Far from your run-of-the-mill contemporary jazz chart-toppers, the duo of Stuart Wade and Chris Morgans come from a long line of British advocates of jazz including the Brand New Heavies and US3. Their first album as Down to the Bone, 1997's From Manhattan to Staten, did predictably well around their base in Chobham, Surrey, but also transferred to American smooth jazz charts.
Duncan Millar is a pianist, keyboardist, composer and producer from London, England.
The sound of Vienna-based duo dZihan & Kamien can easily be compared with the downtempo, soulful house sounds of Jazzanova, P'taah, or the Naked Music compilations. The duo hit popularity in 1996 with the single Der Buch, which went big in European clubs and made appearances on several compilations. Their full-length album Freaks & Icons was released in late 2000.
In the next step of his evolution as a pioneering jazz figure, French trumpeter Erik Truffaz continues his exploration of modern dance rhythms informed by drum 'n' bass and hip hop as well as gripping rock 'n' roll with his quartet on The Walk of the Giant Turtle. This CD is Truffaz's fourth U.S. release, following up last year's remarkable Mantis, and featuring a video on the making of the album.
Born Erica Wright in Dallas in 1971, Badu attended a school of the arts and was working as a teacher and part-time singer in her hometown when she opened for D'Angelo at a 1994 show. D'Angelo's manager, Kedar Massenburg, was impressed with the performance and hooked her up with the singer to record a cover of the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell duet Precious Love.
Eumir Deodato has been a pianist / keyboardist, producer, and arranger on over 450 albums, and has won 16 platinum records. The list of top artists with whom he has collaborated is too extensive to cite.
This band was formed in 1991 by Eric Hilton, co-founder with his partner Fari Ali of the legendary DC Acid Jazz party named Exodus. Eric decided to create the atmosphere of this legendary club on record. Most of the tracks of the album Way Out There (1996) were writen, produced and played by Eric Hilton. Later on, Rob Garza and Eric Hilton met at Eighteenth Street Lounge in May 1995.
Hull-based duo Fila Brazillia are the most popular and acclaimed of the noted Pork Recordings stable. Formed in 1991 by producers Steve Cobby and Dave McSherry, Fila followed Cobby's association with Ashley & Jackson, a moderately successful pop/dance group signed to Big Life! which went belly up as the label began demanding more and more pop and less dance.