An acid jazz project rooted in the Brit-funk scene, Incognito are led by Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and arranger who has guided an ever-changing lineup since 1979.
A killer combo from Japan — a club jazz unit that mixes warm, round bass with hard-hitting piano — all held together nicely with two drummers on the bottom, and some very crisp production!
Jamala (the real name Susana Jamaladinova) — a Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar jazz-singer (spinto soprano) performing the music of her own composition on the junction of jazz, soul, world music and rhythm&blues with the elements of classics and gospel.
"Soul Brother Number One," "the Godfather of Soul," "the Hardest Working Man in Show Business," "Mr. Dynamite" — those are mighty titles, but no one can question that James Brown earned them more than any other performer. Other singers were more popular, others were equally skilled, but few other African-American musicians were so influential over the course of popular music.
Emerging from the tragic bankruptcy of Stiff Records, James Taylor, founding member of the infamous group The Prisoners — formed The James Taylor Quartet. JTQ's first single, Blow Up, was released on the Re Elect The President (Acid Jazz) label in 1985. It was a huge success, immediately attracting the attention of John Peel who championed it; the track appearing three years running on Peel's seminal Festive 50 Chart.
Active since the early '90s, Jamiroquai have amassed a steady stream of hits in their native U.K. and experienced chart success in just about every other area of the world, with an irresistible blend of house rhythms and '70s-era soul / funk.
Swedish singer / songwriter Jäje Johanson, who goes by the stage name Jay-Jay Johanson, infuses the measured, slow-burn aesthetics of downbeat and trip-hop with the metallic pulse of electro-pop, resulting in his own signature brand of film noir-imbued electronic melancholy.
In 2001 Bettina Mischke and Roland Grosch started their project Jazzamor. Influenced by the bossa nova and latin jazz of the 60's they developed their own style with Bettina's voice making it unmistakeable. The arrangements are playful yet minimalistic with great care for detail. Electronic sounds blend with double bass and latino percussions. Melancholic piano aires invoke a blue mood with Bettina's alluring soft voice giving it all a distinct color.