Paul Bartholomew

South African Township Singing

Paul Bartholomew has worked with a huge variety of musicians in many different styles and describes his musical interests as  'too wide for his own safety' (from Beethoven and John Cage to Miriam Makeba and Charlie Mingus).

As a studio and concert arranger/MD, he has worked with the RPO, Terry Riley, Pulp, numerous choirs and big bands and for a decade toured with Jools Holland as baritone sax player and arranger, performing with artists including Sting, BB King, Barry White, Eric Clapton, Dr John, Kylie Minogue, Lemmy and Chaka Khan.

He has composed for film, TV and contemporary dance, has performed on and worked as an arranger for all the major TV channels and currently runs Mbawula, a multi-cultural ensemble celebrating the fusion of South African song and European big band jazz.

He has taught at every level from beginners workshops to postgraduate composition at universities and conservatoires including Goldsmiths’ College Faculty of Music; Royal College Of Music; Birkbeck College and Trinity College of Music. Aside from freelance work and numerous singing workshops and performances with Mbawula, he currently teaches arranging and musical direction at Goldsmiths’ College and Trinity Laban.