Bridging the Gap July 12, 2023

*Susheela Raman: "Mamavatu" (Salt Rain 2001) London born British Tamil musician/singer. Tamil is a form of Indian classical music from the Tamil Nadu region.

*Anoushka Shankar & Norah Jones: "Traces Of You" (Traces Of You 2013) Indian sitar player and composer. Daughter of Ravi Shankar and half sister of Norah Jones Am. sing/songwr., pianist, actress

*Bally Sagoo: "Noorie feat. Gunjan" (Single 2000) British musician/DJ (Baljit Singh Sagoo) born in Delhi moved to England shortly thereafter. Gunjan Singh is a Indian folk artist from Delhi.

*United Future Organization: "Cosmic Gypsy" (3rd Perspective 1996) Japanese jazz/funk group founded by ex-pat Frenchman Raphael Sebbag, club DJs Toshio Matsuura & Tadashi Yabe from Japan. 

*Tosca: "Pyjama" (J.A.C. 2005) Austrian music duo of Rupert Huber & Richard Dorfmeister play downtempo electronica & trip hop with a cheerful laid-back feel.

*Soulstance: "Soul Ensemble" (Life Size 2003) Italian brothers Gianni & Enzo Lo Greco influenced by swinging Brazilian music and 70s groove music play Latin and soulful jazz.

*Stevie Wonder: "Higher Ground" (Innervisions 1973) Steveland Morris Am. multi-inst. composer, singer,  humanitarian & social activist. Blind since shortly after birth, began as "Little Stevie Wonder" for Motown at age 11. Pioneer in socially conscious r&b, soul, pop, gospel, funk & jazz.

*Gil Scott-Heron: "Not Needed" (Real Eyes 1980) Am. singer, poet, musician and activist of Am. and Jamaican descent. Fused jazz, blues & soul w/Brian Jackson (keys, flute, singer, composer & producer) and influenced a generation of hip hop artists

*Galactic: "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" (Late For The Future 2000) Am. jam band from N.O. play hip hop, electronic, world, rock, blues and jazz. Originally called 'Galactic Prophylactic'. Formed 1994

*Forro In The Dark: "Chororo" (Dia De Roda-EP 2008) NY collective of Brazilian ex-pats playing "forro" percussion heavy Braz. dance music w/elements of rock, folk, jazz and country. Formed after Mauro Refosco's (singer/zabumba drum) b-day jam at club Nublu in NYC.

*Os Devaneios: "Embalo Diferente" (O Conjunto Que Faz Voce Vivar 1978) Brazilian samba rock funk group from Rio de Janeiro

*Roge: "Suingue De Samba feat. Arlindo Cruz" (Baile Do Brenguele 2014) Brazilian sing/songwe. Roger Jose Cury. Arlindo Cruz, Braz. sing/songwr.

*Moacir Santos: "Mae Iracema" (Ouro Negro 2001) Brazilian composer, multi-inst. & music educator.

HOUR 2

*The Tikiyaki Orchestra: "Lotus Operandi" (Aloha, Baby 2011) Modern exotica septet out of LA. Tiki culture chroniclers since 2008 led by Jim Bacchi guitar, keyboards & percussion.

*Don Tiki: "Barbi In Bali" (The Forbidden Sounds Of... 1997) Honolulu's own Kit Ebersbach, aka Perry Coma on keys & Lloyd Kandell, aka Fluid Floyd, impresario carrying the 'tiki torch' since 1997 with elaborate shows and world class music.

*Dorothy Ashby: "Games" (Afro-Harping 1968) Am. jazz harpist, singer & composer. Established the harp as an improvising jazz instrument, proving that the harp could play bebop as well as the sax or piano.

*Empresarios: "Bailando" (El Sonido Magico 2012) Am. latin-fusion funk band from Wash. DC. Their music is described as "Tropicaliente" a warm mixture of the sounds of the Caribbean feat. Latin, house, trip hop, reggaeton, downt. & dub. Led by Javier Miranda (vox, congas & production)

*Gecko Turner: "Cortando Bajito" (Soniquette: The Sensational Sound Of G.T. 2018) Spanish sing/songwr. incorporates bossa nova, soul, funk, reggae, jazz & electronica.

*Grupo Fantasma: "Cuidado" (American Music, Vol. 7 2019) Am. Latin band from Austin, Tx. Led by Beto Martinez (guitar) w/Jose Galeano (percussion, vox) Funky horn-driven socially conscious sound.

*Nujabes: "Horn In The Middle" (Metaphorical Music 2003) Japanes hip hop/jazz music producer, DJ, composer & arranger Jun Seba (Nubajes is the backward spelling) Influential in the creation of "lo fi hip hop." Died in a car collision at age 36, 2/10

*Uyama Hiroto: "Unconscious" (Freeform Jazz 2016) Japanese saxophonist, multi-inst. & producer & composer frequently collaborated w/Nujabes. Downt. & ambient jazz influenced hip hop.

*Jimi Tenor: "Polygonal" (Saxentric 2016) Finnish musician, composer & artist Lassi Lehto. Stage name combines youth idol Jimmy Osmond & the tenor sax. First album w/JT & The Shamans in 1988. First solo in 1994 collaborated w/many artists like Tony Allen, Kabu Kabu & Nicole Willis (former wife)

*Poets Of Rhythm: "50 Yards Of Soul" (The Anthology 1992-2003 2013) German funk band founded by Jan Weissenfeldt (Whitefield) on guitar and Boris Geiger percussion & vox in the early 90s. Influenced by Am. funk of the 60s and early 70s.

*Skeewiff: "Snakeweed feat. The Brand New Heavies" (Skeewiff's Funky Shizzle 2015) UK production duo Elliot Ireland & Alex Rizzo electronic breakbeat w/elements of jazz, lounge, big band and even country. BNH: Acid jazz/funk band from London led by Simon Bartholomew & Andrew Levy.

*Garage A Trois: "Needles" (Outre Mer 2005) Am. jazz quartet Stanton Moore drums, Skerik sax, Mike Dillon vibes & percussion & Marco Benevento on keys playing rock, funk and jazz. Originally formed by Moore and Charlie Hunter (8 stringed guitar)

*Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra: "Indian Summer" (Moods And Grooves 2005) Am. multi-inst. composer/producer living in London