The New Mastersounds
www.newmastersounds.com
Having been together since 1999, it was relatively recently that this UK funk four-piece began to make waves on the American funk scene, thanks initially to the vision of Chicago enthusiast Dave Vandenburg (3 on the B Records).
Led by guitarist and producer Eddie Roberts, the NMS records feature Bob Birch on Hammond, Pete Shand on bass and Simon Allen on drums. Bob retired from the live band this year, to be replaced by fellow Leeds keyboard wiz, 'GI' Joe Tatton. Over time, there have been various guests in the line up, but last year the band started working with dazed genius, sax/flute player Rob Lavers, who appears on the latest album - 102% - and is now a regular on the live gigs.
Though the NMS sound is very much their own, there are strong influences from the late-sixties soul-jazz of artists such as Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith and Grant Green, as well as New Orleans funk pioneers the Meters. In 2004 the band had the honour of backing Blue-Note sax legend Lou Donaldson for his UK tour.
Their vintage-sounding 7" single releases have made them very popular with funk DJs and record collectors around the world and the live shows have a freshness and energy that sets dance-floors on fire. In 2006, after the US and Japanese release of their 'Live at La Cova' CD, the NMS toured in the USA, France and Japan, as well as writing and recording the studio album, 102% which was released in January 2007.
Having whipped up a storm at sea on the Jamcruise (www.jamcruise.com) the band returned to UK to perform on BBC Radio2 with Mark Lamarr. In April they made their debut appearance in New Orleans during JazzFest, playing gigs at The House of Blues, The Blue Nile, and on the front porch of a house in the French Quarter at sundown. The trip is the subject of a forthcoming DVD documentary. Eddie Roberts stayed an extra week, during which he sat in with Galactic at Tipitina's, with Karl Denson & The Greyboy Allstars on a riverboat, and played at late night shows with Papa Mali, Lonnie Smith and Idris Muhammed.
In June and July the NMS returned to the States to tour Colorado, and to play at various summer festivals including Wakarusa (KS), Harmony (CA), Gratefulfest (OH), Clifford Brown Jazz Festival (DE), and High Sierra (CA).
May 07 saw the German release of the compilation album 'An Introduction to The New Mastersounds'; in October Italian label Record Kicks will release the remix album 'New Mastersounds - Re:Mixed'.