Bridging the Gap January 8, 2025

*De-Phazz & Andreas Neubauer: "Transit Tango (De-Phazz Remix)" (presents De-Drums 2024) German downt. jazz ensemble led by prod./comp. Pit Baumgartner using a rotating group of musicians. AN: German drummer & engineer.

*The Tikiyaki Orchestra: "Space Tango" (Tropika 2023) Modern exotica septet out of LA, Ca. led by multi-inst. comp. Jim Bacchi.

*Don Tiki: "Turkish Delight" (South Of The Boudoir 2009) Exotica extraordinaire from Honolulu's own comp. keys Kit Ebersbach (Perry Coma) & impresario Lloyd Kandell (Fluid Floyd.) They use world class musicians to create their lush, campy exotica.

*Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos: "Love Alarm" (This Is... 2009) French sing/songwr. comp & artist Gizelle Smith fronted German funk band TMM on this album. TMM have also worked with a who's who of funk & soul artists from the continent.

*Bella Brown & The Jealous Lovers: "Bang Bang Bang" (Soul Clap 2024) Grammy winning sing/songwr. Carol Hatchett is Bella Brown! With The Jealous Lovers she puts her powerful spin on classic 70s soul & funk.

*Koko-Jean & The Tonics: "The Spin" (Love Child 2024) Out of the Barcelona scene, KJ & The T's come at you with a blast of soul, funk & R&B led by Koko-Jean on vox, Anton Jarl on drums, Dani Baraldes on guitar & Victor Puertas on Hammond B3 organ.

  

*Curtis Mayfield: "Superfly" (Superfly 1972) Amer. sing/songwr., guitarist & prod. Curtis Mayfield co founded vocal grp The Impressions in the late 50s. He was a giant of soul & socially conscious Black music in his solo career.

*Crushed Velvet & The Velveteers: "Say Their Name Be The Change feat. Lyle Divinsky" (Love & Truth 2021) Crushed Velvet is one of the projects of multi-inst. comp. & prod. Alan Evans. He refers to Crushed Velvet as his 'guitar player alter ego.' Lyle D.: Soul singer from NYC

*Lowell George: "Honest Man" (Thanks, I'll Eat It Here 1979) Lowell was an Amer. sing/songwr. multi-inst. & prod. He founded Little Feat after he and Roy Estrada were "let go" from the MOI. He died in 1979 of a heart attack.

*Lucky Brown: "Buddha On The Road" (Mystery Road 2015) Lucky Brown is Seattle funk maven comp. & label owner Joel Ricci. Joel runs Westbound Recording Collective to create his pioneering deep funk sound.

*The Mackrosoft: "The Cricket" (Antonio's Giraffe 2005) Aja West was the talent & vision behind The Mackrosoft & The Mackrosoft record label. He was prolific in his output before his untimely death in 2022.

*Menahan Street Band: "Everyday A Dream" (The Crossing 2012) Amer. Brooklyn NY based soul/funk band led by multi-inst. prod. Thomas Brenneck & named for his Menahan St. apt. in Bushwick, NY.

*Mocean Worker: "Out There In The Random" (Candygram For Mowo! 2011) Mocean Worker is jazz musician songwr. & prod. Adam Dorn.

HOUR 2

*Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens: "Thonthodi" (Mbaqanga 1989) Simon Mahlathini Nkabinde So. Afr. "groaner" in the Mbaqanga style also know as "The Lion Of Soweto" performed & recorded often with The Mahotella Queens.

*Manu Dibango: "Homeless feat. Ray Lema" (Wakafrika 1994) Cameroonian saxophonist M Dibango

orig. trained in classical piano. He began performing in Brussels & Paris in the 50s & started his own band in Cameroon in 1963. Ray Lima: Congolese pianist, guitarist & songwr.

*Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou: "Zizi" (Echos Hypnotiques, Vol. 2 2009) Band from Cotonou in Benin feat. founder & vocalist Melome Clement. They play afrobeat, highlife, jazz, soul, rhumba & Latin music.

*Orgone: "Lies And Games feat. Terin Ector" (Chimera 2024) Amer. band from LA, Ca. driven by Dan Hastie on keys & Sergio Rios on guit. playing funk, soul & afrobeat. TE: vox, perc.

*Monophonics: "Sound Of Sinning" (Sound Of Sinning 2015) SF Bay Area soul band feat. Kelly Finnigan on keys & lead vox play psychedelic soul & pay tribute to soul & psych. artists of the past.

*Mr. Confuse: "The Modern Way feat. Dan Salem" (Only A Man 2018) Hannover Germ. DJ, prod. & label owner of Confunktion Records achieves creativity & authenticity with his unique sound.

*Nickodemus: "Inmortales (Body Move). feat. Femina, Gitkin & The Spy From Cairo" *A Long Engagement 2018) NYC DJ, prod. Nick DeSimone straddles genres & oceans to mix his signature sound. Latin, Middle Eastern & African meld gracefully in his productions. Femina is a trio of female rappers from Argentina.

*Bobi Cespedes: "Mi Canto" (Mujer Y Cantante 2020) Sing. perc. & comp. as well as Yoruba priestess from Havana, Cuba.

*Quantic & Nidia Gongora: "Balada Borracha" (Almas Conectadas 2021) Nidia Sophia Gongora Bonilla is a Pacific folklorist, sing/songwr. from Colombia. She also leads Grupo Canalon de Timbiqui.

*Quasamodo: "Do It Again" (Truth Be Told 2007) Quasamodo's Dimitris Nassios comp, lyricist & prod. leads a collective of Greek musicians with one common passion: Good Music!

*AM & Shawn Lee: "Outlines (Inst.)" (Outlines The Instrumentals 2015) AM is Amer. comp. prod. Anthony Miller. Shawn Lee is an Amer. multi-inst. prod. comp. now based in London.

*Skeewiff: "Snakeweed feat. Brand New Heavies" (Skeewiff's Funky Shizzle 2015) UK based prod. duo of Alex Rizzo & Eric Ireland incorporate jazz, lounge, big band & even country into their unique sound.

*Skeletons: "Marathon Man" (Smile 2010) An imaginary jazz band assembled by prod. Benedic Lamdin (Nostalgia 77) from musical "scraps" left over from other projects.