It’s a formula that hasn’t changed: You have to be somewhat out of the ordinary to stay afloat in show business. And to do something extraordinary, you have to take chances. So did Pit Baumgartner, producer of the German group De-Phazz, when he picked up a few musicians to create his own kind of music that focuses on song composition and harmonic structure, avoiding hackneyed melodies and the usual electronic fluff.

De-Phazz, with Pat Appleton (vocalist), Otto Engelhardt (keyboardist) and Karl Frierson (vocalist, saxophone), has been around since 1997. Their music can be characterized as an intellectual blend of jazz, trip-hop, soul, Latin, ambient, pop, reggae and lounge. Also, it’s a band that puts a lot of delicacy and love into to their music, making it sound so sincere, familiar and touching that a six-year-old could recognize and comprehend it immediately.

Their reputation is one of hip musicians whose top-notch sense of humor helped the band build a strong following all over the world. Not only is De-Phazz’s music emotionally involving, it’s also sensual and refined. Those who didn't fall for the melodic bait of De-Phazz when the group gave two concerts in Moscow in 2001 and 2002 will have another chance this year: De-Phazz will play at the Art Center Na Plyushchikhe on Feb. 21 at 11 p.m.