GENRE: International Twang Funk, Psych Rock
LABEL: Wonderwheel Recordings
ORIGIN: New Orleans via Brooklyn
A lush, intoxicating gumbo of global soul, surf noir, and psychedelic funk, all filtered through a vintage, analog haze. Listening to Gitkin feels like stumbling across a forgotten reel-to-reel in a dusty Havana pawn shop or a smoky Marseilles speakeasy. There’s a deep sense of wanderlust baked into every groove — part spaghetti western, part Peruvian psych, with twangy guitars that slither like snakes through a desert bazaar.
New Orleans-based Gitkin, also known as Brian J Gitkin, a Grammy-nominated artist and producer renowned for his production skills (working with Cedric Burnside, Bernard Purdie, Cyril Neville) and as the mastermind behind the funk ensemble Pimps Of Joytime, is experiencing surprising success with this passion project.
"After years of making songs where the vocals and lyrics take the spotlights, it's been liberating to let my guitar do the talking. With Gitkin I get to bring in my love for African, middle eastern and south american music and mix it with my native musicality that sits in American blues and funk"
Gitkin has self produced and recorded 4 full length albums in his home studio. "I go for a a sound that makes me happy. I love a sense of mystery in the tone, that's why I use a lot of analog gear, tape, spring reverb, analog delay. The analog approach tends to warm and friendly to the ear"
The latest album, Golden Age, is a natural progression of Gitkin’s sound, weaving together deep grooves, hypnotic guitar work, and a rich palette of global influences. The record is a cinematic journey that feels both timeless and forward-thinking, with each track telling its own story through melody and atmosphere. Golden Age has garnered critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its seamless fusion of styles, masterful instrumentation, and evocative song crafting.
With monthly streams over 300,000 Gitkin’s four self-produced studio albums are resonating with fans globally. In 2022 inspired by the success of his streaming and social media response Gitkin put together a band and started playing live. The trio featuring Palestinian musician Simon Moushabeck (keyboard, accordion, percussion) and Cuban American Washington Duke (Drums) brings a new life and dimension to the recorded music. Teaming up with international booking agent FMLY they embarked on their first European tour in September meeting enthusiastic audiences in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, France, and Austria, selling out a number of shows. This was followed by a short stint supporting Steel Pulse, Say She She and recently Thee Sinseers and The Altons.