Bridging the Gap March 26, 2025

*TheEEs: "Slight & Small feat. Maike Jacobs" (Temptations Of Sound 2023) TheEEs (The Eclectic Experiences) are comp. prod. arr. & keys Andre Neundorf & prod. comp. guit. Claus Hartisch. Maike Jacobs is a German singer & actress.

*The Dining Rooms: "Art Is A Cat feat. Beatrice Velasco Moreno" (Art Is A Cat 2020) The Dining Rooms are Italian duo of Cesare Malfatti (comp. bass, acou. elec. guit. keys) & Stefano Ghittoni (comp. beats, electronics, samples, keys & vox) fusing jazz & electronic music.

*Club Des Belugas: "Strange Things Beyond The Sunny Side feat. Anna Luca" (STBTSS 2019) CdB are a German nu jazz group led by Maxim Ilion (Martin Kratzenstein) prod. comp. keys bass & Kitty The Bill (Katrin Stoefel) prod. comp. artist. Anna Luca is a German sing/songwr. 

*The Cactus Channel: "Who Is Walt Druce?" (Wooden Boy 2013) The Cactus Channel began as an inst. soul & funk band, but has expanded their sound to include darker, heavier, dreamlike psychedelic sensibilities as well as vocals to their songwriting. 

*El Michels Affair: "Lesson Learned" (Yeti Season 2021) NYC based funk, soul, hip hop band founded in 2002 by prod. comp. multi-inst. Leon Michels.

*Espen Horne: "La Psychosomnie" (The Anatomy Of Serene Eloquence 2023) Norwegian prod. comp. Espen Horne releases his first album under his own name in 24 years. He was also the originator behind Bobby Hughes Experience & Bobby Hughes Combination.

*Empresarios: "Bailando" (El Sonido Magico 2012) Amer. latin-fusion funk band from Wash DC led by prod. sing. & conga player Javier Miranda. Their music can be described as Tropicaliente because of their warm & sunny tropical sounds.

*Grupo Fantasma: "Montanozo" (El Existential 2010) Austin, TX Latin band with Jose Galeano on vox & perc. & Beto Martinez on guit. Prince used them for a backing band on numerous occasions.

*Los Fabulosos Cadillacs: "La Luz Del Ritmo" (La Luz Del Ritmo 2008) LFC are an Argentinian rock group playing Latin rock fusion. Founded in 1983 by Gabriel Fernandez, Vicentico on vox, Mario Siperman, Spiker on keys, Anibal Rigozzi on guit. Flavio Cianciarulo on bass & vox & Fernando Ricciardi on drums.

*Lorenzo Morresi & Tenderlonioius: "Movimento Astratto" (Cosmica Italiana 2020) Italian multi-inst. comp. Lorenzo Morresi made this album with London based Tenderlonious (Ed Cawthorne) who co-wrote & plays flute, synth. & perc.

*Kamasi Washington: "Knowledge" (Harmony Of Difference-EP 2017) KW is an Amer. jazz saxophonist, comp. prod. is a founding member of jazz collective West Coast Get Down.

*The Jazz Defenders: "Twilight" (King Phoenix 2022) UK jazz outfit feat. George Cooper playing piano, organ & percussion. Cooper is one of the leading jazz pianists in the UK.

*Kerbside Collection: "Strawberry Fields" (Trash Or Treasure 2015) Kerbside Collection are an all inst. jazz/funk/rare groove ensemble from the inner suburbs of Brisbane. Australia.

HOUR 2

*Khaled: "N'Ssi N'Ssi" (Best Of... ) Khaled Hadj Ibrahim is Algerian rai singer, comp. & multi-inst. Khaled. Now living in France he is one of the best selling international Arab Rai singers.

*Nickodemus: "Mystic Molay feat. Innov Gnawa" (A Long Engagement 2018) Nicolas DeSimone is a DJ & producer from NYC. He was responsible for the Turntables On The Hudson project and runs Wonderwheel Recordings. Innov Gnawa  is an NYC group led by Ma'allem Hassan Ben Jaafer.

*Spy From Cairo: "Marseilles Noir" (Arabadub 2012) TSFC aka Zeb is Italian New Yorker Moreno Visini. He has recorded as Zeb, Spy From Cairo & Organic Grooves.

*Taj Mahal: "Strut" (Dancing The Blues 1993) Henry St. Claire Fredericks is Amer. vox, guit. multi-inst. & songwr. Taj Mahal. Early in his career he played with Amer. guit. Ry Cooder as Rising Sons.

*Ike Turner: "I Don't Want Nobody" (Risin' With The Blues 2006) Controversial Amer. musician, songwr. prod. & bandleader Ike Turner is referred to as a 'great innovator' in rock n roll music. 

*Albert Collins: "Trash Talkin'" (Trash Talkin' 1969) A. Collins was an Amer. blues guit. singer & sometime harmonica player. He was the embodiment of Texas blues style guitar playing.

*Speedy Consuela: "Number One Fan" (The New Gold Standard 2 2009) Speedy Consuela is brother & sister band feat. Steve (multi-inst.) & Joyce Raskin (bass, vox) & Steve's wife Johnna Raskin (lead vox) and Matt White (guit.) Their name comes from wondering who Speedy Gonzalez' sister might be.

*Lizzy Parks: "All That (Natural Self Remix)" (Tru Thoughts Funk 2009) Lizzy Parks is a jazz & soul singer songwriter from Devon England. She combines the freedom of jazz with a cool modern edge.

*Kinny: "The Love Cats" (Can't Kill A Dame With Soul 2011) Canadian born, Norway based sing/songwr Caitlin Simpson has a unique, soulful voice that perfectly embodies her experiences being a mix of indigenous Canadian, Jamaican & Swedish.

*Kiyoshi Yamaya & Kifu Mitsuhashi: "Asadoya Yunta" (Wamono Groove... 2022) K. Yamaya was a Jap. comp. bandleader & baritone sax player. Kifu Mitsuhashi is a Jap. shakuhachi (bamboo flute) player. This album is a compilation of various jazz/funk players in Japan circa 1976.

*Lack Of Afro: "Rejection In 6/8 Time" (My Groove Your Move 2009) Brit. multi-inst. prod. remixer & DJ Adam Gibbons is Lack Of Afro.

*The Mackrosoft: "Lucky Charms" (Straight Outa ROMpton 2003) Aja West was the heart & soul of The Mackrosoft. He produced his unique brand of hybrid funk over the course of twenty plus albums until his untimely death in 2022.

*DJ Drez & Marty Williams: "Island Tree" (The Complete Moon Bay Sessions 2007) DJ Drez, Steven Bradley DJ, prod. & visual artist & jazz pianist, vox, prod. songwr. Marty Williams teamed up for this hip hop, jazz, latin, funk & soul project.