Bridging the Gap October 18, 2023

*De-Phazz: "Stumble feat. Karl Frierson (Reduced Remix)" (Reduced 2023) Downtempo German jazz ensemble led by Pit Baumgartner and feat. singer/songwriters like Karl Frierson, who formed De-Phazz with Pit in 1997.

*The Dining Rooms: "She Says I'm Bad" (Art Is A Cat 2020) Artist duo Stefano Ghittoni & Cesare Malfatti fusing jazz and electronic music.

*Iain Mackenzie: "Mambo Tonight (Club Des Belugas Remix)" (Nine 2016) I. Mackenzie is a British jazz and big band singer who has worked with a who's who of groups including the BBC Concert Orchestra & the BBC Big Band.

*Ursula 1000: "Swing Boom Bop feat. Loredana Grimaudo" (Esoterique 2019) NYC multi-inst. producer Alex Gimeno encompasses many genres in his 'retro/future' sound. LG: Italian sing/songwr. composer & lead singer of SWINGROWERS.

*Tape Five: "Madame Coquette feat. Yuliet Topaz" (Tonight Josephine! 2010) German based band led by songwriter, multi-inst., producer Martin Strathausen.

*JoJo Effect: "Stay Away From My Man" (Not With Me 2006) Founded by German producers & multi-insts. Jaycay (Makoma) & Maxim Illion (CdB) along with singers Brenda Boykin & Anne Schnell (lead on this cut.)

*Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra: "Harissa" (Lady Odyssey 2012) Led by Masta Conga (producer, keys, percussion) playing afrobeat, funk, jazz & hip hop out of Paris. 

*Aja West & Cheeba: "Future Felines" (Flash & Snowball 2005) Funk fusion brothers out of Seattle, Wash. Aja West (The Mackrosoft) & Cheeba aka Paul Cheever (The Cheebacabra) wrote the album in tribute to two cats they grew up with. One was deaf, but enjoyed 'listening' to music.

*Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band: "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" (Expansions 2021) Hamburg, Germ. outfit led by multi-inst. & leader of Mocambo Allstars, Bjorn Wagner, who studied steel drums while living in Trinidad & Tobago.

*MIDIval PunditZ: "Extasis" (MIDIval PunditZ 2002) Electronic duo Guarav Raina & Tapan Raj from New Delhi mix electronica with flutes and tabla.

*Karsh Kale: "Turnpike" (Cinema 2011) Indian born musician raised in the US blends electronic music with tabla and other Indian percussion instruments.

*The Bombay Royale: "Tere Bina" (The Island Of Dr. Electrico 2014) Australian band formed in Melbourne inspired by Bollywood soundtracks & western music styles led by sax player Andy Williamson.

*Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra: "Indian summer" (Moods And Grooves 2005) Prolific Am. multi-inst. composer & producer S. Lee now based in London.

HOUR 2

*Malombo: "Sangoma" (Next Stop Soweto Vol. 3 2010) One of S. Africa's longest standing groups led by multi-insts. Philip Tabane & Duze Mahlobo influential in many musical careers.

*Almon Memela: "The Things We Do In Soweto" (Next Stop Soweto Vol. 4 2015) Guitarist, composer & producer signed up in 1958 to take guitar lessons at Dorkay House, but was asked to teach instead.

*Jabula: "Let Us Be Free" (Next Stop Soweto...Spirit Of Malombo... ) Jabula is Zulu for "rejoice." Group formed in London during Apartheid exile & featured Julian Bahula on lead vox. drums & bandleader.

*Thunderball: "Get Up With The Get Down feat. Miss Johnna M & Mustafa Akbar" (Cinescope 2004) Steve Raskin & Sid Barcelona are behind the genre jumping funk, bossa, dub & soul with Miss Johnna (Mrs. Raskin) & Mustafa Akbar on vox.

*The Bamboos: "Step It Up feat. Alice Russell" (Step It Up 2006) Australia's premier deep funk outfit led by guitarist/producer Lance Ferguson. AR: British soul/funk singer.

*The New Mastersounds: "King Comforter feat. Dionne Charles" (Single 2008) British jazz fusion, blues funk band from Leeds formed by guitarist/producer Eddie Roberts & Simon Allen. DC: Jazz/funk singer formerly of Baby Charles.

*Novalima: "La Danza" (La Danza, Pt. 1 EP 2023) Production collective of musicians living in Lima, London, Hong Kong & Barcelona playing Latin percussions and Afro-Peruvian music. 

*Selena: "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" (Dreaming Of You 1995) American Tejano singer known as the 'Queen Of Tejano' this was her 'crossover' album designed to make her a big star, but, tragically, she was shot to death by her fan club president.

*The Bahama Soul Club: "Rumba Fugaz feat. Arema Arega" (Havana '58 2016) German band playing funk, soul, jazz, blues, Bossa Nova & afro-caribbean sounds led by Oliver Belz. AA: Cuban sing/songwr.

*Seatbelts: "Rush" (Cowboy Bebop 1998) Japanese band led by composer, multi-inst. Yoko Kanno assembled to play the music for the Cowboy Bebop anime series. Y. Kanno has multiple credits in the anime music genre, ie. Ghost In The Shell & Terror In Residence.

*Sam Paglia: "TheWorm" (The Rare Sam Paglia 2008) Godfather of Italian lounge with his jazzy funky Hammond organ sound.

*Roy Ayers: "Reggie Of Chester" (West Coast Vibe 1963) Amer. funk, soul & jazz composer, vibraphonist & producer helped pioneer jazz/funk in the early '70s.

*Reminiscence Quartet: "Peace Of Mind" (Psycodelico 1995) French acid jazz/downtempo produced by Bob Sinclar, real name Christopher LeFriant.