26
Jun, 2026
Davide Pannozzo 4tet ft Etienne Stadwijk Will Lee Shawn Pelton DAVIDE PANNOZZO 4tet ft. ETIENNE STADWIJK, WILL LEE & SHAWN PELTON | Blues / Soul-Funk (IT/USA)

DAVIDE PANNOZZO 4tet ft. ETIENNE STADWIJK, WILL LEE & SHAWN PELTON | Blues / Soul-Funk (IT/USA)

DAVIDE PANNOZZO 4TET

AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE
2027 | JULY

Davide Pannozzo 4tet ft. Etienne Stadwijk, Will Lee & Shawn Pelton
Davide Pannozzo 4tet ft. Etienne Stadwijk, Will Lee & Shawn Pelton
Davide Pannozzo 4tet ft. Etienne Stadwijk, Will Lee & Shawn Pelton
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Davide Pannozzo 4tet ft. Etienne Stadwijk, Will Lee & Shawn Pelton | Blues / Soul-Funk | IT/USA

Line-up

Davide Pannozzo | guitar, vocals
George Benson, Steve Jordan, Will Lee, David Garfield, Phil Palmer, Robben Ford, Oz Noy, Carl Verheyen, Clifford Carter, Davide Rossi

Etienne Stadwijk | keyboards
Paul Simon, Maxwell, Marcus Miller, Richard Bona, Harry Belafonte, Nona Hendryx, KJ Denhert, Raul Midón, Michael Olatuja, Alicia Olatuja

Will Lee | bass, vocals
David Letterman, The Brecker Brothers, The 24th Street Band, Horace Silver, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow, George Benson, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Pat Metheny

Shawn Pelton | drums
Saturday Night Live, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Elton John, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, David Byrne, The Brecker Brothers

Style

Contemporary blues and New York soul-funk, shaped by a singing guitar voice, deep bass pocket, harmonic keyboards, and studio-grade drums.

The quartet works around the pocket: clear riffs, compact instrumental voices, disciplined improvisation, and a groove that stays physically readable.

Pannozzo’s writing becomes a high-definition live format where electric blues, jazz-fusion, and soulful song form remain connected.

Profile

Davide Pannozzo 4tet ft. Etienne Stadwijk, Will Lee & Shawn Pelton places Pannozzo’s guitar writing inside a distinctly New York rhythmic language. The sound moves between modern blues, soul-funk, and jazz-fusion: the guitar carries the melodic narrative, Stadwijk widens the harmonic frame through keyboards and counterlines, Lee turns bass into both propulsion and song, and Pelton locks the band with a dry, elastic studio-band pocket. This is not a project built on résumé display, but on balance: song forms are clear, improvisation stays conversational, dynamics breathe, and every player leaves space for the collective attack. The result is a compact live unit with the authority of major session musicians and the directness of a band that can make blues feel current without nostalgia.

Details

Davide Pannozzo | guitar, vocals. Leader of the project, Pannozzo brings a vocal guitar tone rooted in blues and filtered through jazz harmony, controlled attack, and melodic phrasing. Sources document collaborations with George Benson, Steve Jordan, Will Lee, David Garfield, Phil Palmer, Robben Ford, Oz Noy, and Carl Verheyen; Rock & Blues Muse also notes the Emergenza European Acoustic Festival 2009 and Groove Master Award 2010. Will Lee wrote in 2017 that, when hearing Pannozzo’s music, “there is something special going on.”

Etienne Stadwijk | keyboards. Stadwijk functions as the harmonic architect of the quartet: piano, keyboards, voicings, pads, and counterlines extend the guitar while keeping the groove open. A New York-based Berklee graduate, he is documented with Paul Simon, Maxwell, Marcus Miller, Richard Bona, Harry Belafonte, Nona Hendryx, and Michael Olatuja. London Jazz News described Richard Bona’s band with Stadwijk as “very tight,” highlighting “very nice solos.”

Will Lee | bass, vocals. Lee is the melodic and rhythmic center of the band: elastic lines, studio timing, backing vocals, and a feel that makes the bass both foundation and hook. LA Phil documents his work with Dreams, Horace Silver, The Brecker Brothers, The 24th Street Band, the David Letterman house bands, and more than 1,700 studio dates with artists including Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Billy Joel, Pat Metheny, James Brown, and Paul McCartney. In this quartet he supplies authority, song sense, and funk architecture.

Shawn Pelton | drums. Pelton is the dynamic engine: controlled backbeat, ghost notes, session precision, and the ability to keep blues, funk, and fusion loose without letting the pocket blur. Remo and International Musician document his long-running role with Saturday Night Live and recordings with Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Elton John, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, David Byrne, Pink, and The Brecker Brothers. His method is summarized by his own line: “the harder you work, the luckier you can be.”

Discography

Davide Pannozzo: Born Electric, A Portrait of Jimi Hendrix, Unconditional Love, Room for Joy; singles and recent releases include Be Blessed, Keep On Loving You, Love Is a Simple Thing, Without You, Once Again, Shufflin’ NYC, Christmas In New York, and The Subway Song. Unconditional Love is documented as a New York album produced by Steve Jordan and Will Lee, with contributions from Shawn Pelton and other scene musicians.

Etienne Stadwijk: Then Why?! as a single under his own name; official credits connected with Michael Olatuja’s Lagos Pepper Soup, Alicia and Michael Olatuja’s Olatuja, and Jonah David’s Waltz for Eli include Fender Rhodes, organ, keyboards, and writing. His documented discography crosses jazz, soul, gospel, world music, and contemporary vocal production.

Will Lee: OH! and Love, Gratitude & Other Distractions as solo projects; albums with The 24th Street Band including The 24th Street Band, Bokutachi, and Share Your Dreams; official discography and biographical sources also place him with Dreams, The Brecker Brothers, Horace Silver, George Benson, Chaka Khan, Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Pat Metheny, James Brown, and a long list of studio recordings.

Shawn Pelton: selected official and documented work as session drummer and band member includes Saturday Night Live, The Brecker Brothers, Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, David Byrne, Rosanne Cash, William Bell, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan-related Hank Williams tribute recordings, and many Grammy-winning or high-profile studio projects. His discography is best understood as a first-call session and live-TV body of work rather than a leader catalogue.

Quotes

“There are very few artists these days that can inspire and are filled with inspiration and great ideas, Davide Pannozzo is one of them. When you first hear his music, you know there is something special going on…” — Will Lee; bassist and producer, quoted in Music Republic Magazine’s review of Unconditional Love; Music Republic Magazine; 2017-10-19; https://musicrepublicmagazine.com/2017/10/davide-pannozzo-unconditional-love-unconditional-love-global-publishing-19th-october-2017/

“Tone just drips from Davide’s fingers.” — Carl Verheyen; guitarist and session musician, quoted in Music Republic Magazine’s review of Unconditional Love; Music Republic Magazine; 2017-10-19; https://musicrepublicmagazine.com/2017/10/davide-pannozzo-unconditional-love-unconditional-love-global-publishing-19th-october-2017/

“As soon as the Beatles showed up on the Ed Sullivan Show, I knew what I wanted to do.” — Will Lee; interview by Jon Liebman; For Bass Players Only; 2010-05-31; https://forbassplayersonly.com/interview-will-lee/

“The band was very tight, with very nice solos from Greeblatt and Stadwjik.” — Maciek Pysz; live review of Richard Bona Group; London Jazz News; 2013-10-08; https://londonjazznews.com/2013/10/08/review-richard-bona-at-pizza-expres/

“Injustice of any kind is something that affects me deeply on many levels.” — Etienne Stadwijk; statement on Then Why?!; BroadwayWorld; 2020-06-22; https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Multi-Instrumentalist-and-Producer-Etienne-Stadwijk-Releases-a-Powerful-Response-to-the-Current-Social-Climate-20200622

“They say the harder you work, the luckier you can be.” — Shawn Pelton; profile-interview The Ultimate Union Gig: Live from New York on a Saturday Night; International Musician; 2024-09-01; https://internationalmusician.org/shawn-pelton/

Reviews

Davide Pannozzo: Unconditional Love (Unconditional Love Global Publishing) 19th October 2017 — Music Republic Magazine; Simon Redley; 2017-10-19;
https://musicrepublicmagazine.com/2017/10/davide-pannozzo-unconditional-love-unconditional-love-global-publishing-19th-october-2017/
A 5/5 review presenting Unconditional Love as a New York-recorded album around blues, fusion, and soul feel, with Steve Jordan and Will Lee as producers/players. The article highlights Pannozzo’s tone, writing, and the presence of Will Lee and Shawn Pelton in the album sound.

Celebrated Guitarist Davide Pannozzo Releases New Single “Be Blessed” — Rock & Blues Muse; Martine Ehrenclou; 2022-07-07;
https://rockandbluesmuse.com/2022/07/07/celebrated-guitarist-davide-pannozzo-releases-new-single-be-blessed/
Article on Be Blessed, produced by Steve Jordan and featuring Will Lee on bass, Clifford Carter on keyboards, and Davide Rossi on strings. It also reconstructs Pannozzo’s path through awards, EmArcy/Universal releases, and international collaborations.

Review: Richard Bona at Pizza Expres — London Jazz News; Maciek Pysz; 2013-10-08;
https://londonjazznews.com/2013/10/08/review-richard-bona-at-pizza-expres/
Live review of Richard Bona’s quartet with Etienne Stadwijk on keyboards and piano. It praises the tightness of the band and Stadwijk’s solos, useful for positioning him as a keyboardist who can support groove and improvisation at the same time.

Will Lee talks life after Letterman — For Bass Players Only; Jon Liebman; 2021-10-25;
https://forbassplayersonly.com/will-lee/
Interview-article revisiting Will Lee’s career after the Late Show, with references to Horace Silver, The Brecker Brothers, Billy Cobham, David Bowie, James Brown, Robben Ford, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow, and his solo work.

The Ultimate Union Gig: Live from New York on a Saturday Night — International Musician; IM; 2024-09-01;
https://internationalmusician.org/shawn-pelton/
Profile on Shawn Pelton and his role in the Saturday Night Live band, focused on discipline, versatility, live television pressure, and session-musician survival skills. It frames his drumming as a balance of flexibility, groove culture, and broadcast precision.

#269 Shawn Pelton- Drummer for SNL, Sheryl Crow, Session Great, and More! — Discussions in Percussion; Damon Grant; 2022-02-23;
https://www.discussionsinpercussion.com/home/2022/2/22/269-shawn-pelton-drummer-for-snl-sheryl-crow-john-eddie-and-more
Podcast-interview covering Pelton’s SNL work, session career, programming skills, Live From Daryl’s House, CBS Orchestra substitutions, and recordings with Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Billy Joel, David Byrne, and Grammy-winning albums.

Reviewed: Jonah David | Adrian Galante | Mingus — Jazz Journal; John White; 2025-06-11;
https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2025/06/11/reviewed-jonah-david-adrian-galante-mingus/
Review that includes Jonah David’s Waltz for Eli, a project documenting Etienne Stadwijk on keyboards and in the writing credits. It helps support his profile as a harmonic and textural player in contemporary jazz contexts.

25
Jun, 2026
ANDY JAMES & JON COWHERD ALL STAR ft. John Patitucci & Vinnie Colaiuta

ANDY JAMES & JON COWHERD ALL STAR ft. JOHN PATITUCCI & VINNIE COLAIUTA | Standard/Latin Jazz (USA)

ANDY JAMES & JON COWHERD ALL STAR
ft. JOHN PATITUCCI & VINNIE COLAIUTA

AVAILABILITY

2026/2027 | TBD
AndyJamesJonCowherdAllStarftJOHNPATITUCCIVINNIECOLAIUTA ANDY JAMES & JON COWHERD ALL STAR ft. JOHN PATITUCCI & VINNIE COLAIUTA | Standard/Latin Jazz (USA)
AndyJamesJonCowherdAllStarftJOHNPATITUCCIVINNIECOLAIUTA ANDY JAMES & JON COWHERD ALL STAR ft. JOHN PATITUCCI & VINNIE COLAIUTA | Standard/Latin Jazz (USA)
AndyJamesJonCowherdAllStarftJOHNPATITUCCIVINNIECOLAIUTA
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Line-up

Andy James | vocals, baile
John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, Chris Potter, John Beasley, Nicholas Payton, Terell Stafford, Bill Cunliffe

Jon Cowherd | piano
Brian Blade, Joni Mitchell, Cassandra Wilson, Lizz Wright, John Patitucci, Chris Potter, Norah Jones, Brandi Carlile, John Scofield, Rosanne Cash

Juan Antonio Suárez “Canito” | flamenco guitar
Sara Baras, Niña Pastori, Miguel Poveda, Joaquín Grilo, Rocío Molina, Andrés Marín, Rocío Márquez, Manuela Carrasco, Merche Esmeralda, Belén Maya

John Ellis | saxophone
Charlie Hunter, Robert Glasper, Darcy James Argue, Helen Sung, Kendrick Scott Oracle, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Sting, John Patitucci, Miguel Zenón, The Holmes Brothers

John Patitucci | bass
Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, George Benson, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Joni Mitchell

Vinnie Colaiuta | drums
Frank Zappa, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Jeff Beck, Faith Hill, Megadeth, Gino Vannelli, Barbra Streisand

Alex Acuña | percussion
Weather Report, Pérez Prado, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, U2, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Corea, Santana

Style

Standards and Latin jazz are reframed through flamenco compás, narrative vocal phrasing and a rhythm section built on exceptional dynamic control.
Jon Cowherd’s piano opens modern harmonic space, while bass, drums and percussion build an elastic pulse across swing, song form and Afro-Latin accents.
The presence of baile and flamenco guitar turns the project into a physical, timbral and collective language, closer to interplay than to a simple fusion of genres.

Profile

Andy James & Jon Cowherd All Star ft. John Patitucci & Vinnie Colaiuta is conceived as a meeting point between jazz voice, baile, contemporary pianism and an international rhythm section of the highest order. Andy James brings a dual identity to the project: a singer connected to standards, ballads and Latin repertoire, and a performer shaped by the rhythmic body of flamenco. Jon Cowherd steers the ensemble toward an open, lyrical and harmonically mobile sound in which the song becomes a field of conversation. With John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, Alex Acuña, John Ellis and Canito, the band builds a credible bridge between New York jazz, Andalusian compás, Afro-Latin groove and chamber-like sensitivity.

Details

Andy James | vocals, baile. Co-leader of the project, she works with the voice as a narrative and timbral center, but with a physical presence rooted in her career as a flamenco bailaora. Her recent discography for Le Coq Records connects her with John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, Chris Potter, John Beasley, Terell Stafford, Bill Cunliffe, Jon Cowherd and Alex Acuña. In “An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James” she says she wanted to create “a listening experience of serene pleasure,” a useful key to her idea of elegance, breath and communication.

Jon Cowherd | piano. Co-leader and harmonic architect, he brings together jazz language, gospel voicings, modern lyricism and the sensitivity of an arranger. He is co-founder, with Brian Blade, of the Fellowship Band and has worked with Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson, Lizz Wright, Brandi Carlile, John Scofield, John Patitucci and Chris Potter. His function in the project is to give harmonic depth to the song form while keeping the rhythmic dialogue open with voice, bass and drums.

Juan Antonio Suárez “Canito” | flamenco guitar. A guitarist and composer linked to the Gitano roots of Extremadura, he brings compás, rasgueado, internal pulse and the memory of baile into the project. He has accompanied Sara Baras, Niña Pastori, Miguel Poveda, Joaquín Grilo, Rocío Molina, Andrés Marín, Rocío Márquez, Manuela Carrasco and Belén Maya. His role is to make flamenco a living grammar inside the ensemble, not an ornamental color.

John Ellis | saxophone. A tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist with a strong identity between New Orleans, post-bop, funk and narrative writing. He has recorded and collaborated with Charlie Hunter, Robert Glasper, Darcy James Argue, Helen Sung, Kendrick Scott Oracle, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Sting and John Patitucci, while developing leader projects including Double-Wide, “MOBRO” and “The Ice Siren.” In the group he acts as a melodic voice connecting song form, improvisation and groove.

John Patitucci | bass. Featured artist and melodic-harmonic axis of the rhythm section, he is one of the central bassists in modern jazz on both double bass and electric bass. His history runs through Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, George Benson, Dizzy Gillespie, Sting, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt. In the project he offers depth, intonation, an orchestral sense of the low register and the ability to move across jazz, Latin and flamenco-jazz contexts.

Vinnie Colaiuta | drums. Featured artist and rhythmic engine, able to move from extreme metric control to a deeply singing groove. His trajectory includes Frank Zappa, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Jeff Beck, Faith Hill, Megadeth and Gino Vannelli. In this project his drumming is not only virtuosity: it is precision of accent, management of time and listening to form.

Alex Acuña | percussion. A Peruvian percussionist and drummer, formerly of Weather Report and later a session player across jazz, pop, film and world music contexts. He has worked with Pérez Prado, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, U2, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Corea and Santana. In the ensemble he broadens the rhythmic field through Afro-Latin colors, percussive textures and a melodic sense of time.

Discography

Andy James: “Tu Amor” (2021), “An Evening with Andy James & John Patitucci” (2021), “Rhythm in New York” (2022), “Let Me See Your Heart” (2024), “Happy People” (2025), “The Architect of My Blues” (2025).

Jon Cowherd: “Mercy” (ArtistShare/Blue Note, 2012), “Gateway” (Newvelle, 2017), “Pride and Joy” with The Jon Cowherd Trio (Le Coq Records, 2022), plus work with Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band including “Landmarks” (2014) and “Body and Shadow” (2017); credits as producer, arranger and musician on “Joni 75” (2019).

Juan Antonio Suárez “Canito”: “Son de Ayer” (2008), recordings with Rafael Jiménez “Falo” on “Cante Gitano”, participation in Gerardo Núñez’s “La nueva escuela de guitarra flamenca”, “Flamenco Crossover” with Ensemble Hispánico Numen, and collaboration with Rocío Márquez on “Visto en el Jueves” (2019).

John Ellis: “Language of Love” (1996), “Roots, Branches and Leaves” (2002), “One Foot in the Swamp” (2005), “By a Thread” (2006), “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow” (2008), “Puppet Mischief” (2010), “MOBRO” (2014), “Charm” (2015), “The Ice Siren” (2020), “Bizet: Carmen in Jazz” (2023), “Heroes” (2025), “Fireball” (2026).

John Patitucci: “John Patitucci” (1987), “On the Corner” (1989), “Heart of the Bass” (1991), “One More Angel” (1997), “Songs, Stories and Spirituals” (2003), “Line by Line” (2006), “Remembrance” (2009), “Brooklyn” (2015), “Soul of the Bass” (2019), plus recordings with Chick Corea Elektric Band, Chick Corea Akoustic Band, Wayne Shorter Quartet and “TRIO” with Bill Cunliffe and Vinnie Colaiuta.

Vinnie Colaiuta: “Vinnie Colaiuta” (1994), “Descent into Madness” (2018), “Mother’s Milk” (2021), work with Jing Chi including “Jing Chi” (2002), “Jing Chi Live at Yoshi’s” (2003), “3D” (2004) and “Supremo” (2017), plus major recordings with Frank Zappa, Sting, Joni Mitchell and Jeff Beck.

Alex Acuña: Weather Report’s “Black Market” (1976) and “Heavy Weather” (1977), Alex Acuña & The Unknowns, “Thinking of You”, “Gifts” (Le Coq Records, 2022), plus extensive credits as a drummer and percussionist in jazz, pop, soundtracks and international productions.

Quotes

“I wanted people to just sit back and enjoy a listening experience of serene pleasure.” — Andy James; statement on “An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James”; DL Media Music; 2021-11-05; https://dlmediamusic.com/press-releases/available-now-john-patitucci-and-andy-james-an-evening-with-john-patitucci-andy-james/

“Our first conversation really was with music, before it became language.” — Jon Cowherd; recollection of first musical encounter with Brian Blade; official Jon Cowherd website; date not indicated; https://www.joncowherd.com/about

“I love collaborating with other people.” — Jon Cowherd; statement on work with artists and singers from different areas; official Jon Cowherd website; date not indicated; https://www.joncowherd.com/about

“You can be free within the limits of flamenco.” — Juan Antonio Suárez “Canito”; interview by Manuel Moraga; DeFlamenco; 2008-01-09; https://www.deflamenco.com/revista/entrevistas/interview-with-jose-antonio-suarez-cano-1.html

“No me gusta contar lo mismo que ya contaron otros.” — Juan Antonio Suárez “Canito”; interview on tradition and freedom in flamenco; Canal Sur Media; 2020-10-23; https://www.canalsur.es/noticias/andalucia/sevilla/canito-flamenco-libre-e-insurrecto_1_1115064.html

“It was therapy.” — John Ellis; statement to Leo Sidran on writing, survival and creativity; WBGO; 2026-04-13; https://www.wbgo.org/podcast/art-of-the-story/2026-04-13/celebrating-john-ellis-on-his-birthday

“It’s very healing and therapeutic… to have music… for people’s psyche and soul.” — John Ellis; statement reported by Leo Sidran; WBGO; 2026-04-13; https://www.wbgo.org/podcast/art-of-the-story/2026-04-13/celebrating-john-ellis-on-his-birthday

“I wanted to be able to play both my instruments, and then to experiment with everything, all the different kinds of grooves and even classical music.” — John Patitucci; interview with DownBeat after Chick Corea’s death; DownBeat; 2021-03-26; https://downbeat.com/news/detail/john-patituccis-sustained-intensity

“It was very liberating.” — John Patitucci; statement on “Soul of the Bass”; DownBeat; 2021-03-26; https://downbeat.com/news/detail/john-patituccis-sustained-intensity

“These guys can play more than one style.” — Alex Acuña; statement on the musicians of “Gifts”; Le Coq Records/Bandcamp; 2022-09-23; https://lecoqrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gifts

“The music is my star.” — Alex Acuña; statement on the musical focus of “Gifts”; Le Coq Records/Bandcamp; 2022-09-23; https://lecoqrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gifts

“I call this album Gifts because God gave me this music.” — Alex Acuña; interview “Overdue Ovation: Alex Acuña”; JazzTimes; 2022-09-01; https://jazztimes.com/features/profiles/overdue-ovation-alex-acuna/

Reviews

Andy James Rhythm in New York — Making A Scene!; Jim Hynes; 2022-04-16;
https://www.makingascene.org/andy-james-rhythm-in-new-york/
The article presents “Rhythm in New York” as an album built between standards and originals, with a high-level line-up and a vocal approach based not on belting but on control, romantic restraint, Brazilian and Cuban shades and West Coast color.

Andy James – Let Me See Your Heart (ENG review) — Paris Move; author not indicated on page; 2024-06-30;
https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/andy-james-let-me-see-your-heart-eng-review/
The review highlights the album’s musical quality and the presence of musicians including John Beasley, Jon Cowherd, Nate Smith, Chico Pinheiro, Ronnie Foster and John Ellis, calling the arrangements and music “absolutely sublime”.

Jon Cowherd Trio – Pride and Joy — JazzTrail; Filipe Freitas; 2022-08-23;
https://jazztrail.net/blog/jon-cowherd-trio-pride-and-joy-album-review
The review presents Cowherd as a pianist and composer with a fluid and sincere language, highlighting the trio’s chemistry with John Patitucci and Brian Blade and the contributions of Chris Potter and Alex Acuña.

Jon Cowherd Trio – ‘Pride and Joy’ (2022) — Something Else!; S. Victor Aaron; 2022-08-26;
https://somethingelsereviews.com/2022/08/26/jon-cowherd-trio-pride-and-joy/
The article places “Pride and Joy” within Cowherd’s personal and musical history, valuing the trio’s solidity, the relationship with Brian Blade and Patitucci’s role as rhythmic and melodic interlocutor.

John Patitucci’s Sustained Intensity — DownBeat; author not indicated on page; 2021-03-26;
https://downbeat.com/news/detail/john-patituccis-sustained-intensity
The profile reconstructs Patitucci’s centrality between Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter and the Le Coq catalog, including perspectives on his versatility, listening and ability to support any context.

Overdue Ovation: Alex Acuña — JazzTimes; A.D. Amorosi; 2022-09-01, updated 2024-05-20;
https://jazztimes.com/features/profiles/overdue-ovation-alex-acuna/
The profile connects “Gifts” to Acuña’s history, the Weather Report period, his Peruvian background and his idea of music as a gift, emphasizing the continuity between spirituality, groove and composition.

Celebrating John Ellis on his birthday — WBGO; Leo Sidran; 2026-04-13;
https://www.wbgo.org/podcast/art-of-the-story/2026-04-13/celebrating-john-ellis-on-his-birthday
The radio portrait describes Ellis’s sound as immediately recognizable, welcoming and personal, presenting him as a generous sideman and as an artist with an autonomous path through Double-Wide and narrative projects.

Interview with José Antonio Suárez, CANO ‘Son de Ayer’ — DeFlamenco; Manuel Moraga; 2008-01-09;
https://www.deflamenco.com/revista/entrevistas/interview-with-jose-antonio-suarez-cano-1.html
The interview identifies Canito as one of the most interesting musicians in contemporary flamenco and presents “Son de Ayer” as a personal, mature and unconventional work born from a long creative process.

‘Canito’, un flamenco libre e insurrecto — Canal Sur Media; author not indicated on page; 2020-10-23;
https://www.canalsur.es/noticias/andalucia/sevilla/canito-flamenco-libre-e-insurrecto_1_1115064.html
The article frames Canito as an artist rooted in tradition but free of barriers, emphasizing his attitude toward not repeating codified formulas and his openness to a personal flamenco search.

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BOOKING REQUEST
7
Mar, 2026
Mikah Maquá | IndiePop/Rock (NL)

Mikah Maquá | Quirky Alt-Pop Rock (NL)

Mikah Maquá

Quirky Alt-Pop Rock | NL

AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE

2026-2027 | July 1st, 2026 to December 31st, 2027

Line-up

Mikah Maquá | Voice
Fay Arapatsani | Drums
Federica Fornaro | Guitar
SiYu Liu | Keys

Shortly about Mikah

Mikah Maquá stands out for her sharp songwriting, turning vulnerability, irony and neurodivergent self-awareness into catchy, emotionally direct indie-pop. A two-time finalist of the European Music Contest in the singer-songwriter category (2018 and 2021), she was also selected for the Hedon Beurs 2025 development trajectory. In 2026 she released her debut EP people pleaser with support from Music Support Overijssel, confirming her as a rising voice with both personality and momentum.

Style

Confessional indie-pop with the nerve of alt-rock and the bounce of spring-loaded guitars. Retro-leaning keys and sharp backbeats keep the songs moving between irony, tension, and release. The band DNA is intimate but not soft: melodic, emotionally direct, and built for dynamic live lift.

Profile

Mikah Maquá sits where diaristic indie-pop meets wiry alternative rock. The center of gravity is a voice-first songwriting identity shaped by confession, irony, and emotional overshare, then pushed outward by a rhythm section that favors momentum over polish and by guitar work with a rougher art-rock edge. Fay Arapatsani brings physicality and dark-toned dynamic contrast from an art-pop and heavy-alt background; Federica Fornaro widens the harmonic field with psych, prog, and jazz-adjacent color, adding grain, tension, and movement rather than decorative texture. With keys functioning as both glue and counterpoint, the project lands in a sweet spot between catchy hooks and nervous energy: retro synth flashes, springy riffs, abrupt emotional pivots, and a live interplay that turns vulnerability into impact.

Details

Mikah Maquá
Dutch-Canadian singer-songwriter Maaike Girardin fronts the project with a writing voice built on self-exposure, humor, and emotional contradiction. Public profiles consistently frame the material around neurodivergence, people-pleasing, awkward love stories, and revenge-fantasy wit, but the songs stay hook-led rather than purely confessional. Production and release history point to a collaborative studio axis with Lennert Klaui, giving the project a polished but still elastic alt-pop frame. Live, the material is built to scale from intimate confession to sharp collective lift.

“Her relatable yet catchy pop songs let vulnerability collide with brutality.” (Hedon Zwolle event text, 2026-01-22)

Fay Arapatsani
Athens-born and based in Utrecht, Fay Arapatsani brings a drummer-songwriter sensibility that favors weight, contour, and dramatic pacing. Her public bio maps a path from early piano study into drums, composition, and darker art-pop writing, with threads of ethnic jazz, pop, fusion, and electronics. That background translates well inside Mikah Maquá’s frame: she can support hook-based material while adding urgency, asymmetry, and a harder emotional undercurrent.

“The Greek artist carries the set with her powerful rock voice, which she can take impressively high.” (Rogier van Nierop, 3voor12 Leiden, 2025-12-23)

Federica Fornaro
Federica Fornaro adds the project’s rougher guitar grain. Her documented work with Basiliscus P points to a player comfortable with psych rock, prog structures, 1990s alternative edges, and jazz-adjacent openness, which makes her especially useful in a band that needs songs to move beyond pure singer-songwriter framing. She is less about ornamental lead lines than about shape, texture, and expansion: widening choruses, introducing friction, and giving hooks a more physical body.

“A talented and eclectic Messina band.” (Nadia Cornetti, Off Topic Magazine, 2022-12-21)

SiYu Liu
SiYu Liu is the keys chair in this lineup. In band-DNA terms, the role is important: keys soften transitions, reinforce hooks, and connect the project’s retro-pop sheen to its more nervous rock edge. Public-facing January 2026 band posts identify the keys position as Sharon Liu under the handle @cactusinpoppy, so this profile keeps the role in the lineup while avoiding unverified biographical or discographic claims beyond its ensemble function.

 

Biography

Mikah Maquá is the project of Dutch-Canadian songwriter Maaike Girardin, building songs around awkward honesty, pop immediacy, and emotional whiplash. Public-facing bios and event texts consistently frame the act as a mix of retro synths, springy guitars, and catchy songwriting that turns vulnerability, humor, and instability into hooks built for the stage rather than the diary page.

Discography

Mikah Maquá
Singles: something to remember (2025), wish you were dead (2025), ADHD (mental break-up) (2025), someone else (2026), HELLO?! (2026). EP: people pleaser (2026).

Fay Arapatsani
Single: Hardpill (2024). EP: will I go under (2024). With Amalphi: album Acheron I (2019), EP Valley – Serpent – Womb (2023).

Federica Fornaro
With Basiliscus P: album Placenta (2017), singles Urban Safari (2022) and Magenta (2022), album Spuma (2022). Feature: Giadar, Mirror in the Mirror feat. Federica Fornaro (2022). Additional credited appearance: La Stanza della Nonna, Dove gli occhi non possono arrivare (2019).

SiYu Liu
No public discography could be independently verified under the supplied name.

Quotes

  • “Her relatable yet catchy pop songs let vulnerability collide with brutality.” Hedon Zwolle, 2026-01-22
  • “The Dutch-Canadian artist makes a mix of retro synths, springy guitars and catchy pop songs.” Poppunt Overijssel, 2026-01-22
  • “This band has the most unique sound of the evening.” Rogier van Nierop, 3voor12 Leiden, 2025-12-23
  • “The Greek artist carries the set with her powerful rock voice, which she can take impressively high.” Rogier van Nierop, 3voor12 Leiden, 2025-12-23
  • “A talented and eclectic Messina band.” Nadia Cornetti, Off Topic Magazine, 2022-12-21
  • “A more mature, experimental, complex and enveloping sound.” Laura Lipari, LetteraEmme, 2022-10-13

Reviews

  • Mikah Maquá brengt met hulp van MSO debuut EP uit – Poppunt Overijssel – 2026-01-20 – https://poppuntoverijssel.nl/mikah-maqua-brengt-met-hulp-van-mso-debuut-ep-uit/
  • Van zangles in De Meerpaal naar eigen muziek: Mikah Maquá’s muzikale reis – FlevoPost – 2025-12-24 – https://flevopost.nl/dronten/van-zangles-in-de-meerpaal-naar-eigen-muziek-mikah-maqua-s-muzikale-reis-47898303.html
  • MIKAH MAQUÁ – Hedon Zwolle – 2026-01-22 – https://www.hedon-zwolle.nl/voorstelling/32766/mikah-maqua
  • Formula Indie Schedule 5th to 11st January 2026 – European Indie Music Network – 2026-01-05 – https://euroindiemusic.info/2026/01/05/formula-indie-schedule-5th-to-11st-january-2026/
  • Euro Indie Music Chart 3.26 – European Indie Music Network – 2026-01-27 – https://euroindiemusic.info/2026/01/27/euro-indie-music-chart-3-26/
  • Douze points voor Griekenland – 3voor12 Leiden | Rogier van Nierop – 2025-12-23 – https://3voor12.vpro.nl/lokaal/leiden/artikelen/overzicht/2025/december/Nobel-Award-2025-finale.html
  • Basiliscus P – Spuma (Tuma Records/The Orchard, 2022) – Off Topic Magazine | Nadia Cornetti – 2022-12-21 – https://offtopicmagazine.net/2022/12/21/basiliscus-p-spuma/
  • Urban Safari: il nuovo singolo dei Basiliscus P in uscita il 13 ottobre 2022 – LetteraEmme | Laura Lipari – 2022-10-13 – https://www.letteraemme.it/urban-safari-il-nuovo-singolo-dei-basiliscus-p-in-uscita-il-13-ottobre-2022/
  • Interview – Basiliscus P – Indie-Roccia | Smoking Area – 2022-09-08 – https://www.indie-roccia.it/interviste/interview-basiliscus-p/
WHAT’S GOING ON

https://www.coralriff.biz/events/

BOOKING REQUEST

13
Jan, 2024
Daraa Tribes

DARAA TRIBES | Tribal Fusion & Saharan Blues (MA)

DARAA TRIBES Tribal Fusion & Saharan Blues (MA)

SANDS 8 1 DARAA TRIBES | Tribal Fusion & Saharan Blues (MA)
SANDS 8 1 DARAA TRIBES | Tribal Fusion & Saharan Blues (MA)
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Line-up

Rachid Berazougui | Electric guitar, vocals
Playing For Change (Live Outside); international festival circuits (EU/UK/NA)

Mustapha Aqermim | Rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Collective songwriting; linguistic/organizational bridge in international collaborations

Abdelkebir Saadi | Bass, backing vocals
Grounding rhythm section between Regaga and desert‑blues groove; full‑band live set

Abdelhafid “Hafid” Ami | Percussion (cajón/krakebs), backing vocals
Polyrhythms and ritual patterns (Lkaaba) integrated into an electric set

Mohamed Sabir | Drums
Drummer in the band’s amplified live configuration; adds a more driving full-kit pulse to the groove

Balkhir Razgui | Vocals, percussion (founder, in memoriam)
Founding voice of the project (2014–2024)

Style

Tribal Fusion and Saharan Blues from the palm groves of Tagounite: desert‑guitar riffs, trance percussion and call‑and‑response that turn the stage into a shared rite.

Profile

Daraa Tribes formed in 2014 in Tagounite, an oasis town in Morocco’s Draa Valley: a group of friends from different tribes translating their home’s coexistence into sound. Their “blues of the desert” intertwines Gnawa, Sahraoui, Amazigh and Regaga idioms into a contemporary language—dry, hypnotic electric guitars, a pulsing bass, polyrhythmic percussion and multilingual chorus lines (Darija, Tamazight, Hassani). On stage the band builds by accumulation: circular grooves, minimal variation and tight interplay that draws the audience into a collective dance. After consolidating an international trajectory across festivals and clubs, Daraa Tribes have just wrapped up a UK mini‑tour (Bristol–London–Manchester), reaffirming the project’s high‑intensity live dimension.

Details 

• Rachid Berazougui writes and sings part of the repertoire with a desert‑tone electric guitar that leads the set’s hypnosis. (“Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of sound that is the heartbeat of Daraa Tribes.” Playing For Change, 2025-04-01)

• Mustapha Aqermim is a rhythmic and narrative engine: the band’s identity grew “in a circle,” without hierarchy, from sharing traditions. (“We didn’t plan to start a band. We just started playing together…” Matt Ross, Arab News, 2020-08-16)

• UK mini‑tour (just concluded): Jam Jar (Bristol, 2026-01-03), Hootananny (Brixton, 2026-01-07), Band on the Wall (Manchester, 2026-01-11).

• Sound imprint: desert‑guitar groove with a Gnawa edge—a writing approach that stays danceable even at its most ritual. (“…incorporate their Moroccan roots into a lilting groove… the edge of the North African Gnawa sounds.” Tony Benjamin, Bristol24/7, 2026-01-02)

Discography

  • Alwan (EP, 2017)

  • Igharman (LP, 2018)

  • Zamane (EP, 2019)

  • Lakbayl (single, 2021)

  • Sahara (single, 2022)

  • Torat Vol. 1 (EP, 2024)

MUSIC REVIEWS

Listening Now : Daraa Tribes – Bshara | 2024-02-02
https://lastdaydeaf.com/listening-now-daraa-tribes-bshara/

Torat Vol. 1, au fil du nouvel EP des Daraa Tribes | 2024-01-29
https://djolo.net/torat-vol-1-au-fil-nouvel-ep-daraa-tribes/

BSHARA REVIEW: The Vitality of North African Pastoral Life | 2024-01-25
https://music.coralriff.biz/bshara-vitality-north-african-pastoral-life/

Daraa Tribes Evoke the Vitality of North African Pastoral Life in the Traditional and Saharan Blues Fusion of “Bshara” | 2024-01-24
https://queencitysoundsandart.wordpress.com/2024/01/24/daraa-tribes-evoke-the-vitality-of-north-african-pastoral-life-in-the-traditional-and-saharan-blues-fusion-of-bshara/

Daily Discovery: Daraa Tribes – Bshara | 2024-01-17
https://rhythmpassport.com/daily-discovery-daraa-tribes-bshara/

Daily Discovery: Daraa Tribes – Sahara (Official Video) | 2022-10-18
https://rhythmpassport.com/daily-discovery-daraa-tribes-sahara-official-video/

Joli moment de convivialité dans le Sahara avec la Daraa Tribes | 2022-10-10
https://djolo.net/joli-moment-convivialite-dans-sahara-avec-daraa-tribes/

LAKBAYL | BLOGS’ REVIEWS | 2021-10-17
https://music.coralriff.biz/lakbayl-blog-reviews-single-release/

Toutes les Daraa Tribes se réunissent sur Lakbayl | 2021-10-08
https://djolo.net/toutes-les-daraa-tribes-se-reunissent-sur-lakbayl/

All the Daraa Tribes meet on Lakbayl | REVIEW ON DJOLO | 2021-10-08
https://music.coralriff.biz/all-daraa-tribes-meet-lakbayl-review-on-djolo/

Globalism //4 | 2021-10-04
https://lastdaydeaf.com/globalism-4/

UltraRadar. Nueva música alternativa mundial – Octubre 2021 | 2021-10-01
https://planarteria.com/2021/10/ultraradar-nueva-musica-alternativa-mundial-octubre-2021/

Quotes 

“…incorporate their Moroccan roots into a lilting groove… the edge of the North African Gnawa sounds.”

Tony Benjamin, Bristol 24/7, 2026-01-02) — https://www.bristol247.com/culture/music/bristols-month-in-world-music-january-2026/

“We are delighted to welcome back Daraa Tribes as the celebratory closing act of our first digital festival.”

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, 2020-07-18) — https://www.arabartsfestival.com/events/daraa-tribes/

“The track… fusing ancient rhythms with contemporary flair… offering listeners a sonic journey.”

Last Day Deaf, 2024-02-02 — https://lastdaydeaf.com/listening-now-daraa-tribes-bshara/

Reviews / articles / profiles

Profiles & bio

UK tour (just concluded)

Live reviews

WEBSITE

https://www.daraatribes.com/

WHAT’S GOING ON

https://www.coralriff.biz/events/

BOOKING REQUEST