Main image

Derf Reklaw (b. January 11, 1947 - d. February 24, 2022) is one of the original members of The Pharoahs, he is a musician, composer, choreographer, lecturer, vocalist and inventor amongst other things.

Reklaw moved to LA from Chicago in 1979. He was an artist in residence at several educational institutions including UCLA, Santa Monica College, LA Conservatory and View Park Academy. He became an integral part of Los Angeles' Leimert Park artistic community that included Horace Tapscott, Billy Higgins, and Kamau Daaood. He also performed and recorded with many artists including Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Eddie Harris, Minnie Ripperton, Ahmad Jamal, Sting and Lionel Hampton.

ALBUMS


APPEARANCES +


The Gathering
Healing Suite
2024
Cosmic Vibrations (4) Ft. Dwight Trible
Pathways & Passages
2020
The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra*
Little Africa
2020, ,
Avant-garde Jazz
Dwight Trible
Mothership
2019, ,
Soul-Jazz
Leanna Rachel
Follow
2015, File, MP3, Single, 256, Not On Label
Tyrone Davis
Love And Touch
2015, ,
Rhythm & Blues/Soul/Disco
Natalie Cole
Inseparable / Natalie / Unpredictable
2012, 2xCD, Comp, RM, BGO Records,
Ramsey Lewis
Funky Serenity / Salongo
2012, CD, Album, RE, RM + CD, Album, RE, RM + Comp, RM, R2 Records, ,
Jazz-Funk
B. Howard*
Genesis
2010, CD, Album, Six Point Entertainment, Universal Music, ,
Rhythm & Blues/Vocal/Europop
Anna Fisher
Focus
2009, CD-ROM, Album, Molin Music, ,
Latin Jazz/Reggae/Smooth Jazz
S. Pearl Sharp
Higher Ground
2008, CD, Poets Pay Rent, Too, ,
Poetry
Various
Brasilintime: Batucada Com Discos
2007, 2xDVD-V, NTSC, Mochilla, ,
Instrumental/Cut-up/DJ/Samba
Pieces Of Peace
Pieces Of Peace
2007
John Rangel
Pages
2006, CD, Album, TC Productions, ,
Contemporary Jazz
Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory
Tree Colored See...
2006, ,
Downtempo/Indie Rock
AmmonContact
With Voices
2006
The Life Force Trio
Living Room
2006
Various
Keepintime 12" Series: No. 3 Of 3
2005, 12", Up Above Records, Mochilla
Various
Sweet Azul Suite '05 Spring/Summer Collection (Styles Of Mellow Sounds)
2005, CD, Comp, KSR
Various
Hit The Rhodes, Jack
2005, CD Digipak, ,
Soul-Jazz/Fusion/Jazz-Funk/Funk
Platinum Pied Pipers
Triple P
2005
Various
Atlantiquity
2005, CD, ,
RnB/Swing/Broken Beat/Hip Hop/Funk
Phil Ranelin
Sounds From The Village - Phil Ranelin Anthology
2004, CD, Comp, P-Vine Records
Wen Mull
Wen's Demo
2004, CD, Album, Not On Label (Wen Mull Self-Released)
Blendcrafters
Melody (Remix)
2004
Various
Keepintime: A Live Recording
2004, ,
Instrumental/Hip Hop/Jazzdance/Cut-up/DJ
Dwight Trible
Living Water
2004, ,
Soul-Jazz/Modal
Various
Sun Ra Dedication : The Myth Lives On
2003, ,
Deep House/Future Jazz/Downtempo/Contemporary Jazz
AmmonContact
Sounds Like Everything
2003, ,
Downtempo/Instrumental
Various
The Transporter (Original Motion Picture Score)
2002, ,
Instrumental/Cut-up/DJ/Big Beat
Dwight Trible
Horace
2001, CD, Album, Elephant, ,
Afro-Cuban Jazz/Jazzy Hip-Hop/Free Funk
Leroy Hutson
The Man! - Writer/Producer/Artist/Superstar!!
1995, ,
Soul/Funk
Bo Diddley
The Chess Years 1955 - 1974
1993, 12xCD, Comp, Charly R&B, ,
Blues Rock/Electric Blues/Funk/Soul
Larry Dunn Orchestra
Lover's Silhouette
1993
Vinx
Rooms In My Fatha's House
1991
The Usual Suspects
The Usual Suspects
1991, CD, ,
Contemporary Jazz
Ramsey Lewis
Electric Collection
1991, ,
Funk/Rhythm & Blues/Soul-Jazz/Soul
Leslie Drayton
Unfinished Business
1989, CD,
Leslie Drayton & Fun
Innuendos
1987
Leslie Drayton & Fun
What It Is Is What It Is
1986
Various
Haremix - Tenth Anniversary Special Edition Double Album Vol.1
1985, 2xLP, Comp, P/Mixed, Peerless, Nissim Records, ,
Electro/Synth-pop/Disco
George Howard
Steppin' Out
1984, Vinyl, ,
Soul-Jazz
Xtasy
Ẹ Jẹ́ Ká Jó (Let's Dance)
1984, Vinyl, ,
Boogie/Disco/Funk
Noel Pointer
Direct Hit
1982, Vinyl, ,
Soul/Funk/Disco/Boogie
Rahmlee*
Rise Of The Phenix
1981, Vinyl, ,
Jazz-Funk
Noel Pointer
All My Reasons
1981
Omni
Omni Says It All
1980
Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey
1979, Vinyl, ,
Jazz-Funk/Disco
Richard Evans
Richard Evans
1979
Cleveland Eaton And The Garden Of Eaton
Keep Love Alive
1979, ,
Disco
Tyrone Davis
In The Mood With Tyrone Davis
1979, ,
Soul/Funk/Disco
Rockie Robbins
Rockie Robbins
1979, Vinyl, ,
Soul
Ramsey Lewis
Legacy
1978, ,
Jazz-Funk
Terry Callier
Fire On Ice
1978, ,
Soul
Heaven & Earth*
Heaven And Earth
1978, Vinyl, ,
Soul
Ramsey Lewis
Skippin'
1977
Ramsey Lewis
Love Notes
1977, ,
Soul-Jazz/Jazz-Funk
Natalie Cole
Unpredictable
1977, Vinyl Los Angeles Press, ,
Rhythm & Blues/Soul/Funk/Disco
Ramsey Lewis
Tequila Mockingbird
1977, Vinyl Terre Haute Pressing, ,
Jazz-Funk/Fusion
Ramsey Lewis
Sălongo
1976
Ramsey Lewis
Don't It Feel Good / Fish Bite
1976
Ramsey Lewis & Earth, Wind & Fire
Spider Man / Sun Goddess
1975, 7", Single, CBS/Sony, ,
Funk/Jazz-Funk/Soul-Jazz
Ramsey Lewis
What's The Name Of This Funk (Spider Man)
1975, Vinyl, ,
Soul/Funk/Disco
Eddie Harris
Bad Luck Is All I Have
1975
Eddie Harris
I Need Some Money
1975, ,
Jazz-Funk/Free Funk
Cleveland Eaton
Plenty Good Eaton
1975, ,
Jazz-Funk/Free Funk/Funk/Disco
Ramsey Lewis
Don't It Feel Good
1975, ,
Jazz-Funk/Funk
Ramsey Lewis
Sun Goddess
1974, ,
Soul-Jazz/Jazz-Funk
Phil Upchurch
Lovin' Feeling
1973
Young-Holt Unlimited*
Plays Super Fly
1973
Bo Diddley
The London Bo Diddley Sessions
1973
Bobby Hutton
Piece Of The Action
1973, Vinyl, ,
Soul
Jerry Butler
The Spice Of Life
1972
The Dells
The Dells Sing Dionne Warwicke's Greatest Hits
1972, ,
Soul
Dwight Trible
Horace
CD, Album, Working Class Productions
Various
Viva Cubop 3: The Essential Latin & Afro-Cuban Jazz Collection
2003, CD, Comp, CuBop, ,
Afro-Cuban
Various
Viva Cubop: Jazz The Afro-Cuban Way + Cubop (Free1)
1999, 2xCD, Comp, CuBop, CuBop
Various
Cubop (Free1)
1999, CD, Comp, CuBop
Various
No Categories 2 :: A Ubiquity Compilation
1999, ,
Future Jazz
Various
Mystic Vibes - Volume 3
2001, CDr, Comp, Unofficial, Goodzik Records