Saturday 12th February 2011
Apolo (2)
Nou de la Rambla
08001 Barcelona
20:00
Entry Price: €18.00 / €22.00
THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS
Waiting for a good funky live show in Barcelona, can be a bit like waiting for a bus, you hang around kicking your heels for ages and then they all come at once. February is definitely shaping up to be one of those months. First into town, on their annual visit to Barcelona, are the UK’s finest funk and jazz instrumental combo The New Mastersounds.
Formed eleven years ago in Leeds, the band have released countless singles and albums, over a raft of different labels, and collaborated with some of the best known names in contemporary funk and jazz: Lou Donaldson, Quantic, Keb Darge & Kenny Dope, James Taylor, Snowboy, Dionne Charles and Andy Smith (Portishead) to name just a few. Last year saw the release of documentary entitled ‘Coals to Newcastle’, which follows the band as they visit and play around New Orleans meeting some of their musical heroes in the process. Their forthcoming album ‘Masterology’ (Sundazed) is a nineteen track retrospective of the bands career so far.
It’s onstage however that The New Mastersounds, really come into their own – cooking up a potent brew of groove-driven funk, with a tight and economic line-up of drums, bass, guitar and keyboards. Influenced by the jazz organ greats Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff, The Meters, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix – it’s not unknown for the band to play sets of up to three hours in duration. Years of experience, criss-crossing the USA and Europe on extensive tours, have turned them into probably one of the most exciting live instrumental bands, you’re ever likely to hear.
Also coming up in February look out for the wonderful Janelle Monae at the Apolo on the 22nd, and a real treat for all you Daptone Records fans, a double bill of Lee Fields & The Expressions plus Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band at Salamandra in L’Hospitalet on Sunday 27th.
Roger C
