Bongo Boy TV presents The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV show series– Episode 05 Season 13 – “Work It Out”

The great thing about the Bongo Boy Rock ‘n’ Roll TV Show, one of the many great things, is that it is so full of new music and cool videos, grassroots rising stars, and already established artists that by the time you have explored, absorbed, dissected and generally squeezed every bit of goodness from one video/sonic wave, another one rolls into view/earshot. But that is the whole point; Bongo Boy sees it as their job to keep wave after wave of music rolling over their audience, fans, and followers so that never again will anyone be able to legitimately complain that there is nothing new happening in music.

This small-screen series is a return to the heady days of MTV, when videos ruled the roast and the intoxicating blend of sound and vision was at its height, especially in the TV show format. The Bongo Boy Rock n Roll TV Show has been on National TV in prime time slots on terrestrial TV channels for over a decade, with each episode bringing the best of new music from around the world and across all genres. This show Premiered on 4th June on Channel 29 in Portland, OR, USA, and was followed by heavy rotation Nationwide on 72+ TV channels in the USA.

This time out, things kick off with a very of-the-moment sound, courtesy of Simona and her song Freaks. With echoes of early naughties, R&B-infused pop, and a cutting-edge, chilled dance vibe, Simona takes mainstream music to maniacal heights, running an edge of menace and madness through her music. The result is the sound of the underground and the alternative infecting the tranquility and conformity of the mainstream equilibrium.

And as if by way of brilliant contrast and a reminder of what level of adventure and eclecticism is at work in the Bongo Boy world, June Bisantz & Alex Nakhimovsky bring us a timeless Latin beat in the form of Love’s Tango. Not only the expected lilting and infectious, swaying beat but some gorgeous sonics – violins flit fleetingly around, accordions breeze through, pianos chime charmingly, and guitars cascade seductively. Timeless.

Daffie Doc continues with something exquisite and sensual in Je re’ve de toi, a cool blend of neo-soul sonics and understated rap salvos. Their Paris location shows just how far BB will go in search of the next great song, and the deft blend of these sounds indicates just how far artists will go to try and create it. Genre and geography are no obstacle, it would seem.

Next up, The Fabulous Rudies ask us to Forget It, but how could you forget a slice of ska this vibrant, this fun, this full of life? Considering that California is better known for giving us the Frankeinstein’s Monster that was ska-punk rather than anything this authentic, this deft, this deliciously and delicately done, Forget It sounds a bit like a band trying to put the record straight. And they do, effortlessly. (Being from the UK, this sounds a lot like the Two Tone blends that the young kids of the late seventies created in the wake of punk.) Brilliant.

Professor Louie & The Crowmatix sound like a brilliant old revue band, and I mean that in the most respectful of ways. Work It Out is the hottest rock ‘n’ soul anthem you have ever heard, one part Otis Redding, one part Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. And that is one helluva combination.

Tucee gives us Sweet Mother, a gorgeous and understated slice of Afrobeat. It is a perfect multilingual, cross-cultural sound blend that combines African traditions with a Western groove. But more than anything, it is the sound of devotion and celebration, family and love turned into song. The task of playing us out goes to Arthur Jae and My Valentine, a sweet, seductive, and spacious R&B meets pop, a soulful and scintillating taste of the future.

There is always something for everyone to find in these wonderful packages, regardless of your musical preference, favorite sound, or chosen style. You may find something that is an automatic fit for you, but it will more likely be an experience defined by new discoveries and a broadening of musical horizons. That, after all, is the whole point of the show.