer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ Lee Clarke, known for his jazz-inflected, texturally rich beatmaking. As executive producer of Kingsley Ibeneche’s Realms EP (2019), Lee Clarke’s studio work has recently received praise from Afropunk, The Fader, OkayPlayer, OkayAfrica, and NPR.
After years co-writing and producing music behind the scenes for a number of artists soon to be released in Astro Nautico's Atlantics X series (Kingsley Ibeneche, Jasmine Cassell, KillerWhale) and managing and performing with Kingsley Ibeneche’s live band, Clarke's individual expressions find pockets of atemporal melodic bliss circulating over funk, hip-hop, and RnB rhythm sections.
There is a unique lyricism in Clarke's idiosyncratic production techniques, with stylistic nods to jazz and Brazilian samba. The music is additionally layered with colorful contributions from Jarrett Gilgore (saxophone), Martin Gottlieb-Hollis (trumpet), and Astro Nautico co-owner Bennett Kuhn (additional production).
Off Nights marks the beginning of Astro Nautico’s Atlantics X campaign to benefit artists negatively impacted by COVID-19. Clarke’s next productions for this campaign include releases by Kingsley Ibeneche, Jasmine Cassell, KillerWhale, and a collaboration with Kingsley Ibeneche and Ivy Sole. Kingsley Ibeneche’s debut full-length album, executive produced by Lee Clarke, is also forthcoming on Astro Nautico.
credits
released May 21, 2020
Written & produced by Lee Clarke
Mastered by Sam O.B. in New York
Artwork & additional production by Bennett Kuhn
Saxophone on 1 by Jarrett Gilgore
Trumpet on 2 & 3 by Marty Gottlieb-Hollis
Released via the Atlantics X campaign to benefit
artists negatively impacted by COVID-19