Mausiki Scales has been a force in the Atlanta indie music scene for almost two decades as a sought after keyboardist and founder/musical director of the critically acclaimed ensemble, the Common Ground Collective. A recipient of the Georgia Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities, Mausiki is also a folklorist and historian who translates his knowledge into musical arrangements that leave his audiences moved and moving…literally.
Whether performing as a trio or a full 10-piece ensemble, Mausiki Scales and the Common Ground Collective are known for taking fans on a fearless exploration of the pulsating rhythms of the African Diaspora, seamlessly connecting the dots between Afrobeat, Funk, Hip Hop, Soul and New Orleans Jazz…in a single performance.
The band has also collaborated with artists such as late, legendary Roy Ayers, Babatunde Olatunji, The Last Poets, Third World, Russell Gunn, and Julie Dexter. Together, Mausiki Scales and the Common Ground Collective have released four albums and were featured on the Roy Ayers “Fela-fied” Afrobeat version of Everybody Loves the Sunshine.
Mausiki’s 2017 release, Drums and Shadows, features the juke joint-invoking single, “No Tables No Chairs”, inspired by his annual parade and concert on the Atlanta BeltLine. The album was recognized by BBC Radio DJ, Gilles Peterson, as one of the 50 Essential Jazz and Beyond Records of 2017. WestWest Africa (2020), featuring the single “Kaleidoscopic Universe”, achieved worldwide acclaim and remains a featured track on Spotify’s ‘Jazz Funk’ playlist. His latest album, Long Memory (2024), is a tribute to African Diasporic folk traditions and family.
Mausiki Scales & the Common Ground Collective
