B-Side

Freelance is a Harlem-based collective and band of independent leaders with an expansive sound and encyclopedic knowledge of musical genres that afford them the ability to cross-pollinate styles and manipulate melody to create an aesthetic signature uniquely their own. The band features an all-star lineup of musicians that regularly accompany Grammy Award winning artists such as Ro

With six solo releases in 12 years, Johnson is taking another leap of faith, but this time it’s for no one but herself. Choosing to mine the spirit, energy, and deceptively simpler musicality of songs from the 1970s and ‘80s, the silver and bronze eras of the music she loves most, Johnson only tackles one cover, Teena Marie’s “Déjà vu,” here with the renown Onaje Allan

Binky Griptite is best known for being the guitarist for the legendary Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Having taken a break from music after the passing of Jones, Binky is back with his new band, The Binky Griptite Orchestra. •••• The B-Side Podcast is produced by Charlie Hoxie, Kecia Cole, Ro Johnson and Sachar Mathias; recorded by Onel Mulet and Steve de Seve; and edited

QNA to hip-hop is like Legos to industrial design; the possibilities are endless. QNA’s cerebral lyrics work in tandem with formidable musicianship to create music that's simultaneously explorative and traditional. Its members have been under the mentorship of luminaries such as John Pattitucci, John Abercrombie, and The Last Poets. Building on the precedents set by their mentors

From Mt. Vernon, NY and currently based in Harlem, JP Reynolds is an incredibly unique hip-hop artist on another level speaking life with music. With a message of Peace and Power, his innovative sound blends jazz, gospel, funk and soul into an eclectic rap gumbo. After JP started performing with a live band he established The Peace and Power Band with the help of his music director

Shelley Nicole—the mainspring behind Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe—is simultaneously a product, a witness and architect of Black-on-Black love, a calling that has informed all of her work as a singer, writer, composer, actor, poet, musician and a healer. It is the tap root of her latest work, I Am American, a collection of songs written by her and produced by award-winning guit

Azieb is a Midwest artist, now based in Brooklyn. She has been producing music for over 10 years, using programs like Fruity Loops, Garageband, Logic, She began sharing her poetry at spoken word events in college where the beats and bars came together. Her art has evolved into several project releases such as her mixtape "Stuck" in 2012 and the pop project "Products We Love" in 201

Edson Sean is a multi-genre artist dedicated to bridging generational gaps by creating refreshingly new, yet familiar, sounds. A long-time veteran of the music scene, his career has taken him from Brooklyn to Washington, DC to the West Coast of Africa. Edson has been committed to sharpening his skills as a composer, producer and vocalist, and has worked to strengthen and connect wi

A Philadelphia native, James began his musical training in church and attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, which produced other notable acts Bilal, Boyz II Men and The Roots. Studying both vocal performance and instrumental music, James excelled as a vocalist and musician before continuing his education at Temple University majoring in jazz perfor

Tyler Blanton's Hornē Electric Band is a modern mix of funk, soul, electronic and jazz elements, presented in a unique way. Rising star vibraphonist Tyler Blanton has become known in recent years for his work with top NY musicians such Donny McCaslin, Ari Hoenig, and Nate Wood. He has received press and features in Downbeat magazine, JazzTimes, Hot House, and the NY Times. An exte