Bridging the Gap October 1, 2025

*Afrodream: "Ma mere" (Guiss Guiss 2025) Afrodream is an afrobeat/pop ensemble founded in Turin Italy in 2018 from a collaboration between Senegalese sing. & perc. Abou Samb & guit. Luca Vergano creating a marriage between Senegalese and Western musical forms.

*Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra: "Gibbon's Dub" (Last Odyssey 2012) French bandleader, comp. prod. perc. Masta Conga (Lionel Berton) leads ALVO's "revolving musicians according to projects."

*Alpacas Collective: "Surrounded" (Big Words 2023) Perc. comp. & prod. Frederick Kuhn and his collective journey through Afrobeat, deep funk, hindustani raga, psycho-dub & creole rap to create their unique soundscapes.

*Anoushka Shankar: "Hamsadhwani Tabla Duet" (Anourag 2000) A Shankar is an Indian sitar player & comp. born in London. She is the daughter of master sitar player Ravi Shankar & half sister of Nora Jones.

She uses contemporary, acoustic, classical & electronic styles.

*Dorothy Ashby: "Joyful Grass And Grape" (The Rubaiyat Of Dorothy Ashby 1970) Singer harpist, comp. & koto player Dorothy Ashby introduced the harp as a lead instrument in jazz music. On this album she also plays the Japanese koto.

*Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: "Love In Hong Kong" (Year Of The Funky 2017) Bei Bei is a Chinese ghuzeng player, comp. & teacher living in Orange County Ca. Shawn Lee is an Amer.  multi-inst. comp. prod. living in London.

*Bebo Best & The Super Lounge Orchestra: "Mambajazz" (Jazzmamba 2016) Comp. musician arr. & eng. Bebo Best (Baldan) is the man behind The SLO. SLO has been called "one of the top 5 nu jazz bands in the world" by Maxim Illion of CdB.

*Buscemi: "O Verão Chegou feat. Jokomo" (Mistral Du Sud 2021) Belgian musician, prod. & DJ Dirk Swartenbroekx is Buscemi & performs live with his group Squadra Bossa. Jokomo is Belgian prod. Joachim Heuvinck.

*Ceu: "Retrovisor" (Carvana Sereia Bloom 2012) Brazilian sing/songwr from Sao Paolo. She was one of the first Brazilian singers to receive a Grammy nomination for her self titled album "Ceu."

*The Cheebacabra: "Chatter" (Exile In The Woods 2006) Paul Cheever is The Cheebacabra. The psych-funk fusion band is on the Mackrosoft label. Paul is the brother of late funk master Aja West.

*Jimi Tenor: "Polygonal" (Saxentric 2016) Jimi Tenor is Finnish musician (sax, flute) comp. & artist Lassi Lehto. 

*The Mackrosoft: "Fish Tank Funk" (Music To Mack By 2017) Aja West was the prod. multi-inst. comp. behind the funk, fusion, soul, jazz & electronic music of The Mackrosoft. He passed away in 2022.

*Medeski Martin & Wood: "Queen Bee" (End Of The World Party... 2002) MMW are an Amer. prog. avant post jazz & rock trio.

HOUR 2

*Pahua: "Vaquera Galactica" (Cerca Del Lugar 2025) Pahua is a comp. perc. DJ & prod. from Mexico City. She explores different vibes with varied musicians and new genres.

*Femina: "Somos Lo Que Somos" (Perlas Y Conchas 2019) Clara Miglioli vox, guit. Sofia "Toti" Trucco vox guit. ronroco & Clara "Wewi" Trucco vox perc. flute are Argentinian folk fusion trio Femina.

*Novalima & Dom La Nena: "El Tiempo" (La Danza Pt. 1-EP ) Peruvian band Novalima blends Afro-Peruvian, electronic, Latin Amer. beats & other contemporary genres into their global style. Dom La Nena is a Braz. cellist, sing/songwr.

*Shawn Lee & Kelly Finnigan: "Say It Again" (Single 2025) Shawn Lee is an Amer. multi-inst. comp. prod. living in London. Kelly Finnigan is an Amer. soul sing/songwr. prod. from LA Ca & the lead sing. for The Monophonics.

*Crowd Company: "Summer" (Stone & Sky 2017) Brit. soul & funk band Crowd Company has a modern take on 69s & 70s funk/soul blending Hammond organ with tight harmonies from Rob Fleming, Esther Dee & Jo Marshall.

*The Cactus Channel & Sam Cromack: "Sleep Demon" (Do It For Nothing-EP 2017) Australia's The Cactus Channel mixes hip hop instrumentals with classic soul's tight arrangements & adds the vocals & lyrics of Sam Cromack for this EP.

*Club Des Belugas: "Part Time Aliens" (Strange Thing Beyond The Sunny Side 2019) CdB is a German nu jazz phenomenon led by Maxim Ilion (Martin Kratzenstien) & Kitty The Bill (Katrin Stoffel) employing a rotating mix of fabulous European musicians.

*DJ Drez & Marty Williams: "I Look Fly" (The Complete Moon Bay Sessions 2007) DJ Drez is Steven Bradley DJ prod. & visual artist from LA Ca. M Williams is SF Bay Area pianist, sing. songwr & prod.

*The Dining Rooms: "Ohm And Raga" (Art Is A Cat 2020) Italian prod. duo of Cesare Malfatti & Stefano Ghittoni fuse jazz, electro, downt. & ambient styles to produce their lush sound.

*Diplomats Of Solid Sound: "Soul Slaw" (Instrumental Action Soul 2001) DOSS is an old school funk, soul & Americana band from Iowa with a strong sound & powerhouse songwr.

*Low Fidelity Jet Set Orchestra: "Wasabi Sauce" (Searching For A Bit Of Popularity 2008) Formed by Italians Dave Masoch & Paolo "Apollo" Negri LFJSO lean hard on the vintage deep funk with a high dose of Hammond organ.

*Hamburg Spinners & Erobique: "Die Ledermuranen Kommen!" (Der Magische Kraken 2021) Funk jazz modal band from Hamburg Germany feat. Karsten "Erobique" Meyer on Hammond B3 & David Nesselhauf on bass.

*Beat Bronco Organ Trio: "Squirtly feat. Chip Wickham" (Road Trip 2020) Spanish funky trio feat. Antonio Pax, Gabri Casanova & Lucas De Muldur. Chip Wickham is a saxophonist & flutist.