Bridging the Gap February 28, 2024

*Billy Butler: "The Butler Did It" (Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow 1970) Primarily a session guitarist, Billy Butler was active in the 40s, 50s & 60s and co-wrote the R&B hit "Honky Tonk" with keyboardist Bill Dogget. Played guitar on "Peppermint Twist" which was No. 1 on the Billboard Pop charts in 1962.

*Jimmy McGriff: "The Bird Wave" (Electric Funk 1970) ) American blues, soul/jazz organist James Harrell McGriff played piano from age 5 & later adopted the Hammond organ. He also played electric piano & other keyboards.

*Ohm Guru: "Jazz Brake" (The Groove Improver 1995) Italian musician/producer/sound engineer Riccardo Rinaldi (Ohm Guru) began performing electronic music in the late 70s. He was later known in acid jazz & funk circles as a producer & performer.

*Makala: "Bacalao Al Pil-Pil (DJ Farrapo Remix)" (Makala Presents Global Funk 2018) DJ, musician, producer Mikel Unzurrunzaga Schmitz is from the Basque Country of Spain playing funk, soul & jazz while incorporating flamenco elements & traditional Spanish ryhthms.

*Andy Montanez: "El Swing" (El Swing Del Siempre 1992) Puerto Rican singer/songwr. first gained fame with the group El Gran Combo. After 15 years with EGC he made a mark with his own touring orchestra & represented PR at the 1992 World's Fair.

*Mongo Satnamaria with La Lupe: "Montuneando" (Mongo Introduces La Lupe 1963) Cuban rumba quinto master & AfroCuban latin jazz percussionist with Guadalupe Victoria Yoli Raymond (La Lupe) CubanAmer. Latin Soul singer known for her controversial performances.

*Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: "How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?" (The Dynamic Sound Of... 2008) The Dap-Kings were musicians from The Soul Providers & The Mighty Imperials (the house musicians for Desco Records.) S. Jones was called an "fire breathing soul survivor, an old school R&B dynamo" by Pulse Magazine, 

*Johnny Otis Show: "Hey Boy! I Want You feat. Barbara Morrison" (Watts Funky 1971) Band leader, musican, political activist, author & artist Ioannis Alexandros Veliotis was the son of Greek immigrants who changed his name to Johnny Otis and lived his life as a black man. BM: Amer. jazz, soul & R&B singer.

*Rosie Brown: "Bliss" (By The Blue 2001) UK singer/songwr. Rosie Brown works with her co-writer Austrian guitarist Bernd Rest in Brighton on the south coast of England. They combine folk, jazz and blues influences.

*Bally Sagoo: "Noorie" (Bally Sagoo feat. Gunjan EP 2000) British-Asian musician and DJ moved to England from New Delhi shortly after birth. He founded ISHQ Records & now is the head of Fresh Dope Industries which includes the Fresh Dope Records label.

*El Michels Affair: "Unathi feat. Piya Malik" (Yeti Season 2021) NY based funk/soul band founded by multi-inst. producer/composer Leon Michels in 2005. PM: UK born Indian Singer/actress also performs with Amer. band Say She She.

*Susheela Raman: "Vel Undu" (Vel 2010) Acclaimed British Tamil musician Susheela Raman is known for energetic, vibrant performances built on the Bhakti & Sufi traditions of India and Pakistan.

*Soul Village: "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" (Everybody Loves The Sunshine/We Gettin Down 2002) French Canadian hip hop producer Antoine Chardayre plays hip hop, R&B/soul & electronic music aka Dela.

HOUR 2 

*Zimpala: "Fall In The Water" (Honeymoon 2006) Directed by DJ BNX aka Federic Beneix Zimpala creates cinematic electro music lifted by the ethereal vocals of Noemie Brosset.

*Belleruche: "Northern Girls" (Turntable Soul Music 2007) 3 piece electronic/soul band from the UK formed in 2005 and disbanded in 2013. Lead singer/songwr. Kathrin DeBoer went on to collaborations with prominent electronic & funk artists as well as a solo career.

*Bajka: "The Landing" (In Wonderland 2010) Poet, singer, producer & songwriter Bajka Pluwatsch was born in India and raised in Portugal & So. Africa. The jazz/soul singer is currently based in Berlin.

*Forro In The Dark: "Que Que Tu Fez" (Bonfires Of Sao Joao 2006) Brazilian expats living in NYC FITD  combine the driving dance rhythms of forro from NE Brazil with rock, jazz, reggae, psychedelia, folk and more.

*Carlinhos Brown: "Derivado Petrolifero" (Semelhantes 2017) Brazilian singer, percussionist & producer. In 1985 one of his compositions "Visao De Ciclope" became one of the hottest songs in Bahia and started him on the road to superstardom.

*Bossacucanova: "Adeus America feat. Os Cariocas, Oscar Castro Neves & Wilson Simonhina" (The Best Of... ) Brazilian musical group combining bossa nova with electronic music. Marcio Menescal is the son of bossa nova pioneer Roberto Menescal.

*Yellow Magic Orchestra: "Opened My Eyes" (Naughty Boys 1983) Influential electro/pop band formed in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass) as a one off project. He recruited Yukihiro Takahashi (drums) & Ryuichi Sakamoto (keys) and the popularity of the project resulted in a career making phenomenon for the trio.

*Yukihiro Takahashi: "Bounds Of Reason, Bonds Of Love" (Wild & Moody 1984) Member of YMO & Sadistic Mika Band as well as a solo artist Y. Takahashi was a drummer & lead vocalist as well as producer and actor.

*Haruomi Hosono: "Japanese Rhumba" (Paraiso 1978) Japanese singer/songwr. musician & producer Harry Hosono is one of the most influential musicians in Japanese pop music history.

*Quantic Soul Orchestra: "Melodious Wayfarer" (Tropidelico 2007) Live soul/funk band founded by British multi-inst. producer Quantic aka Will Holland.

*The Mighty Show-Stoppers: "Hippy Skippy Moon Strut" (Black Feeling 2007) This album is a project of Australians Lance Ferguson & The Bamboos. The band names are fictitious and the music reflects the band's infatuation with the heavy funk of the 60s & 70s.

*USB & Ric: "Afternoon Blues" (Tokyo Lounge 2006) DJ producer & songwr. Richard Les Crees is USB & Ric collaborating with himself on this funky, jazzy offering.

*Galactic: "Black-Eyed Pea" (Late For The Future 2000) Amer. jam/funk band from New Orleans feat. Stanton Moore on drums.