Bridging the Gap April 17, 2024

*The English Beat: "Save It For Later" (Special Beat Service 1982) English 2 Tone Ska band feat. Dave Wakeling on guitar/vox & rapper/toaster Ranking Roger (Charlery). Originally know as The Beat they had to use English Beat in N. Amer. because of another band with the name The Beat.

*Orange Juice: "Falling And Laughing" (You Can't Hide Your Love Forever 1982) Scottish post punk band was originally Nu-Sonics & changed to Orange Juice in 1979. Featured Edwyn Collins on lead vox.

*Squeeze: "Tempted" (East Side Story 1981) Rock & new wave band from London feat. Jools Holland on keyboards. Songwriters were Chris Difford (lyrics) & Glenn Tilbrook (music) who were guitarists & vox.

*Spy From Cairo: "Marseilles Noir" (Arabadub 2012) Spy From Cairo is Italian born gypsy Moreno Visini aka Zeb & Organic Grooves. Zeb is a highly sought after producer as well.

*Zehava Ben: "What Will Be?" (Buddha Bar 1999) Zehava Ben is an Israeli singer & one of the most popular female vocalists in the Mizrahi music genre. She sings in Hebrew & Moroccan Arabic.

*Etti Ankri: "Eshebo" (Buddha Bar 1999) Etti Ankri is an Israeli sing/songwr. She has been called the "poet of Israeli spirituality" & "the contemporary voice of... Israel."

*Thievery Corporation: "It Takes A Thief" (DJ Kicks: Thievery Corporation 1999) Amer. electronic duo of Eric Hilton & Rob Garza playing hip hop & electronica with a decidedly world music bent. They met in 1995 and bonded over their mutual love for 60s & 70s bossa nova & jazz.

*Blundetto: "Warm My Soul feat. Courtney John" (Warm My Soul 2012) French producer, DJ, singer & composer Max Guiguet mixes many genres with a reggae/dub vibe. CJ: Jamaican sing/songwr. & prod.

*See-I: "Soul Hit Man" (See-I 2011) Wash DC roots reggae rockers & brothers Zeebo & Rootz. One of America's premier Reggae party bands.

*Quantic: "Run feat. Andreya Triana" (Single 2024) Quantic is English multi-inst. & producer /DJ Will Holland. He runs Selva Studios in Brooklyn NY. AT: British soul sing/songwr. 

*Zonke & YORK: "Someday" (The Early Tapes Zonke Meets York 2023) Zonke Dikana is a So. Afr. sing/songwr. York is a German producer/saxophonist/flutist. He is in demand as a soloist and guest artist. Zonke & York were in the German hip hop soul band Culture Clan together.

*TheEEs & Juliet Ada: "Temptation Of The Sound" (Temptations Of Sound 2023) TheEEs - The Eclectic Experiences are composers/producers Claus Hartisch and Andre Neundorf. They play a modern take of 60-70s soul, latin, afrobeat, reggae & jazz. JA: Singer/composer w/German & Nigerian roots.

*Blktop Project: "Blkwater Blues" (Blktop Project 2006) Alternative Indie Rock from Tommy Guerrero, Ray Barbee, Matt Rodriguez & Josh Lippi.

HOUR 2

*Calibro 35: "Any Resemblance To Real Facts Is Purely Coincidental" (Any Resemblance... 2012) Calibro 35 is a cinematic funk band formed in Milan IT in 2007. Their music has been sampled by Dr. Dre & Jay Z.

*Bonerama: "The Wizard" (Live From New York 2004) Bonerama is a brass funk rock band from New Orleans formed by trombone players Mark Mullins & Craig Klein. This album features N.O. drummer Stanton Moore.

*Brownout: "Iron Man" (Brown Sabbath 2014) Austin TX 9 piece band formed by members of Grupo Fantasma: Beto Martinez (guit.) Adrian Quesada (guit.) This album features covers of Black Sabbath.

*Buyepongo: "Pegao" (Todo Mundo 2016) Seamlessly fusing cumbia, punta, jazz & funk to create their own genre they call "Buyangu." 

*Cumbia All Stars: "La Cumbia Del Parisino" (Tigres En Fuga 2014) Members of legendary Peruvian cumbia bands come together after 40 years to recreate and reinvent the classic cumbia sounds of their native Peru.

*Empresarios: "Cumbia" (Sabor Tropical 2011) American latin fusion funk band from Wash DC whose sound is best described as "Tropicaliente" Led by singer/conguero/producer Javier Miranda.

*Flevans: "Who's Got Me feat. Laura Vane" (Single 2018) Nigel Evans (Flevans) is a multi-inst, DJ & producer playing funk, breaks, soul & electronic music. LV: UK sing/songwr.

*Bella Brown & The Jealous Lovers: "Get Mine" (Get Mine EP 2022) Bella Brown is in reality Carol Hatchett. She is a sing/songwr. dancer/choreographer who once backed up Bette Midler as one of her "Harlettes."

*Funkallisto: "Take A Little Time feat. Jess Roberts" (Saturday Night Dogs 2017) Formed in 2004 the band borrowed a car battery and played on a famous bridge in Trastevere building a reputation as a scorching jazz/funk, afrobeat, rock, latin band to be reckoned with. JS: Sing/songwr. fm Lancashire UK

*Toshiko Yonekawa: "Saitaro-Bushi" (Wamono Groove: Shakuhachi & Koto Jazz Funk '76 2022) TY was a Japanese koto performer & composer of the Ikuta school style. She was made a Living National Treasure in 1996 and passed away in 2005.

*Harry Hosono & The Yellow Magic Band: "Shambhala Signal" (Paraiso 1978) Singer/songwr. producer & musician Haruomi Hosono formed Yellow Magic Orchestra w/Ryuchi Sakamoto & Yukihiro Takahashi.

*Masayoshi Takanaka: "Just Chuckle" (The Rainbow Goblins 1981) Chinese-Japanese guitarist started life as Masayoshi Liu & changed to Takanaka when he became a naturalized Jap. citizen. Played in Sadistic Mika Band while still in high school.

*Jiro Inagaki & His Soul Media: "One For Jiroh" (Funky Stuff 1975) Japanese saxophonist, bandleader & producer. Died earlier this year.