Raki by Daniel Wilfred, Paul Grabowsky and Peter Knight

"What we are doing is no different to what my grandfather did." – Daniel Wilfred

Daniel Wilfred, Paul Grabowsky and Peter Knight’s Raki is a profound and innovative collaboration rooted in Yolngu manikay (song cycles) and the spontaneous energy of master improvisers and sound artists. Raki is a musical dialogue of sound and tradition, building on decades of creative partnership between an Aboriginal ceremonial leader and two of Australia’s leading improvisers.

Raki is a distinctive musical statement bridging ancient and modern traditions. Recorded live in concert at Monash Performing Arts Center, Raki is a testament to the enduring power of manikay, the Yolŋu song tradition performed across Arnhem Land (far northern Australia) to celebrate and strengthen connections between families and their homelands. At the heart of this recording is a deep receptivity and trust, with the addition of Grabowsky’s piano and Knight’s electronic textures and trumpet improvisational interplay.

In Yolŋu culture, raki means ‘string’—woven from pandanus fibers, used for fishing, weaving, and sacred ceremonies. It symbolizes interconnection, continuity, and the passing of knowledge across generations. This spirit is embodied in the album’s creation. Just days before traveling to Melbourne for this project, Daniel Wilfred was given a pair of bilma (clapsticks) by senior elder Walter Rogers in Ngukurr, a reminder of his responsibility to carry forward his ancestral songs while sharing them with new audiences.

The collaboration between Wilfred, Grabowsky, and Knight is the latest evolution of their ongoing creative partnerships, emerging from Grabowsky and Knight’s time at the helm of the Australian Art Orchestra. Iterations have included Wata, a bold, large-scale work for Symphony Orchestra, Bambula, Crossing Roper Bar, and Hand to Earth. Their shared history fosters a rare musical synergy—one where deep listening, reverence for tradition, and fearless innovation come together. As Wilfred explains, "Like when we gather for a meeting to make a decision, that’s how we meet up with these songs. Even today, when I perform with Peter and Paul, it’s the same. The old story in a new generation."


This album is a powerful reminder that these stories do not change; rather, they grow and evolve. The music invites listeners to engage with music as an active, living tradition—one that connects past, present, and future.

I make music using trumpet, tape machines, amplifiers, computers, and sometimes pen and paper. I make music influenced by lots of different sources, and in lots of different settings.

peterknightmusic.com
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