The irresistible acoustic groove of Golpe Tierra, which in Spanish means “beating the earth,” bases its sound on just that philosophy.  When we all come together to beat the earth with our feet and hands we are truly celebrating the act of community.  Nick Moran, Juan Tomas Martinez, Tony Barba and Richard Hildner make up this guerrilla-style ensemble employing the traditional Afro-Peruvian guitar-bass-cajón set-up and embark on a musical journey throughout Latin-America flirting with shades of soul, blues and jazz, playing original and traditional music that is sure to get you out of your seat and dance.

Please visit golpetierra.bandcamp.com to download our music and ‘like’ us on facebook.

Stay tuned for our new album and music video for ‘Golpe’ in 2017!

I have the distinct privilege of performing regularly with my extremely talented wife, Megan Moran. We are available for private parties, weddings, fundraisers, festivals and club dates. We are fans of Jazz and Soul Music but we sample a diverse roster of artists including Joni Mitchell, Sting, Van Morrison, Susana Baca and Adele, to name a few. To book us for your next event please click here.

Underground (Tom Waits cover)

Le Feuilles Mortes

A Madison jazz institution that’s hosted the longest running jazz jam session in Madison’s history. Currently, The New Breed is Paul Hastil, Nick Moran, and Michael Brenneis. Past members included Leo Sidran, Tim Whalen, Paul Daugherty, John Keech, Jamie Ryan, David Cooper, Anders Svanoe, Kyle Hernandez, Patrick Briener.  You can catch The New Breed every Tuesday night(9pm-12am) when they host their weekly jam session at The Cardinal Bar on 416 E. Wilson st. in downtown Madison. Click here for a video of the New Breed in action!

Sunday- composed by Paul Hastil

Phat Phunktion, a group of University of Wisconsin-Madison music students formed in 1996, have built a loyal following of listeners throughout the United States and around the world. A nine-piece tour de force that combines the polish of top 40 with the smooth feeling of 60’s soul and the raw groove of 70’s funk, Phat Phunktion is today one of the most talked about bands in the Midwest. Their self-produced CDs have sold in the thousands, and their live shows sell-out virtually everywhere they perform. In their hometown of Madison, WI, they have been known to attract crowds of upwards of 5,000 people. Visit Phat Phunktion at phatphunktion.com Knockin’ em Down  Jupiter-Phat Phunktion

A collective of musicians from a mixture of different locations, Venezuela, Peru, and Wisconsin, bring us a teaser of their amalgamation of Latin American melodies purposely infected with global influences like Reggae, Ska, Rock, Ragga, Salsa and more. Son Contrabando believes that music is an ideal medium to smuggle global issues, local awareness, and political engagement into your psyche. They send out a strong vibing message on humanity, love, and peace, which will hold you by the hand on a journey of music you won’t be able to stop moving your feet to.

Our new album is now available on Bandcamp!

Led by UW-Madison Trombone professor, Mark Hetzler, this new ensemble also features Vince Fuh on piano, Todd Hammes on drums/percussion and Nick Moran on bass. Our name was inspired by a composition written by the maverick American composer Henry Cowell.  Known for experimenting with the sonic possibilities of acoustic instruments, Cowell composed a solo work for piano titled Sinister Resonance, in which the player coaxes harmonics from the piano strings, creating a stark, ghost-like effect.  We covered this composition on our debut recording and in numerous live concerts, and in the spirit of Cowell’s adventurous approach to sound exploration, we have used that composition’s title as both our name and musical identity. For more information on this exciting new project and audio/video clips, please visit our website sinisterresonance.com

When Francisco Martinez moved to Madison, Wisconsin, from Florida in 2004, Madisalsa members Fuh and Moran saw a rare opportunity to form the band they’ve long considered but never thought possible. Martinez, a veteran of Florida’s latin music scene, brought an exciting and powerful drumming style that would become the centerpiece of this band. Add Yorel Lashely, a multifaceted percussionist who cut his teeth in Brooklyn, NYC and the quartet was complete. While the quartet features hard-hitting renditions of works by Chucho Valdez, Michel Camilo, and Chano Dominquez (all innovators in latin jazz piano), the members have expanded their material to include progressive originals and arrangements of indigenous sacred and secular vocal music of Cuba. The debut CD, Rukus, is available on CD Baby.

Audio Samples

Heads I Win, Tails You Lose

From Within

I have the privilege of backing up one of Madison’s most hidden gems, Tani Diakite. He is a musical force who has inspired an entire community of artists. With his Kamale n’goni, a West African ancestor to the banjo, and his plaintive singing, he never fails to drop the deepest blues around. Another driving force of Wasulu music is percussion. The Afrofunkstars are backed up by one of the hottest rhythm sections around, featuring Paddy Cassidy on jembe, Hugo Reynolds on drumset, and Mamoudou Diallo and Djam Vivie on percussion. The funk is rounded out by myself on bass, Peter Baggenstoss on keyboards, and Matt Manske on guitar. The interplay between Kamale N’goni and jembe grooves so hard that audiences can’t stay still – the urge to get up and move is too powerful! I’m happy to announce the release of our new album, Dalonken. Check it out (and buy it) at our bandcamp.

Nungulunba I get a shout-out in this one – Laban

dumate has been part of the Madison hip hop scene for last five years, sharing local stages with such hip-hop heavyweights as Rhymefest, The Game, Digable Planets, The Mighty Underdogs and DJ Kool Herc. With an innovative live set merging traditional hip hop production techniques with a live rhythm section and two of the city’s best MCs, dumate has worked to elevate both the Madison hip hop community as well as raising the bar for live hip hop bands. Visit dumate at dumate.bandcamp.com and myspace.com/dumate juke joint  [Live]Money

MadiSalsa—an 11 member ensemble devoted to the musical traditions of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and The Dominican Republic—has been serving the Midwest from its home base in Wisconsin’s capital since 1992. I’ve been a proud member of this award winning salsa institution since 2000. Please visit us at madisalsa.com for more info.

Click here for a video sample  from a performance on the rooftop of the Monona Terrace.