Zapp (exterior gallery entrance) formed 1977 Dayton, Ohio Thomas Troutman, Dale DeGroat, Ronald Frost, Anthony Arrington, Terry Troutman, Bart Thomas, Lester Troutman Original line up Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman, Terry Troutman, Bobby Glover, Gregory Jackson, Sherman Fleetwood, Jerome Derrickson, Eddie Barber, Jannetta Boyce. Formed by multi-instrumentalist and electro-funk pioneer Roger Troutman (1951-1999) Zapp’s unique sound has been sampled over 600 times influencing artists like Prince, Teddy Riley, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G and Kendrick Lamar Associated Styles Electro-funk, funk, r&b, soul Influences & Project Connections Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Jimi Hendrix, George Clinton, Parliament Funkadelic, Sun Ra Arkestra, Larry Graham, Public Enemy, EPMD, Redman, Method Man, Jungle Brothers, Money B, IAM, Dâm-Funk, T3
SOUNDTRACK ARTISTS
The Man 2013 written by Omar Lye-Fook & D Fridell London, UK
Masterplan 1990 written by Barrie K. Sharpe & Diana Brown London, UK
Goin’ to See My Baby 1972 written by Bill Curtis, Johnny Flippin, Johnny King
Soul singer Omar Lye-Fook’s album There’s Nothing Like This helped define the sound of UK soul music in the 1990’s. He has collaborated extensively in the UK and US with both hip hop and soul artists such as Guru, Erykah Badu and Leon Ware
Dj’s Barrie K. Sharpe and Lascelles Gordon introduced early 70’s funk to a brand new audience at London’s famous WAG Club (Black Market Night) in 1984, establishing the rare groove scene and influencing artists such as Norman Jay, Femi Fem and The Brand New Heavies
Bill Curtis and his street-funk group The Fatback Band, merged jazz with West Indie & Caribbean rhythms. Their 1979 single King Tim III (Personality Jock) is considered to be the first commercially released rap record
Inspired by James Brown’s Payback, Barrie K. Sharpe & Diana Brown’s Masterplan was considered the first Acid Jazz style hit in 1990
Bandleader, drummer, percussionist, composer, producer
Singer, songwriter, multiinstrumentalist, composer, arranger, producer Associated Styles Soul, neo soul, jazz, r&b, classical Influences & Project Connections Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Leon Ware, Roy Ayers, Fatback Band, Angie Stone, Jazzie B, Shirley Jones, Erykah Badu, Bob James, Femi Fem, Gilles Peterson, Carleen Anderson, DJ Premier, Robert Glasper
DJ, writer, producer Associated Styles Funk, acid jazz, rare groove, soul, reggae Influences & Project Connections James Brown, Norman Whitfield, Pee Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley, Fela Kuti, Bill Withers, Leon Ware, Tony Allen, Carleen Anderson, Femi Fem, The Brand New Heavies, The Rebirth, Bluey Maunick, Jazzie B, Dj Premier
Associated Styles Funk, street funk, jazz, r&b, rap, disco Influences & Project Connections Jackie Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Marlena Shaw, The Roots, Public Enemy, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Kool G Rap, Jungle Brothers, T3, Flavor Flav
Care Free #2 Live At The Babylon, 2016 Performed by Marshall Allen & The Sun Ra Arkestra
Cold Sweat 1967/ Mother Popcorn 1969 co-written by James Brown & Alfred ‘Pee Wee’ Ellis Saxophonist and funk pioneer co-wrote 26 tracks with Brown including Say it Loud- I’m Black and I’m proud and Cold Sweat in 1967, widely considered to be the first funk track. Saxophonist, composer, arranger, producer, musical director for James Brown 1965-1969 Associated Styles Jazz, funk, r&b, soul, blues Influences & Project Connections Charlie Parker, BB King, Lloyd Price Sonny Rollins, Fred Wesley, George Clinton, Redman, EPMD, KRS-One, Cypress Hill, IAM, Pete Rock, Public Enemy, T3, DJ Premier, Anderson .Paak
Backseat 2017 written by Little Simz London, UK Artist and rapper Little Simz is known for her dextrous flow and witty lyricism. Her unique sound fuses a wide range of influences from jazz, funk and soul to afrobeat and electronica. Rapper, songwriter, musician, composer, producer Associated Styles Rap, grime, hip hop, soul, experimental Influences & Project Connections Missy Ellliot, Lauryn Hill, Angie Stone, Erykah Badu, Fela Kuti, Candi Staton, Tony Allen, Mahalia, Khalid, Little Dragon, Kojey Radical, Michael Kiwanuka, The Internet
Sun Ra (1914 Alabama) was a jazz composer, bandleader, pianist, poet and Afrofuturist pioneer. Forming his musical collective ‘The Arkestra’ in the mid 1950’s, he was known for his cosmic philosophies and experimental music, including his pioneering use of electronic keyboards and the Minimoog within Jazz. Alto saxophonist Marshall Allen (1924 Kentucky) has performed almost exclusively with The Arkestra since 1958, taking over as Bandleader after Sun Ra’s death in 1993. Associated Styles Avant-garde jazz, free jazz, jazz fusion, experimental, bebop, space music Project Connections & Influence George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Tony Allen, Lonnie Liston Smith, Fred Wesley, Shuggie Otis, Roy Ayers, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Shabaka Hutchings, Gilles Peterson, Thundercat, Zapp, The Internet, Hiatus Kaiyote, Prince, Slum Village, Outkast, Sa-Ra, Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington, Esperanza Spalding, Janelle Monáe