Belgian 11-piece global groove ensemble Alpacas Collective takes you on a trip from Lagos to Addis Ababa, from Augusta, Georgia to New Orleans, and from Delhi to sci-fi worlds far beyond our solar system, bringing it all back home in a unique set of original songs. The band draws inspiration from James Brown, Fela Kuti, Mulatu Astatke, The Meters, Sun Ra, Ravi Shankar, The Heliocentrics, …and many others. Like their great examples, the grooves are laced with cutting horn lines and rousing percussion breaks. Funk is the basis, flavored with afro, jazz, boogaloo, soul and eastern vibes. Alpacas Collective has shared the stage with renowned acts such as Mulatu Astatke, The Budos Band, Lefties Soul Connection, Cody Chesnutt, Quantic Soul Orchestra, The Poets and Rhythm and more. The band found their voice and soul on their well-received debut album Seven Wisdoms of Plutonia released in October 2022, a tasty blend of smells and musical spices that included 60s and 70s Ethiopian styles and compositions, afrobeat and US style funk. One year on, the ensemble is excited to release the second collection of Alpacas tunes. From the adventurous spaces of Plutonia, from where Alpacas Collective emerged, this gang of fanatic music lovers continue their trip through new places with new friends on their upcoming second album Big Words.
When people think of Brazilian music, the first thing that comes to mind is bossa nova. But Ted Falcon, a jazz violinist, mandolinist and composer, fell in love with a different style of Brazilian music called “choro.” Falcon’s newest album, TÔ CHEGANDO-Almost There, comprises 14 original compositions that celebrate the happy, danceable, urban rhythms of choro music. Falcon plays both violin and mandolin on the album, which was recorded in São Paulo, Brazil, and Los Angeles with different bands. Falcon is not only a devotee of the music, but he also pushed its musical boundaries by introducing the violin to the mix of traditional choro instruments. He has become the premier choro violinist in the world. Although the word choro (pronounced shoru) means "cry" or "lament," the music is vibrant and cheerful. Considered the first urban popular music in Brazil, choro was born in 19th century Rio de Janeiro. Often played at informal gatherings called “rodas de choro,“ choro is characterized by the virtuosity and improvisation of its participants. Falcon is a highly accomplished musician and composer, and the music on TÔ CHEGANDO is the best of two worlds. Choro is often labeled the “jazz of Brazil.” Improvisation is at the heart of choro, and its origin is a hybrid of African, European and American musical styles. While Falcon stays true to its rich roots, he pushes the envelope and opens the music to even wider influences.
Carsten Meyer aka Erobique (born July 11, 1972 in Saerbeck, Westphalia) is a German composer, musician and entertainer who has been active for over 30 years both as a solo artist and as a member of various formations. Erobique became known above all for his solo concerts as a disco musician, which often flowed into impetuous dance parties and, since he has been around for 30 years, he has been able to attract a very heterogeneous & colorful audience from ages 6 to 60, with often two generations of a family attending concerts, and the average number of spectators in 2022 being between 1000 to 2000. His performances have included concerts for institutions such as the Goethe Institut as well as in non-European countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Israel, China (Shanghai). In addition, there have been and still are engagements as a composer and/or theater musician at numerous German and Swiss stages (Schauspielhaus Zurich, Residenztheater Munich, Schauspiel Hannover, Thalia Hamburg, Schauspielhaus Hamburg, Kampnagel Hamburg, Deutsches Theater Berlin and many others), including collaborations with Herbert Fritsch, Stefan Pucher, Studio Braun. In addition there were composition commissions from Haus der Kunst Munich (audio guide for the ‘Gilbert & George’ retrospective), and radio plays by national German radio stations WDR and SWR. As well as his solo work, Erobique has been active in various formations, such as International Pony (with DJ Koze and Cosmic DJ), the Hamburg Spinners, ex & Erobique, Songs for Joy (yearly project at the Gorki-Theater in Berlin with Jacques and Chris Dietermann), and others.
Dario Margeli releases a new guitar-led smooth jazz song, entitled "To Be Like Water." "To Be Like Water" benefits from jazz guitar solos by Ezequiel Angeleri. This recording fits perfectly with recordings by Norman Brown, Niles, Adam Hawley, and Chris Standring. Previously, Dario Margeli achieved significant Smooth Jazz radio airplay with the 2019 recording "Suffering is optional". The song was also added to two very important smooth jazz electric guitar Spotify playlists. This means that to this day the song is getting discovered by new listeners. It has stream counts approaching a hundred thousand when adding the different versions and youtube listens. Dario trained as a musician in the 1980's, however musicianship was left behind to pursue regular office jobs. In 2011 with the availability of digital recording software and social media, Dario took interest in music again and released his first single. He releases one song a year, as he still combines music with his office work. The music is often non-aggressive and inspired by meditation, Buddhism and self-improvement.
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