Bridging the Gap December 18, 2024

*United Future Organization: "Cosmic Gypsy" (3rd Perspective 1996) Japanese jazz/funk group founded in 1990 by Frenchman Raphael Sebbag, Tadashi Yabe & Toshio Matsuura of Japan. They were a leading force in the Tokyo underground club scene.

*Jiro Inagaki & The Soul Big Media: "Freedom Jazz Dance" (Wajazz Greats 2013) Jap. tenor, alto sax, flute player & prod. Jiro Inagaki plays songs by pianist Hiromasa Suzuki.

*Masayoshi Takanaka: "Rainy Day Blue" (Singin' & Guitar Beat Selection ) Chinese-Japanese guitarist born Masayoshi Liu became Takanaka in 4th grade when he became a naturalized Jap. citizen. He was a member of Sadistic Mika Band and played with Haruomi Hosono in Apryl Fool.

*Bajka: "A Vision" (The Only Religion/A Vision - Single 2005) German artist Bajka Pluwatsch was born in India & raised in Portugal & So. Afr. she is a sing/songwr, poet & producer.

*Banda Magda: "Tam Tam" (Tigre 2017) Greek multi-inst. comp. sing. & bandleader Magda Giannikou

leads an international coterie of musicians & sings in a variety of languages incl. French, Spanish & Greek

*Zimpala: "Sweetestland" (Honeymoon 2006) Led by DJ BNX (prod. Frederic Beneix) lead singer Noemie Brosset sings in English & French exuding a sultry & sweet style that draws you in to the music.

*Ursula 1000: "That Hindu That You Do" (Kinda Kinky 2002) Amer. multi-inst. prod. Alex Gimeno is Ursula 1000. He uses a variety of styles to create his retro/future sound. 

*Liftoff: "Shine" (Sunday Morning Airplay 2011) Liftoff is Steven Albert, Steve Raskin, Johnna Raskin & Rob Myers on the Fort Knox Recording label.

*Chris Joss: "Zingy Twangs" (Sticks 2009) French multi-inst. prod. Chris Joss builds his compositions going from one inst. to another, creating layers of sound that grow to a finished piece. He struggles with misophonia & tinnitus that keep him from performing live.

*The EEs (The Eclectic Experiences) & Cappuccino: "The Feel" (Temptations Of Sound 2023) Comp. prod. Andre Neundorf (keys) & Claus Hartisch (guit.) play 60s/70s style soul, latin, Afrobeat, reggae, psych & jazz with a contemporary attitude.

*Blundetto: "Only One Stand feat. John Milk" (World Of 2015) French prod. DJ, sing. & comp. Max Guiguet plays a wide variety of music incl. dub, soul & funk.

*De-Phazz: "Detunized Gravity" (Detunized Gravity 1997) German downt. jazz ensemble led by prod. comp. Pit Baumgartner who states: "I am best at putting things together that don't belong together." 

*Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra: "Bathtub Dub" (Miles Of Styles 2008) Amer. multi-inst. prod. comp. Shawn Lee is now based in London and collaborates globally with a diverse bunch of musicians.

HOUR 2

*Hattler: "Teaser" (Velocity 2018) German bassist extraordinaire Helmut Hattler has his own unique style. He played in the German group Kraan and is joined here by German sing/dancer Fola Dada.

*Say She She: "Norma" (Silver 2023) Singers Piya Malik (London) Sabrina Miles Cunningham (NYC) & Nya Gazelle Brown (DC) front SSS with humor & beautiful harmonies.

*The Quantic Soul Orchestra: "Feeling Good feat. Alice Russell" (Pushin On 2005) Founded by multi-inst. prod. comp. Will Holland (Quantic) in 2001 QSO is a live band project feat. Brit. soul singer Alice Russell on this track.

*Ocote Soul Sounds: "Agua Santa" (Taurus 2011) Founded by multi-inst. prod. comp. Martin Perna in 2001. OSS play a unique version of Latin soul. Ocote, from the Aztec language Nahuatl refers to a hard wood that is used to start fires and is appropriate to the smoldering sounds of Ocote Soul Sounds.

*Novalima:"A Panar Algodon" (Karimba 2010) Novalima is a collective of Peruvian musicians. Ramon Perez-Prieto, Grimaldo Del Solar, Rafael Morales & Carlos Li Carillo started playing together in high school.

*Nickodemus: "Mi Swing Es Tropical" (Endangered Species 2005) NYC DJ prod. Nicolas DeSimone uses his Nickodemus moniker to produce global fusion & heavy beats from multiple sources around the world. He also runs the label Wonderwheel Recordings.

*Mulatu Astatke: "Girl From Addis Ababa w/Ethiopian Quartet" (NY-Addis-London 2009) Composer & multi-inst. M. Astatke is known as the 'father of Ethiopian jazz.' He introduced a new focus on instrumentation rather than vocals that Ethiopian music usually featured.

*Hailu Mergia & The Walias: "Woghenei" (Tche Belew 1977) Ethiopian organ & synthesizer player & composer. The Walias band was formed by M. Astatke & has backed many of Ethiopia's leading stars.

*Almon Memela: "The Things We Do In Soweto" (Funky Africa 1975) So. Afr. comp. guit. & prod. When he sought guitar lessons at United Artist's Dorkay House education & performance center he ended up teaching them instead.

*Hamburg Spinners: "Der Bremer" (Im Schwarzwald 2024) Funk jazz modal band from Hamburg, Germany feat. Carsten "Erobique" Meyer on Hammond B3 organ, Dennis Rux on guit., David Nesselhauf on bass & Lucas Kochbeck on drums.

*Cookin' On 3 Burners: "The Jump Off" (Lab Experiments, Vol. 2 2018) Australian funk, soul, boogaloo & jazz organ trio from Melbourne. Jake Mason (organ) Dan West (guit.) Ivan Khatchoyan (drums)

*Beat Bronco Organ Trio: "Eternal Question" (Road Trip 2020) BBOT is an old school style vintage grooves soul jazz organ trio from Spain. Gabri Casanova (organ) Lucas De Mulder (guit.) & Antonio Pax Alvarez (drums)

*Beat Funktion: "Game Of The Gods" (Olympus 2015) Swedish jazz fusion group play jazz, funk. R&B, disco & soul.