GITKIN

An 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 funk exotica, with twangy guitars that slither like snakes through a desert bazaar.

New Orleans-based Gitkin, also known as Brian J, a Grammy-nominated artist and producer renowned for his production skills (working with Cedric Burnside, Bab L’ Bluz, Bernard Purdie, Cyril Neville) and as the mastermind behind the funk ensemble Pimps Of Joytime, is experiencing surprising success with this passion project.

With monthly streams surpassing 300,000, Gitkin’s three self-produced studio albums have struck a global chord. In 2022, fueled by his growing streaming and social media momentum, he assembled a live trio featuring Palestinian multi-instrumentalist Simon Moushabeck (keys, accordion, percussion) and Cuban-American drummer Washington Duke. Together, they breathe new life and dimension into Gitkin’s recorded material. Since then, the group has toured across the U.S., Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, France, and Austria—selling out multiple shows along the way. They’ve also supported acts like Steel Pulse, Say She She, The Altons, and Thee Sinseers.

After years of making songs where the vocals and lyrics take the spotlight, 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. Performing as a trio with my two talented compadres provides a lot of space in the music that opens the door for what I like to call "expensive moments." My favorite moments of a show don't usually happen by somebody playing something fast and impressive. More often it’s when a palpable essence takes over the room — you feel it, and you know everyone in the spot feels it. That's what keeps me getting in vans and planes and putting in endless hours in the studio.

In 2025, Gitkin released a run of singles—including the standouts “Paterson Switchback,” the cinematic “Motel Moon,” and the hypnotic “El Chambre”—each one expanding his audience and deepening his signature sound. Now, in collaboration with the Brooklyn-based label Wonderwheel Recordings, Gitkin is preparing the release of a new full-length album, with the first single rolling out in January 2026. The year will also bring a slate of U.S. shows and a European festival tour in July, marking a new chapter in Gitkin’s evolving sonic journey.