Clarence Bekker
Clarence Bekker (born Clarence Becker Milton, 11 April 1968, in Suriname and formerly known as CB Milton), is a Dutch vocalist, who became known in the early 1990s with the singles "It's a Loving Thing", "Send Me an Angel" and "Open Your Heart". "It's a Loving Thing" reached No. 34 in the UK Singles Chart in a remixed version in March 1995, and "Hold On (If You Believe in Love)" peaked at No. 62 in August that year. He also recorded three albums, It's My Loving Thing (1994), The Way to Wonderland (1996) and From Here to There (1998) for the Byte Records label in Antwerp, Belgium.
He later moved to Barcelona and was identified as Clarence Bekker of the Netherlands on the disc and DVD created by Playing for Change released in April 2009. He participated with various other artists on the songs "Stand by Me" (Ben E. King) and "Don't Worry" (Pierre Minetti) on the album. He is also part of the Playing for Change band, brought together to promote the disc.
Clarence Bekker's vocals have been influenced by a mix of soul, funk, and R&B traditions, shaped by his early career and collaborations. He began his singing journey with the long-running Dutch band Swinging Soul Machine, where he was the youngest singer in 20 years. This experience likely exposed him to classic soul and funk influences, which are evident in his powerful and soulful delivery.
In 2016, he formed his own band alongside prominent musicians from Barcelona. Since then, the Clarence Bekker Band has appeared at numerous festivals and venues across Europe, North and South America, Northern Africa, and Australia.
In early 2020, they released their first full-length album, “Changes,” under the JazzActivist label. This was followed in 2024 by a live album recorded at Barcelona’s Jamboree club. In 2026, they released the single Natural.
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