Jon Cleary
A respected session and sideman, British blues pianist and composer Jon Cleary has worked with rock, blues, and soul artists like Bonnie Raitt, D'Angelo, Maria Muldaur, Taj Mahal, and Eric Clapton. Originally a guitarist, Cleary began playing at age five, and started his first band at 15. Raised on blues, jazz, and soul records, his love of new orleans blues and jazz in particular took him across the ocean after he graduated from art school.
Real Thing
The Real Thing, a Liverpool based vocal group, had its origins in the Merseybeat boom of the 1960s. Lead Singer Eddie Amoo was a former band member of The Chants, whose beat singles gathered considerable critical acclaim, although they failed to chart. After continuing to record for various record labels, the band name was eventually dropped. Original members of the group who appeared on opportunity knocks were, Chris Amoo, Kenny Davis (deceased) Dave Smith, Eddie Ankrah, and Ray Lake(deceased) Re-labelled as The Real Thing...
The Bakery
The Bakery are an 11 piece band from Sydney, Australia. With a sound that is a mixture of funk, reggae and ska these guys have some balls. They have two charismatic female singers whose vocals are comparable to the great Gwen Stefani but with a little more soul, and a five-piece horn section. Naughty lyrics and a playful nature this band has a loyal following, and their debut album launch sold out The Basement in Sydney. Emily Collins: Vocals
Rosie Henshaw: Vocals
James Maybury: Trumpet
Dave Dziedzic: Trumpet
Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro
From the outskirts of Tokyo, from the most unknown prefecture in the country, comes the most exciting and brightest hopes in funk ever. The six-piece phenomenon, the nasty groove-making cats, the deep-dapping and history changing dogs call themselves the Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro. Well dressed, slick but playing some of the rawest and deepest funk that would shake anyone's booty, and add that with furious energy of a rock and roll band , and you have these amazing gentlemen.
Fitz and The Tantrums
Fitz & the Tantrums are an American soul group from Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by Michael Fitzpatrick, who had begun writing soul music for a solo project on an old church organ he had purchased. He added friend James King to the group as an arranger and soon after expanded the band to a seven-piece, including several horns. Fitzpatrick shares the vocal duties with Noelle Scaggs. Other members include Joseph Karnes, Jeremy Ruzumna, and John Wicks.
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews (born January 2, 1986) is a trombone and trumpet player from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Rare indeed is the artist with the virtuosity to draw the unqualified respect of some of the most iconic legends in jazz and the ability to deliver a high-energy funk rock show capable of mesmerizing international rock stars. Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews is one such artist - and there is no one else like him.
newworldson
Armed with inspirational lyrics and a fresh new sound, Newworldson is rescuing soul music from being a mere genre or label and returning the art form to its sacred roots. Singer Joel Parisien says, "there's a lack of community in people's lives today. If you trace back the roots of 'roots' music, of 'soul' music, of 'folk' music, it's about folks; it's social music. We hope our fans become our friends. We hope they leave our shows feeling inspired. Our community is about uplifting people.
Tower Of Power
Tower of Power is a horn-based funk/soul band from Oakland, California. In the mid-1960s, 17-year-old tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo moved from Detroit, Michigan, to Fremont, California. He started a band called the Motowns, specializing in soul music. In 1968, Castillo teamed up with baritone saxophonist Stephen "The Funky Doctor" Kupka and trumpet/trombone player Mic Gillette, moved to Oakland, and began writing original material. They changed the band's name to Tower of Power and began playing frequently in the Bay Area.
Steve Spacek
Steve Spacek, the acclaimed voice behind the ground-breaking genre-pushing group Spacek (who were championed by everyone from Entertainment Weekly to Mos Def), made a name for himself at the turn of the century with the song “Eve’ (recently covered by Dwele). The song set off a worldwide buzz on Steve as a singer and his group’s futuristic sound. Imagine a robot performer in the future, in love with hip hop beatology and skillful enough to twist it into new shapes, programmed with an infused knowledge of the biographies of Marvin Gaye...