Notes From The Bridge

Bridging the Gap February 26, 2025 *Makaya McCraven: "The Title" (In These Times 2022) M McCraven is an Amer. jazz drummer, comp. & prod. who started playing drums in his father's drum ensemble at age 5.  *Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad: "Black Love" (Jazz Is Dead 19 2023) Amer. comp. arr. prod. A Younge teams with DJ, comp. prod. & rapper Ali Shaheed Muhammad to pay tribute to jazz greats. *David Nesselhauf: "The Calling" (A Guide To Afrokraut III 2023) German bassist & comp. David Nesselhauf fuses krautrock & afrobeat into his own 'afrokraut.' He is a founding member of Diazpora & is featured on bass in Hamburg Spinners. *Anoushka Shankar: "Monsoon" (Traces Of You 2013) AS is an Indian sitar player, comp. from London. She is the daughter of Ravi Shankar and half sister of Norah Jones. She plays classical, contemporary, acoustic & electronic styles. *Dorothy Ashby: "Little Sunflower" (Afro-...

Bridging the Gap February 19, 2025 *Maiiah & Angels Of Libra: "Kava" (Maiiah & Angels Of Libra 2023) Sing/songwr. Marija Samardzic  has roots in the Balkans, but grew up in Germany. She met AOL prod. musician comp. Dennis Rux and they began recording together. *Bajka: "The Landing" (In Wonderland 2010) Bajka Pluwatsch was born in India & raised in Portugal & So. Afr. She is a poet, singer, prod. & songwr. *Anne Schell & JoJo Effect: "Stranded" (May I Think Of You 2018) Founded by Jaycay & Maxim Illion (CdB) playing "high quality lounge flavored with bossa nova" JoJo Effect became a success feat. vocalist Anne Schnell. *Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band: "Queen Of Cheeba" (55 2016) BR&SB is led by multi-inst. Bjorn Wagner who lived in Trinidad & Tobago for a time and had a steel drum made for him. He formed BR&SB with former members of The Mighty Mocambos. *Adrian Quesada: "DG On The Keys" (J...

Bridging the Gap February 12, 2025 *Lorrenzo Morresi: "Omega Togbayi feat. Great Marx" (Music For Closed Airports 2021) L Morresi is an Italian prod. guit. & DJ working between London & Italy playing world music, Italian jazz funk & electronic music. Great Marx is Nigerian prod. & eng. Ayobami Komolafe. *Kojato: "Good Morning Africa feat. Britta Rex" (All About Jazz 2011) Multi-inst. & singer Kojo Ebenezer Samuels is Kojato. Feat. keyboardist, prod. Andre Neundorf & German sing/songwr. Britta Rex. *Issa Bagayogo: "M'Ba Fodi" (Mali Koura 2008) I Bagayogo was a Malian singer & musician who played the Kamele n'goni (a six stringed W. African inst.) His style fuses African music with electronic beats & earned him the nickname "Techno Issa." *Cautious Clay & Karpeh: "The Tide Is My Witness" (KARPEH 2023) Josh Karpeh is Cautious Clay. He began playing flute at 7 and picked up sax to join his high sc...

Bridging the Gap February 5, 2025 *Brenda Fassie: "Sum' Bulala" (Memeza 1998) BF was a So. Afr. anti-apartheid singer from Cape Town. She was know as "So. Africa's Queen of Pop." Sadly, she passed away in 2004 from a cocaine overdose. *Margaret Singana: "Hamba Bikhele" (Hamba Bikhele 1978) MS was a world renowned So. Afr. singing star. She sang the theme song "We Are Growing" from the 'Shaka Zulu' TV series. *Mahotella Queens: "Mbube" (Kazet 2005) So. Afr. mbaqanga group rose to fame in the 60s & early 70s. They are still active with original member Hilda Tloubtla & new members Amanda Nkosi & Nonkululeko Maseko. *The Mackrosoft: "Lucky Charms" (Straight Outa ROMpton 2003) Led by Aja West, The Mackrosoft have released a steady stream of hybrid funk, fusion, soul, jazz & electronic music. Aja West passed away in 2022. *Mr. Scruff: "Champion Nibble" (Trouser Jazz 2002) Brit. DJ, prod. com...