Bridging the Gap July 30, 2025

*Funkallisto: "Fatebenefratelli" (Saturday Night Dogs 2017) Funkallisto is a jazz/funk band that got recognition playing on Ponte Sisto, a historical bridge in Rome with a car battery & power inverter. They built their fan base and became much sought after in Italy and now the world!

*Kind & Kinky Zoo: "Pamukkale" (Swamp! 2022) K&KZ are a band from Lausanne Switzerland playing funk, psych, afrobeat & cinematic grooves. Oliver Bill flute, Marc Siegenthaler keys Adrian Knecht bass, Sylvain Rutti drums.

*Jimi Tenor: "Jazznouveau" (Multiversum 2022) Finnish musician, comp. & artist Lassi Lehto is Jimi Tenor. He combines jazz, synth sounds, afrobeat & drum machine dubs to create his off kilter sound.

*Khun Narin: "Phua Kao" (Khun Narin II 2016) Khun Narin is a Thai psychedelic music ensemble led by Khun Narin. They perform around Thailand with a rotating line-up of musicians. They were discovered by LA prod. Josh Marcy when he saw an online video of their live performance.

*Khruangbin: "Two Fish And An Elephant" (The Universe Smiles Upon You 2015) Khrangbin is a trio from Houston TX feat. Mark Speer guit. perc. vox,  Laura Lee Ochoa bass vox & DJ Johnson drums, perc. keys & vox.

*Don Tiki: "Barbi In Bali" (The Forbidden Sounds Of... 1997) Modern exotica band from Oahu, Hawaii led by Kit Ebersbach comp. keys & impresario Lloyd Kandell. They carry the torch for modern exotica with heavy respect for the past and a great sense of humor.

*Alogte Oha & His Sounds Of Joy: "Te Bola Be?" (O Yinne! 2023) Alogte Oho is the no. 1 Frafra gospel artist in Bolgatanga in No, Ghana accompanied by his Sounds Of Joy: Lizzy Amaliyenga, Patricia Adongo & Florence Adooni.

*Brenda Fassie: "Sum' Bulala" (Memeza 1998) Brenda Fassie was a So. Afr. anti-apartheid Afropop singer known as So. Africa's Queen of Pop, who began her career at 16 when she moved to Soweto. Sadly she died of a cocaine overdose in 2004.

*Miriam Makeba: "Djiu De Galinha" (Welela 1989) Grammy winning So. Afr. singer known as Mama Afrika. She was invited to the US by Harry Belafonte in the late 50s. She was exiled for many years before being able to return to So. Afr. after the end of apartheid.

*The Meters: "Fire On The Bayou" (Fire On The Bayou 1975) The Meters are considered to be one of the founding fathers of funk blending funk, blues & dance grooves with a N.O. style. They were also the house band for Allen Toussaint's Sensu Enterprises record label.

*The Neville Brothers: "Fire And Brimstone" (Yellow Moon 1989) Four brothers, Art, Charles, Aaron & Cyril formed their R&B/Soul/Funk group in 1976 in N.O. when they recorded for The Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indian group led by their uncle George Landry (Big Chief Jolly.)

*Jon Cleary: "Gettin' Crazy Up In Here" (Moonburn 1999) Pianist, vocalist & songwr. from Kent England moved to N.O. in the 80s because of his love for the music & culture,

*Stanton Moore: "For The Record" (Flyin' The Koop 2001) Amer. drummer born in Lousiana played with Galactic, Garage A Trois & Bonerama.

HOUR 2

*TheEEs & Maike Jacobs: "Indian Summer" (Temptations Of Sound 2023) TheEEs are prod. comp. guit. Claus Hartisch & prod. comp. keys Andre Neundorf who formerly worked with The Bahama Soul Club & Kojato. Maike Jacobs is a German sing/songwr. & actress.

*Thievery Corporation: "Take My Soul feat. LouLou" (Culture Of Fear 2011) Wash DC based electronic music duo of Rob Garza & Eric Hilton utilize a mix of world music cultures to create their sound. LouLou Ghelickhani is an Austin TX keyboardist & singer.

*Quantic: "Run feat. Andreya Triana" (Dancing While Falling 2023) Brit. comp. prod. multi-inst. Will Holland is Quantic. Andreya Triana is a Brit. soul sing/songwr.

*Novalima: "Hatajo feat. La Mamba & Miki Gonzalez" (La Danza Pt. 1-EP ) Novalima is a Peruvian band whose style blends Afro-Peruvian music with electronic, Latin American & other contemporary genres. They incorporate local Peruvian musicians to augment their sound. Miki Gonzalez is a Spanish-Peruvian musician comp. prod. born in Spain.

*The Echocentrics: "Muerto En Vida feat. Natalia Clavier" (Echo Hotel 2016) The Echocentrics is a project of prod. comp. guit. AQuesada  from Austin TX. Natalia Clavier is an Argentinian singer born in Buenos Aires, now living in Brooklyn.

*Femina: "Brillando" (Perlas Y Conchas 2019) Femina is a female band from Argentina. Clara Miglioli vox guit. Sofia "Toti" Trucco vox guit. ronroco & Clare "Wewi" Trucco vox perc. flute. They play folk & fusion music.

*Curtis Mayfield: "Can't Say Nothin'" (Greatest Hits ) Amer. sing/songwr. guit. & prod. co-founded R&B group The Impressions in the late 50s. Created the anti-hero Superfly in the 70s which became a major motion picture.

*Aja West & Friends: "I Don't Need Love" (Total Recall 2012 2007) Seattle funk master Aja West created a jazz funk & soul classic with friends Reggie Watts, Fred Wesley & Money Mark.

*Black Pumas: "Colors" (Black Pumas 2019) Collaboration from comp. prod. guit. A Quesada & singer songwr. Eric Burton. Burton moved from Ca. to Austin & met Quesada to create their psych. soul sound in 2018.

*Bonobo: "Kiara" (Black Sands 2010) Brit. musician, prod & DJ Simon Green is Bonobo. He mixes electronic, jazz & world music in his sound.

*Boozoo Bajou: "S.I.P." (Dust My Broom 2005) German prods. Florian Seyberth & Peter Heider uniquely blend electronica with blues, jazz, soul, latin, and dub. From their debut in 1998 until the present day Heider & Florian have consistently brought the magic.

*Clutchy Hopkins: "Verbal Headlock" (The Story Teller 2010) Mystery prod. comp. musician Clutchy Hopkins continues to evade identification. I'm just glad we have the music to listen to and wonder...

*Pit Baumgartner: "Next Message (Roots Mix)" (Sample Selfie 2020) German sound painter, prod. musician & leader of De-Phazz still has time for some outstanding solo projects.