By name: A-D
Ali Farka TouréOne of the predominant "bluesmen" of Africa, guitarist Ali Farka Touré has a distinctive style that combines his native sound of Arabic-influenced Malian music with American blues. Deeply rooted in African rhythms, Ali's music captured the attention of the West beginning in the 1980s, and his legacy still carries on through his extensive and masterful works such as Soukora, Timbarma, and Sega. His albums Talking Timbuktu and In The Heart Of the Moon won GRAMMYs in 1994 and 2005, respectively, while Savane became Toure's last album when he passed away in 2006 after a long battle with bone cancer. |
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Animal CollectiveAnimal Collective is a New York City based group of experimental musicians from Baltimore, MD. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Deacon (Josh Dibb), and Geologist (Brian Weitz). Records released under the name Animal Collective may include contributions from any or all of these members, but the lineup is not uniform. The band members met in school and started recording together in various forms of collaboration from a young age. Although the band is often classified a pyschefolk or noise rock, it is hard to define the critically acclaimed Animal Collective sound as they often experiment with diverse styles and ideas. |
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Arab StrapAidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton are better known as Arab Strap, the brooding, post-folk duo from Scotland who are "renowned for being miserable." The group disbanded in 2006, but over the course of their 10 year existence, they created music that is praised for its genre-bending originality and inventive, languid style, which features sordid and personal lyrics and spare acoustic-electro elements. Highlights include the slow-burning Blackness, the dreamy Forest Hills, and beat-heavy The Shy Retirer. |
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Audio Two (Kirk Robinson)Kirk "Milk Dee" Robinson is a legendary figure in the hip-hop world, and for good reason. Along with his brother, Nat "Gizmo" Robinson, he released one of the most influential hip hop tracks of all time in 1987: Audio Two's Top Billin'. The funky, braggadocio-filled track has been heavily sampled and referenced over the years by artists including 50 Cent, 2Pac, Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, and Notorious B.I.G., and was named the #8 greatest rap song by noted critc Henry Adaso. Kirk rediscovered success in 2004 when he produced the breakout hit F*ck It (I Don't Want You Back) for R&B sensation, Eamon, and he returned to the mic in 2007, recording a verse for a remix of 50 Cent's I Get Money. |
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Autumn DefenseAn indie band, comprised of multi-instrumentalists John Stirratt and Pat Sansone, The Autumn Defense began as a side project for Stirratt, who is best known for his work as bassist for alt-country bands Wilco and Uncle Tupelo. Stirratt collaborated with Sansone - who he knew through his work with Joseph Arthur and Josh Rouse - to produce a 1960s-style rock/pop album. The Autumn Defense create a sound that both embraces and resists the moods of autumn, and so defines their name. The duo chase the sun west towards California, gathering inspiration from classic L.A. Pop and well crafted melody of the 60's and 70's. |
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BeatnutsDuring the early 1990s, the Beatnuts remixed the elite of hip-hop artists before recording their own rap-oriented material that was filled with a light touch of jazz, humor, and funk. Their hit singles Reign Of The Tec, Props Over Here, Do You Believe, Off The Books, Watch Out Now, and No Escapin' This listed towards the top of the Hot Rap Singles and Hot Dance Music Sales charts. |
 Beatnuts website Buy from iTunes Store |
Bill MonroeThe "Father of Bluegrass Music", Bill Monroe spearheaded the genre's growth across America and later internationally through his famous mandolin playing, relentless touring schedule and mentoring of other musicians for more than six decades beginning in the 1930s until his death in 1996. This hard-edged style of country music with a fast, driving tempo and woeful lyrics is epitomized in many of Monroe's legendary songs such as Blue Moon of Kentucky, Uncle Pen, Rawhide, and Big Mon. Other hits such as Kentucky Waltz and Walk Softly On This Heart Of Mine, slower in tempo, evoke the bittersweet and somewhat tragic lament of bluegrass music. His project, Southern Flavor, won a GRAMMY for Best Bluegrass Album in 1988, more than fifty years after his musical career began. |
 Extended bio and discography Buy from iTunes Store |
Bloody BeetrootsItaly's most productive power-house The Bloody Beetroots will most likely never stop and you always get the feeling that their crusade of destruction has only just begun. They are all over the blog world at the moment and we don’t anticipate them slowing down any time soon due to the amount of projects in their queue. Big room house now exists as an okay thing for everyone to like, Bloody Beetroots float around awesomely in that continuum—they make disco-y over the top organs sound like the hardest thing ever and wear what look like bootleg black costume Spiderman masks or actually maybe Spawn masks. |
 Bloody Beetroots MySpace |
Bruce FisherBest known for his collaborations with Billy Preston, Bruce Fisher penned one of the most memorable, most recorded songs in music history with You Are So Beautiful which was famously performed by Joe Cocker. Artists as diverse as Kenny Rogers, The Beach Boys, Pavarotti, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Babyface have all recorded their own renditions of this timeless classic. Other prominent songs in his catalog include Will It Go Round In Circles and Nothing From Nothing, both went to #1 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1973 and 1974 respectively. |
 Songwriting credits Buy from iTunes Store |
Buena Vista Social ClubCapturing the traditional sounds of Latin America, Buena Vista Social Club is composed of a rotating cast of the finest musicians from Cuba and has become a critical and commercial sensation. The project's roots lie in famed American guitarist Ry Cooder, who traveled to Havana in 1996 to seek out long-forgotten Cuban musicians; before long, the Buena Vista Social Club had earned a Grammy and an Academy Award nomination and had become the best-selling album of Cooder's long and storied career. |
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Bunny SiglerBunny Sigler a/k/a Bundino Sigalucci is best known for innovating Philadelphia Soul, a highly influential genre of music that infused R&B with funk and effectively paved the way for disco and beyond. Sigler's biggest hits came in 1978 with Let Me Party With You (number 8 R&B and number 43 pop) and Only You (number 11 R&B and number 87 pop). Sigler's timeless compositions have also helped other artists find considerable success over the years, including the O'Jays, The Whispers, Instant Funk, Patti Labelle, and Shirley Jones with songs such as Love, Need and Want You and This Air I Breathe. More recently Sigler's music has been sampled by artists such as Notorious B.I.G., 50 Cent, Outkast and Christina Milian to name but a few, most notably on Nelly's #1 hit Dilemma. |
 Extended bio and discography Buy from iTunes Store |
Catie CurtisCatie Curtis began her music career behind a drum kit, but found her greatest success as an empowering singer-songwriter on the acoustic guitar. Born and raised in the small town of Saco, Maine, Curtis attended Brown University where she became an integral part of the socially aware coffeehouse circuit. Upon graduating in the early 90s, Curtis relocated to Boston where she fine tuned her witty yet gentle style. She has released ten albums in her illustrious career, featuring such tracks as Gave Me Love (Don't Give Up) and The Kiss That Counted, and her music has been featured in numerous television programs including Dawson's Creek, Felicity, and Alias. |
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Célia MaraCélia Mara’s diverse geographical background is reflected in her globe-trotting sound. Born and raised in the small bordertown of Pedra, Brazil, she spent her youth absorbing samba and bossa rhythms before relocating to Europe in the early 90s, where she became heavily involved in the jazz scene. Her music effortlessly combines these two influences while incorporating elements of rock, ska, and funk to create a sound that is truly unique and representative of her vision of the planet, by always carrying a message of unity, peace and social justice. The fiery Manifesto Bastardista and the quirky, funky Brigada Rosa are but two examples of her diverse sound, which is equally at home in underground dance clubs, grand opera-houses, or large outdoor festivals. |
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ChaundonGrowing up in South Bronx and constantly being surrounded by Hip Hop, Chaundon began writing rhymes at 13. As a member of the collaborative team Justus League, it wasn’t in this group where he first started performing. As a student at Stevenson High School, he earned his stardom rapping in front of students all over school. Realizing that music was his calling, Chaundon gained a reputation for his lyrical prowess; a reputation that followed him wherever he’s gone since. After graduation and while attending North Carolina Central University, he entered the hip-hop scene, performing at local venues. He has released many mixtapes, including collaborations with 9th Wonder, DJ Drama, and Khrysis. Chaundon’s versatility and expressive voice makes him a favorite among the Hip Hop community. |
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ClutchClutch combine elements of funk and metal to create a truly innovative sound. This, and their reputation for stunning live shows, has gained them a sizable and devoted following over the years. Formed in 1991 in Germantown, MD. Clutch were signed by EastWest Records after releasing just one 7” single. Since then, they have released over ten albums, including 2007's From Beale Street to Oblivion, which hit number 54 on the Billboard charts. Clutch continue to tour relentlessly, earning new fans wherever they play. |
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CRC JianianCRC Jianian/EverGreen publish and distribute CRC's historical catalog that features the largest collection of traditional Chinese ethnic, instrumental, opera and folk music, spanning some 5,000 years of Chinese musical history. Additionally, CRC Jianian has signed over 50 Chinese contemporary artists releases, including famous pop star Pang Long, all-girl punk rock band Hang on the Box, and Mongolian-flavored Hanggai. The company also holds rights to Tanggula, one of the largest Tibetan music catalogs on the globe. |
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CubanismoCubanismo embodies the heart and soul of Latin music, combining salsa and mambo with a raucous mix of New Orleans R&B and Dixie-land jazz. Led by trumpeter Jesús Alemañy, Cubanismo's first line-up featured piano great Alfredo Rodriguez, along with an all-star line-up of Cuban musicians. Their most popular works include the fiery singles, Mambo UK, Descargo De Hoy, and Salsa Pilon. Their first full-length project Malembe, released in 1997, rocketed to the top of Billboard's Tropical/Salsa chart, while Reencarnacion and Mardi Gras Mambo cracked the top fifteen in both Tropical/Salsa and World Music album charts. |
 Extended bio and discography Buy from iTunes Store |