News

Remastered Edition Honors the Legacy of Late Producer and Founding Member Marcus Vance

NEW YORK, NY – January 5, 2026 – Collins Media Group (CMG) is proud to announce the upcoming release of Bridge The Gap: The 30th Anniversary Edition, arriving on streaming platforms on January 31, 2026. This definitive reissue resurrects one of the most intriguing "lost albums" of the 1990s R&B era, presenting the group’s visionary sound with the sonic fidelity it always deserved.

Originally released in June 1995 on the now-defunct Trans-Pacific Records, the self-titled debut from the New York trio—comprising vocalist Jae Park, baritone Dante Williams, and producer/rapper Marcus Vance—was a commercial underdog that became a coveted rarity among collectors and DJs. Known for its genre-bending fusion of New Jack Swing, Gospel harmonies, and Hip-Hop production, the album features the underground favorites "Seoulmate" and "Rain on the Window."

A Restoration of Vision: The 30th Anniversary Edition marks the album's first-ever release on streaming platforms. The audio has been meticulously remastered from the original 1994 analog master tapes, which were recovered from storage during CMG’s acquisition of the Trans-Pacific catalog. The release also resolves decades-old licensing issues, featuring cleared samples and restored instrumentation that bring Vance’s complex production to life.

A Tribute to Marcus Vance This release arrives with a somber note, following the passing of the group’s founder and producer, Marcus Vance, in May 2024. The project, which was in early development at the time of his diagnosis, has been completed in cooperation with the Vance Estate.

"Marcus was the architect of this sound," said lead vocalist Jae Park. "Back in '94, we were just three kids in a basement in Queens trying to make something that sounded like the city we lived in. Marcus heard the future before any of us did. It is bittersweet that he isn't here to hold this record in his hands, but I know he’s smiling down on us. This reissue is for him, and for his children."

Availability Bridge The Gap: The 30th Anniversary Edition will be available at all major streaming platforms worldwide on January 31, 2026. 

About Collins Media Group: Collins Media Group is a global leader in music publishing and catalog management, dedicated to preserving and revitalizing historic recordings for modern audiences.

ATLANTA, GA – May 13, 2024 – It is with profound sadness that the family of Marcus Vance announces his passing on May 12, 2024, following a courageous battle with colon cancer. He was 52 years old.

Vance was best known as the producer, rapper, and founding member of the New York-based R&B trio Bridge The Gap. A pioneer of the mid-90s underground scene, Vance was the sonic architect behind the group’s distinct fusion of hip-hop percussion and gospel harmonies. Though their 1995 debut album achieved only modest commercial success upon release, Vance's production work—particularly on the tracks "Seoulmate" and "Rain on the Window"—later garnered a cult following and was heavily sampled by major artists in the early 2000s.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Vance formed Bridge The Gap in 1993 alongside vocalist Jae Park and childhood friend Dante Williams. His gritty, sample-heavy production style, developed in late-night sessions in Queens, helped define the "street soul" aesthetic of the era.

"Marcus was the heartbeat of our sound and the brother of my soul," said bandmate Dante Williams. "He heard music in everything—the traffic, the rain, the silence. While the world may have slept on his talent back then, those who knew him knew we were in the presence of a genius. He fought his illness with the same strength and rhythm he lived his life."

After the group disbanded in 1998, Vance settled in Atlanta, where he became a successful real estate agent while continuing to mentor young musicians and producers in his home studio.

Vance is survived by his wife, Tasha, and their three children, Marcus Jr., Andre, and Keisha.

Funeral Services: A homegoing service will be held in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, at the Greater Bethany Baptist Church—where Vance and Williams first met as children. The service will be officiated by Dante Williams.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance in Marcus’s name to support early screening and awareness in underserved communities.

Acquisition Adds Over 300 Independent Titles to CMG’s Growing Streaming Library

LOS ANGELES, CA – January 15, 2014 – Collins Media Group (CMG), a global leader in music publishing and rights management, today announced the completion of its acquisition of the master recordings and publishing assets of Trans-Pacific Records, a New York-based independent label active from 1993 to 1998.

The deal, financial terms of which were not disclosed, encompasses the entirety of the Trans-Pacific catalog, including over 300 albums and singles spanning the R&B, Hip-Hop, and Alternative genres. This acquisition is part of CMG’s aggressive 2014 initiative to deepen its content library for the burgeoning digital streaming market.

"As the music industry pivots toward a streaming-first model, the value of deep catalog content has never been higher," said Robert Collins, CEO of Collins Media Group. "Trans-Pacific Records represents a distinct era of mid-90s independent music. By bringing these assets into the CMG ecosystem, we are ensuring that this content is not only preserved but properly monetized through our global distribution partners like Spotify, Apple, and Pandora."

Unlocking "Lost" Content Many of the titles included in this transaction have been out of print since the late 1990s and have never been available in digital formats. CMG’s archive team will immediately begin the process of digitizing the master tapes, correcting metadata, and delivering these tracks to Digital Service Providers (DSPs) worldwide.

"We see significant potential in the licensing and synchronization market for these tracks," added Sarah Jenkins, VP of Licensing at CMG. "Music supervisors are constantly seeking authentic 1990s sounds for film and television. This catalog provides a treasure trove of period-specific audio that fits that demand perfectly."

The integration of the Trans-Pacific assets is effective immediately.