Bridging the Gap September 20, 2023

*Aja West & Cheeba: "Last Of The Mohawkins" (Flash & Snowball 2005) Aja West is a producer, musician & label owner, (The Mackrosoft.) His younger brother Paul Cheever (Cheeba) is leader of The Cheebacabra.

*Anderson .Paak: "Anywhere" (Oxnard Instrumentals 2018) Am. musician & producer from Oxnard, Ca. Formed Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars.

*Blktop Project: "From Here To Where" (Blktop Project 2006) Tommy Guerrero, Ray Barbee & Matt Rodriguez began playing together on tour as skateboarders for SLAP magazine. They added drummer Chuck Treece and became Blktop Project.

*Beats Antique: "Vesper Star feat. Alam Khan" (Shadowbox 2016) World fusion electronic group out of Oakland Ca. incorporating middle eastern sounds, underground hip hop, jazz & afrobeat.

*Nickodemus: "2 Sips & Magic feat. The New York Gypsy Allstars" (Sun People 2009) NY DJ/producer Nick DeSimone. NYGA: Classically trained virtuosi playing their own brand of world music fm salsa to bhangra and more.

*Spy From Cairo: "Marseilles Noir" (Arabadub 2012) Italian Gypsy producer/composer/musician living in NY, Moreno Visini, aka Zeb has produced albums as Zeb and Organic Grooves as well as multiple remix projects.

*Sly5thAve: "Next Episode" (The Invisible Man - An Orchestral Tribute to Dr. Dre 2017) Multi-inst. producer/composer/arranger Sylvester Uzoma Onyejiaka II playing hip hop, soul, R&B & jazz. He's from Austin TX and his father is Nigerian and mother is from Detroit, exposed him to West Afr., soul & jazz

*Hattler: "Bikinian Rhapsody" (Warhol Holidays 2016) Helmut Hattler is a German jazz & rock bass player & composer.

*Blundetto: "Ken Park (Zaka Version)" (Cousin Aka, Vol. 1 2019) French producer, singer, DJ & composer Max Guiguet plays electro, funk, soul, reggae, jazz, hip hop, world music, Latin & afrobeat.

*Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere: "Without You" (Nudge It Up A Notch 2008) Am. songwr./guitarist/ arranger & producer Steve C. played w/Booker T. & The MGs. Felix C. Am. sing/songwr. producer sang lead for The Young Rascals

*Crowd Company: "Get Used To It feat. Ryan Zoidis & Eric Bloom" (Lowdown 2020) UK soul/funk band with a modern take on vintage 70s soul/funk known for rich songwriting & tight grooves. RZ: Sax producer/arranger. EB: Am. sing/songwr. keyboardist.

*Lack Of Afro: "Over & Out feat. Ed Martin" (Jack Of All Trades 2018) Brit. multi-inst. producer & DJ Adam Gibbons took piano lessons from his grandmother from the age of 7, alto sax at 11yrs.

*Shawn Lee: "Too Tired To Sleep" (Soul In The Hole Instrumentals 2009) Am. multi-inst. composer & producer living in London.

*HOUR 2*

*Mother Earth: "It Won't Be Long" (Living With The Animals 1968) Am blues rock band played gospel, R&B, jazz & country fronted by powerful sing/songwr. Tracy Nelson

*Shemekia Copeland: "Whole Lotta Love" (Wicked 2000) Am. electric blues, gospel & R&B singer received 8 Blues Music Awards out of 10 albums released. Performed at The Cotton Club at age 10.

*Roy Ayers: "What's The T? feat. Merry Clayton" (Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased Recordings 76-81 2003) Am. funk/soul/jazz composer & vibraphonist RA. MC: Soul, gospel, R&B & disco singer known for her scorching backing vox on The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter"

*Public Service Broadcasting: "Night Mail" (Inform-Educate-Entertain 2013) London based duo of J. Willgoose Esq. on guitar, banjo & stringed inst. & electronic inst. & Wrigglesworth on drums, piano & electronic inst. sample old info films & archival footage. to "teach lessons of the past through music of the future."

*Jah Wobble: "South London Dub Symphony" (The Electro Dub Extravaganza EP 2019) Electric bassist singer & composer John Wardle member of influential post-punk band Public Image Ltd. 

*The Herbaliser: "Mr. Chombee Has The Flaw" (Herbal Tonic 2010) English jazz hip hop group formed by Jake Wherry, guitar & bass & Ollie Teeba, DJ producer.

*Hugh Masekela: "Ade" (Hugh Masekela & The Union Of South Africa 1971) So. Afr. flugelhorn, trumpet & cornet player exiled during apartheid returned when apartheid ended. Died 1/2018 in Johannesburg.

*Margaret Singana: "Ubukhwele" (Nothing To Fear 1981) So. Afr. singing star dubbed 'Lady Africa' had great success in the '70s and came back after a suffering a stroke in 1978.

*Jabula: "Mathome" (Africa Awake 1978) So. Afr. ensemble exiled to England during Apartheid. They met and formed in London in 1974.

*Quantic & Nidia Gongora: "Balada Borracha" (Almas Conectadas 2021) English producer/multi-inst. Will Holland in collaboration with N.Gongora Pacific folklorist sing/songwr. from Colombia & front woman for Grupo Canalon.

*Adrian Quesada: "El Muchacho De Los Ojos Tristes feat. Tita" (Boleros Psicodelicos 2022) One of only 2 cover songs on the album conceived, written & performed by AQ. Tita: Mariana Moreno indie-pop singer from Guatemala.

*Gina Chavez: "Caigo" (La Que Manda EP 2020) Queer Latinx singer songwriter from Austin TX. The album is an anthem for women everywhere "to reclaim our bodies, our hearts, our voices..."

*Money Chicha: "Pacifico" (Chicha Summit 2021) Austin TX based outfit playing psychedelic cumbia consisting of members from Grupo Fantasma & Brownout.