Pangea Worldbeat w/ The Brighton Beat | EMEFE

Pangea Worldbeat is a visionary, genre-bending ensemble based out of the Nest Arts Factory in Bridgeport, CT. Pangea boldly explores the boundaries of music, blending diverse global influences into a captivating, body-enveloping groove. The collective includes: Kris Studebaker, Seny Tatchol Camara, Will Diaz, Mike Rachinsky, Jeff Wickun, Georgios Giannios, and Nicholas Yost.​ Pangea has shared the stage with renowned ensembles such as ARMO, The Polyrhythmics, and Grammy-nominated musician Cimafunk.

A unique and engaging spectacle for all ages; The Brighton Beat's influences range from Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, to modern cutting-edge NYC Jazz with a heavy helping of classic New Orleans brass band Funk. Performing up and down the East coast since 2010, the band has developed a style of performance that uniquely engages the audience and is fun for the whole family. Positive, uplifting, danceable music is a trademark of The Brighton Beat sound. Instrumental songs that feature room for the horn section to improvise anchor the band's set, but the show often includes guest vocalists, audience participation, group sing-a-longs and even the occasional circus act.

An inscription on the new EMEFE vinyl record reads: “This album is for you - our listeners - thank you for inspiring us to keep moving forward.” EMEFE has developed a loyal-turned-fervent following since their first EP release in 2010, when they were classmates in NYC jazz programs, hungry to revel in the joy of musicmaking together. They yearned to express as individuals and connect as a whole, free of judgment and focused on fun; 15 years later, their new album shows that their initial mission remains exactly the same. Through 10 energetic and inspired tracks, FORWARD exhibits a tight knit group of longtime friends seasoned in accessing that musical joy together. “We just flip a switch, and boom, we’re locked in - it’s a level of connection we don’t take for granted” says bandleader Miles Francis, whose Manhattan basement served both as the sole recording studio for their new album and the site of their very first rehearsals in the early days. At their legendary live shows, as cathartic and potent as ever, the crowd is made up of both longtime followers and many who just discovered them online in the last few years.