Artist description Gbatokai Dakinah Jr. (bas) and Flemming "Slem" Rothaus (dr) who have been musical partners since they met while playing together in Denmark, 1994. Here the band began to crystallize, with Gbatokai and Flemming as sole performers. At any of their performances, one is effortlessly seduced by the uninhibited intimacy that animate the interaction between these players. Through dialogues of thematic improvisation, the duo displays the kind of concioussfree playfullness that develops only with deep rooted trust and maturity. These musicians offer masterful performances that arouse emotion and muscle alike, the music is both romantic and primal, invoking impressions from Erik Satie to camaroonian bikutsi. While this Euro-African duo is a full-sounding entity, they are often joined by a host of prominent players. When not recording and performing, Flemming and Gbatokai spend time exploring, travelling, meeting and interacting with musicians and friends in Asia, NY, Africa and Europe. New York, Feb. 2002

Music Style progressive freestylee hardbop dub

Musical Influences roots, hardbop, dub, world, electronic, chopin, the wailers, miles davis, rage, rhythm & sound, jan jelinek, snd

Similar Artists squarepusher, miles(bitches brew), bill laswell, pole, radiohead

Artist History Bellcafe. formed by Gbatokai Dakinah Jr. and Flemming "Slem" Rothaus who have been musical partners since they met while playing together in Denmark, 1994. Inspired by their friendship and innovative musical dialogues, they decided to move to New York to embark on musical and worldly explorations. In early 1995 they set up home on Spring Street in west soho, across the street from a modest and charming Bell Cafe. It was in this French-Maroccan setting that the band began to crystallize, with Gbatokai and Flemming as sole performers. The jam sessions quickly attracted a steady following of dedicated music lovers and musicians, who were soon packing the cafe every sunday night. The Bell Cafe Band released a live double album in 1998, have completed a studio album and are currently working on a third production. When not recording and performing, Flemming and Gbatokai spend time exploring, travelling, meeting and interacting with musicians and friends in Asia, NY, Africa and Europe. New York, Feb. 2002

Group Members Flemming "Slem" Rothaus, Gbatokai Dakinah jr, Karsh Kale, kwaku obeng, Gary Dourdan, Lasse illin'ton, Emilio Zef China, Kirk Douglas,

Instruments drums, bass, rhodes, b3, tabla, sitar, bass clarinet, moog, guitar, trombone

Albums The Bell-bootleg (yikes! rec,us), BellCafe-mermaide milk (BMG,DK)

Press Reviews The Bell, Bootleg (shaktimedia@earthlink.net) The first place I’m hitting when I go to New York will be The Bell Cafe, a performance every Sunday night of live music performed by some of the most eclectic & talented musicians in the pool. Individually, the members spend their time in the studio & on tour with national & international acts in as wide an array of styles as is humanly possible. Together, they cull from these genres to create a mix that’s at once funk, jazz, folk, ambient, trip hop & more, resulting in grade A world pop. You can dance to it. You can relax to it. You can get jiggy wid it. Bootleg is a double treat, double-disc set of their live show that seamlessly blends 16 tracks at 2 ½ hours of music of the mind, body & lotsa soul. On disc one, you’ll hear Marleyesque reggae & Zeppelin-induced rock experiments. Disc two starts you off with Pink Floyd meanderings ("Run Like Hell") set against a wall of didgeridoo. (In fact, these guys hit you with double didge action). By track 3, you think you’re at a jam session with Hendrix. Miles Davis-inspired improv brings it all together. In short: extremely talented, extremely experimental, extremely happening. -BB

Additional Info Check out the website - www.bellband.com - for further info, music and video. Cutting, visuals and website by Andreas Hesse andreas@konstruktart.com

Location New York, New York - USA

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