Bridging the Gap 5/10/23

*Louis Jordan: "Five Guys Named Moe" (Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five 1946) Louis Jordan played all forms of sax, known for alto, as well as clarinet and piano.  Played 'revolutionary' sound "Jump Blues" which evolved into R&B. Inspired James Brown, Bill Haley and Ray Charles to name a few.

*Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra: "Hey! BaBaReBop" (Single 1946) Am. vibraphonist, pianist, drummer, percussionist & bandleader. Played swing/bebop roots of R&B Died 8/2002.

*Stick McGhee & His Buddies: "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" (Single 1949) Am. "jump blues" guitarist sing/songwr.  wrote above w/J. Mayo Williams.  Older brother of Brownie McGhee (sing/guit.) Original version contained scatological lyrics (MF) later changed to spot-dee-o-dee!

*Chick Webb & His Orchestra: "Wacky Dust feat. Ella Fitzgerald" (Single 1938) Written by Oscar Levant & Stanley Adams about the 'joys and dangers of taking cocaine.'  CW: Am. swing jazz drummer & bandleader EF: 'Queen Of Jazz' incredible ability to improvise and 'scat'

*Ruth Brown: "5-10-15 Hours" (Rock & Roll 1957) Am. soul, blues & jazz singer.  Signed to Atlantic by Ahmet Ertegun in 1948. Inducted to R&R hall of fame as a performer in 1993. '49-'55 songs on the charts for 129 weeks, including five No. 1's.

*LaVern Baker & The Gliders: "Tweedle Dee" (LaVern Baker 1957) Delores Williams Am. R&B singer had several pop chart hits late '50s early 60s.  R&R Hall of Fame as performer in 1991.

*Tracy Nelson: "Down So Low" (Mother Earth "Living With The Animals 1968) Am. R&B, country singer/songwr.  Fronted 'Mother Earth' late 60s (6 albums). Duet w/Willie Nelson "After The Fire Is Gone" 1974 nominated for a Grammy.

*Shemekia Copeland: "If He Moves His Lips" (Wicked 2000) Am. blues, soul & Americana singer. NPR ...she sings with "punchy defiance & potent conviction." 2021 Blues Music Award for B.B King Entertainer of The Year.

*Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators: "Let's Communicate" (Happiness In Every Style 2015) Am. sing/songwr., visual artist, soul/funk artist. Relocated to Helsinki recording w/Maurice Fulton and ex Jimi Tenor

*Marvin Gaye: "What's Going On" (What's Going On 1971) Am. sing/songwr. musician w/3 octave vocal range. Started as member of. "The Moonglows" late 50s went solo in 1960 when the MGs disbanded.  Died Apr. 1, 1984 shot by his father Marvin Gaye Sr. after an argument.

*Stevie Wonder: "Big Brother" (Talking Book 1972) Am. multi-inst. singer, humanitarian, social activist Blind since shortly after birth. Began career at Motown age 11 as 'Little Stevie Wonder' Went on to revolutionize soul & R&B as an adult artist.

*Sly & The Family Stone": "Sing A Simple Song" (Stand! 1969) Am. funk/rock band fm SF played funk, soul, rock & psychedelic music.  Led by Sylvester Stone sing/songwr. prod. multi-inst. Pioneers of 'psych. soul'  from '66-'83 combined pop sensibility w/social commentary.

*The Meters: "Soul Machine" (The Meters 1969) Funk, blues, dance grooves w/a N.O. vibe.  Art Neville (keys, vox) George Porter Jr. (bass) Zigaboo Modaliste (drums) Leo Nocentelli (guit.) became the house for Allen Toussaint @ his label Sansu Enterprises. 

*Booker T. & The MG's: "Time Is Tight" ( Best Of ) Am. instrumental R&B & soul combo formed 1963. House band for Stax Records.  MG stands for 'Memphis Group'

HOUR 2

*Jenova 7 & Eddie Shinn: "Flying Cabs" (A Cosmic Safari 2016) Boston based multi-media artist Michael J. Sirois trip hop, inst. hip hop, downt. & chill-out.  ES: artist from Ulyanovsk, Russia

*Aja West & Cheeba: "Future Felines" (Flash & Snowball 2005) Brothers in funk Aja West (The Mackrosoft) and Cheeba, aka Paul Cheever (The Cheebacabra) founders of Mackrosoft Records label

*Lucky Brown: "Scatterbrain" (Lucky Brown's Space Dream 2011) Seattle deep funk pioneer Joel Ricci runs Westsound Recording Collective. 

*Lowell George: "Honest Man" (Thanks, I'll Eat It Here 1979) Am. guitarist, sing/songwr. found. rock band Little Feat.  Prominent session work w/Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Robert Palmer, etc. Died fm heart attack caused by accidental heroin overdose on June 29, 1979.

*Little Feat: "Juliette" (Dixie Chicken 1973) Melded jazz, funk & country into their rock music. Formed 1969 by L. George and Roy Estrada after separating from The Mothers Of Invention. 

*Los Lobos: "Two Janes" (Kiko 1992) Am. Latino rock band fm East LA. David Hidalgo (vox, guit) Louie Perez (dr') met in H.S. In 1973 added Cesar Rosas, Frank Gonzalez & Conrad Lozano. Broke out with "How Will The Wolf Survive" in 1984

*Los Fabulosos Cadillacs: "V Centenario" (Vasos Vacíos 1993) Argentine rock/ska band formed 1983 one of the most influential Latin ska bands. Gabriel Fernandez Capello (Vicentico vox) Flavio Cianciarulo (Sr. Flavio back vox) songwr. & lyrics

*Money Chicha: "Te Acordaras" (Chicha Summit 2021) Austin TX band plays psychedelic cumbia "chicha music"  members fm Grupo Fantasma & Brownout. including A. Quesada, Beto Martinez

*Grupo Fantasma: "Arroz Con Frijoles" (Sonidos Gold 2008) Austin TX latin funk orchestra feat. originally A Quesada (no longer member), Beto Martinez (guit.) Kino Esparza (Vox. perc.)

*Mr. Confuse: "The Groove Merchant" (Feel The Fire 2008) Hannover Germany based producer, arranger, composer, label owner & DJ. Known for his distinctive style and for creativity and authenticity. 

Funk, hip hop, afro, electro and Latin.

*The New Mastersounds: "High & Wide" (Made For Pleasure 2015) Brit. funk band found late 90s by Simon Allen (drums) & Eddie Roberts (guit. prod.) Pete Shand (bass) Bob Birch (Hammond organ)

*Omegaman: "Don't Hate Me 'Cause I'm Funky" ( Pheromone 2007) Australian Marc Scully "one of Australia's most eclectically experienced musical minds"  Touring musician, DJ, prod., comp & remixer

*Inf: "My Happy Song" (Music For Crime Scenes 2013) Bas Te Braak Dutch prod., drummer & synth. rapper learned production to back his own rhymes.