Inspired by Prince, Rufus, Miles Davis, Earth, Wind & Fire, Donny Hathaway, Sarah Vaughn, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, young Rahsaan Patterson was performing in his Pentecostal church choir by the age of 6. His talent and precociousness led his family to relocate to California, where he started a TV career. But music was in his soul, and Patterson began honing his craft and reaching out to other musicians in the Los Angeles area.

Musically, Rahsaan's new album Wines & Spirits ventures further into territory that Patterson has hinted at in the past: Ambient sound, rock, jazz, hip-hop, and gospel. As always, Patterson skillfully weaves multi-layered meanings into his lyrics the simplicity that gives the tunes a haunting quality.

The weekly club Afro Funké is the brainchild of African Afro Roots Reggae star, Rocky Dawuni, who realized LA's need for a night dedicated to African music, culture and art and it's far reaching legacy around the world. Dawuni, who's based in LA and his native Ghana, together with producer and photographer Cary Sullivan created Afro Funké, bringing on board resident DJ and partner Jeremy Sole's Musaics. Each week Afro Funké presents guest DJs, live performances, dancers, record release parties, fundraisers, art installations, crafts and more while Sole spins his unique Musaics, or sound collage-blends of hip hop, jazz/funk, dub reggae, afro beat, and remixed world beats; pieced together with tribal breaks, and uplifted by dubbed-out turntable manipulation and live instrumentation.

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