Bridging the Gap March 6, 2024

*Buena Vista Social Club: "El Carretero" (Buena Vista Social Club 1997) BVSC is an ensemble of Cuban musicians recruited to revive the music of pre-revolutionary Cuba organized by executive Nick Gold, produced by Amer. guitarist Ry Cooder & directed by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez.

*Bronx River Parkway: "San Sebastián 152" (San Sebastian 152 2008) NY band formed out of an impromptu jam session in 2002. They continue to push the boundaries of what is considered modern latin music.

*Cumbia All Stars: "La Cumbia Del Parisino" (Tigres En Fuga 2014) Members come from the legendary bands of Peruvian Cumbia. Cumbia All Stars mine the authentic sounds of Peruvian Cumbia and innovate composing new melodies that remain loyal to the original sound.

*Dengue Fever: "No Sudden Moves" (The Deepest Lake 2015) DF is an Amer. band from LA combining Cambodian rock/pop from the 60s & 70s with psych. rock & other world music styles. Their lead singer Chhom Nimol was previously well known in Cambodia before emigrating to the US.

*Shawn Lee: "Ghost In The Rain feat. Clutchy Hopkins & Chhom Nimol" (World Of Funk 2011) Amer. multi-inst. producer & composer living in London. Cambodian singer Chhom Nimol & mystery creator Clutchy Hopkins.

*Cambodian Space Project: "If You Go, I Go Too" (Whiskey Cambodia 2014) CSP was the first band to release a 45rpm record in Cambodia since 1975. Singer Srey Kak Chanthy met Australian Guitarist singer Julien Poulson and used her knowledge of Cambodian music to help create The Cambodian Space Project.

*Kinny: "One Fan Talking" (Can't Kill A Dame With Soul 2011) Canadian born singer Caitlin Simpson is Jamaican, Native Canadian & Swedish. She is now based in Norway. Her sound ranges from big bassy beats and keys to acoustic instrumentation and percussion.

*Kraak & Smaak: "Sweet Time feat. Izo FitzRoy" (Pleasure Centre 2019) Dutch mustc production trio of Mark Kneppers, Oscar De Jong & Wim Plug plays electronic & funk music. IF: Sing/songwr. & pianist plays soul, gospel & blues.

*Lack Of Afro: "Fires Glow feat. Emma Noble" (Hello Baby 2016) British multi-inst. producer & DJ Adam Gibbons began taking piano lessons at age 7 from his grandma & began saxophone at age 11, EN: British sing/songwr. & DJ loves rare soul, funk & disco.

*Lord Newborn & The Magic Skulls: "A Phase Shifter I'm Going Through" (LN & TMS 2009) Mark Ramos-Nishita (Money Mark), Shawn Lee & Tommy Guerrero locked themselves in Money Mark's studio for 2 weeks in 2008 to produce this jazz, prog-rock & psychedelic tour de force.

*Lucky Brown: "Mystery Road" (Mystery Road 2015) Seattle funk meister Joel Ricci conducts myriad musicians at his Westsound Recording Collective producing deep funk & idiosyncratic jazz.

*The Mackrosoft: "Fish Tank Funk" (Music To Mack By 2017) Specializing in hybrids of jazz, funk, fusion, soul & electronic music, Aja West & The Mackrosoft have been steadily producing albums since 2000. Aja West passed away in 2022.

*Medeski Martin & Wood: "Queen Bee" (End Of The World Party (Just In Case) 2004) Amer. progressive avant funk, jazz, post rock trio of John Medeski (keys/comp.), Billy Martin (drums) & Chris Wood (bass)

HOUR 2

*Mo' Horizons: "Holy Water" (...And The New Bohemian Freedom 2003) German duo producers DJs Mark "Foh" Wetzler & Ralf Droesemeyer from Hannover. They have been making Afro/Latin/Brazi/Funk inflected music for over 30 years.

*Moacir Santos: "Coisa Numero 6" (Ouro Negro 2001) Brazilian composer, multi-inst. & music educator worked with a who's who of Brazilian musicians and was respected world wide for his contributions.

*Sergio Mendes: "Batida Diferente" (The Swinger From Rio 1965) Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger & bandleader who plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz & funk. Mendes recorded and mostly toured in the US.

*Neil Innes: "Ungawa" (Off The Record 1982) English writer, comedian composer & musician started in the Bonzo Dog Band with Vivian Stanshall & created the music for The Rutles All You Need Is Cash which lovingly lampooned The Beatles.

*Vivian Stanshall: "Strongth" (Dog Howl In Tune 2023) English sing/songwr. musician, author, poet & wit began in Bonzo Dog Band and participated in a wide variety of solo/collaborations in the time after the Bonzos broke up.  

*The Rutles: "Piggy In The Middle" (The Rutles 1977) Conceived & written by Eric Idle of Monty Python fame All You Need Is Cash is a wonderfully funny and loving send up of The Beatles at the height of their fame. Neil Innes wrote and performed the music in this brilliant parody.

*Quasamodo & The Q Orchestra: "Change Is Strange feat. Thaliah" (The Big Picture 2014) Producer Dimitris Nassios utilizes funky breaks, soulful vocals & disco grooves in the Greek band's "journey through sounds." Greek singer Thalia Palivida

*Marta Ren: "Worth It" (Single 2019) Marta Campos (Ren) is a Portuguese musician & co-vocalist of The Bombazines. She also performs as Marta Ren & The Groovelvets.

*Kylie Auldist: "No Use" (The Bamboos Present Kylie Auldist - Just Say 2008) Samoan-Australian soul & funk singer moved from far Western Australia to Melbourne to start her music career. She has recorded 4 solo albums along with her work with The Bamboos.

*Hailu Mergia & The Walias: "Ibakish Tarekigne" (Tche Belew 1977) Hailu Mergia is an Ethiopian organ and synthesizer player. He played with The Walias, one of the most significant groups in Ethiopia's "golden age" of music in the 70s.

*Mulatu Astatke: "Girl From Addis Ababa w/Ethiopian Quintet" (New York - Addis - London... 2009) One of the most influential musicians in Ethiopia known as the "father of Ethio Jazz." !n the 80s he studied in Boston, NY & London. He brought jazz and latin music to Ethiopia.

*Malombo Jazz Men: "Abie's Mood" (Next Stop Soweto... ) The Group is based in Pretoria, So. Afr. and led by multi-insts. Philip Tabane & Duze Mahlobo. 

*Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra: "Greekout" (Miles Of Styles 2008) Amer. ex-pat multi-inst. producer & composer Shawn Lee.