The New Mastersounds: Music

Plug & Play (One Note, 2008; Vagrant, 2009)

The New Mastersounds return from a year of intensive touring in the USA to deliver their fifth studio album, Plug & Play, featuring vocalist Dionne Charles.
What you get: trademark infectious grooves, warm vintage production by guitarist Eddie Roberts, and successful forays into sub-genres like psychedelic afro-funk, CTI-era jazz-funk, soul-jazz and classic soul. Though the NMS wear their musical roots on their sleeve, each track sounds unmistakably like The New Mastersounds and in Dionne Charles they have found a vocalist who can do justice to the phenomenal soulfulness of the music.

Jambase Review

"Like Fred Wesley & The New JB's, Bobby Byrd, Marva Whitney or Maceo & The Macks in their day, the Mastersounds know groove and furrow it out like hogs on truffles."

BBC Radio 2

"Here's a marriage made in heaven: The New Mastersounds with Dionne Charles. (Mark Lamarr - BBC Radio Two)"

Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show

"There is a good reason why these guys are the daddies of the UK scene and it is all in this album. Soul, Afro-funk, New Orleans-Funk and one blinding piece of Soul-Jazz. Plug & Play is simply a non-stop party"

Rhapsody.com

"The New Mastersounds are an organ-heavy group from Northern England who are in love with old American boogaloo records of all stripes (jazz, soul, funk and whatever else gets you on the dancefloor). Beloved for their energetic live shows, the New Mastersounds are joined here (about half the time) by Dionne Charles, a ferocious R&B belter who triumphs on tunes like "All We Can Do" and "Looking For An Answer." While it may initially seem like the band's appeal is limited to mod-suited soul nostalgia, jam rockers, crate diggers and night clubbers will definitely dig the New Mastersounds. (Nick Dedina, Rhapsody.com)"

Plug & Play

Hole in the Bag
I Mean it So
Thermal Bad
Looking for an Answer
Altitude
Kuna Matata
Chrysalis
Idris
All We Can Do
Beyond the Bleak Horizon
King Comforter

Labels: CD, ONRCD011

Re::Mixed (Record Kicks, 2007)

The crazy idea super-cool Milan indie label Record Kicks had was to ask to a bunch of talented contemporary funk, nu jazz and broken soul remixers to work on the "raw" deep funk NMS sound. The result is an absolutely essential compilation full of irresistible nu funk, soul, broken, headz future classics.

JELLY JAZZ

"A simple review: listen to the samples, marvel at the sounds within, buy the record... 10 out of 10"

BEST KEPT SECRET

"A fanciful, debonair & dashing array of remixes - like having an open air martini with James Bond on Brighton beach" - Nick Matthews

WAH WAH 45

"Wow, those mixes are ace - cant fault any of them!! Strong!!" - Dom Servini

Idle time (Lack Of Afro remix)
Drop it down (B remix)
Hey Fela! (Diesler feat. Laura Vane)
One Note Brown (Lanu remix)
Thirty Three (Ju Ju Orchestra remix)
The Tin Drum (Dj Farrapo remix)
Witness (Smoove remix)
Your Love is Mine feat. Corinne Bailey Rae (Nostalgia 77 remix)
Nervous (Kenny Dope remix)
Thirty Three (Valique remix)
Return to Gijon (AIFF remix)
Bus Stop No.5 (Afrokats Crew remix)

Labels: CD, NMSREMIXED

An Introduction to The New Mastersounds (Legère Recordings, 2007)

"Super tight and forever on the groove (...) Pure funk and soul – this is what they do!“
(Lubi Jovanovic, Straight No Chaser Magazine)

These tracks will definitely get you moving and, let’s face it, that is (and always has been) what funk’s all about – a groove to make you move.“
(DJ Andy Smith)

Funky, jazzy, soulful flavoured –The New Mastersounds have been on the groove up and down the international independent funk & soul scene for eight years now. With five albums, 21 seven inch single releases and numberless live gigs from London to Tokyo, Madrid to Los Angeles under their belt, the four musicians from Leeds/UK are much loved by musical heavvweights such as Keb Darge, Gilles Peterson or Andy Smith!

With An Introduction To THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS they now present their first release in GSA: 15 tracks from four albums plus Fred Everything’s remix of „Your Love Is Mine“ as a bonus track - An Introduction To … also is a manifold retrospective of these Britsh funkmonsters! For this they are accompanied by renowned and excellent vocalists as well as instrumentalists with Corinne Bailey Rae, LSK, Sam Bell and Cleve Freckleton among them.

And that’s for sure, be it the funky style of „Turn This Thing Around“, „Can’t Hold Me Down“ or „The Rooster“, the Ramsey Lewis flair of „Do What You Gotta Do“, the Northern Soul in „Be Yourself“, the Deep Soul in “Your Love Is Mine” or the Flamenco pattern in „Barca“, every single song by The New Mastersounds finds its direct way from your head into your feet!

An Introduction To THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS is more than just Funk and Soul, this is just damn good music - an album for the club as well as your home!

An Introduction to The New Mastersounds

Turn This Thing Around
It's All Right Now
Can't Hold Me Down
Idle Time
Rope-a-Dope
Coming Up Roses
The Tin Drum
Be Yourself
102%
The Rooster
Do What You Gotta Do
Colorado Sun
Your Love is Mine
Barça
Forgiveness
Your Love is Mine (Fred Everything Remix)

Labels: CD, LEGO005

102% (One Note Records, 2007)

JAMBASE

"While many would be content to crank out discs full of mere retrofunk, The New Mastersounds are not interested in re-creating the past; rather they are taking vintage sounds and attitudes and merging them with modern ideas. The result is an addictive blend that has one foot in the past, one foot in the present, and both eyes on the future."

IDJ MAGAZINE

"Leeds luminaries The New Mastersounds are known the world over for dropping explosive funk bombs. They live up to the title of this latest album (their fifth) by going that extra yard and producing tracks even more infectious and groovalicious than usual. Produced by the band?s guitarist Eddie Roberts, the crew set out their stall with the bristling title track, a deep, rhythmic tune with a classic backbeat, driving Hammond and slippery basslines. NMS show their hip-hop creds by launching into a loose-limbed cover of Roots Manuva's 'Witness'. From there on in it's a mix of Meters-style heat and their own diverse experiments, which include the splendid afro-batics of 'Hey Fela' and the psychedelic end-jam 'Paranoid'. Deft and satisfying."

24-7 MAGAZINE UK

"Without shame this reviewer holds the NMS brand of funk as the best this country has to offer. Biased? Hell yeah! The reason being that all four members have the all-important element of soul, are ridiculously talented and gig relentlessly honing their art. For classic NMS genius check 'Carrot Juice' with its fast paced drumming, grinding bass, Bob's swirling Hammond perfection and Eddie's sublime guitar work. If you're a fan, '102%' will leave you full of joy, if you're not a fan, then why the hell not? Modern soul jazz and funk at its very best."

102%
Witness
Carrot Juice
Thirty Three
Colorado Sun (Jesse's Backyard)
Give Me a Minute (pt2)
Rope-a-Dope
Hey Fela!
Bus Stop no. 5
Return to Gijón
Forgiveness
Talk is Cheap
L.A. Root Down (dub side of the pier)
Paranoid (is it any wonder?)

Labels: CD, LP, ONRCD009

Live at La Cova (One Note Records, 2006)

The fourth album. Recorded live at La Cova Den Xoroi, a spectacular cliffside club on the island of Menorca, Spain. Featuring Sam Bell on percussion. A mix of NMS originals and covers of funk and boogaloo classics (including Grant Green's Jan Jan, the Meter's Funky Miracle, and Rusty Bryant's Fire Eater).

JAMBANDS.COM

"Performed with flair and grit, and with its retro sound, Live At La Cova plays like a soul jazz and funk lover's wet dream"

Miracles
Duffin' 'Round
You Got it All
3 on the B
Funky Miracle
Land of Nod
The Tin Drum
La Cova
The Minx
Spooky
Fire Eater
Jan Jan
One Note Brown

Labels: 3BRCD004, CD, LIVE

This Is What We Do (One Note Records, 2005)

The Onion

"Needless to say, the album is a full on funk monster, with the hammond taking a greater role in the proceedings. NO VOCALS, just awesome instrumentals. Stand out tracks, for me, are the latin-tinged 'Tin Drum', the speed-funk 'Ain't No Telling' (Bob is outstanding on this track!) and 'Pure'. Who's the Elvis fan? F*****G MARVELLOUS!"

Japan Times

"Much like their American counterparts Soulive, NMS know how to work tight riffs and taut melodies into wild, extended jams. Fun and funky bands aren't meant to be this sophisticated, but with NMS you get both musical maturity and a great time."

SOUL COOKERS

"This album is even better than the first two - which we loved!"

Zambezi
All I Want (Right Now)
The Tin Drum (feat. Sam Bell)
You Got it All
Land of Nod
Ain’t No Telling
The Minx
Afternoon at Gigi’s
Pure (feat. Sam Bell)
La Cova
Baby Bouncer
The Vandenburg Suite

Labels: CD, ONRCD003

Be Yourself (One Note Records, 2003)

UNDERCOVER MAGAZINE

"The New Mastersounds return with another funk album of classic proportions. Be Yourself sounds like it was recorded live, with its no-messing; let-the-music-speak-for-itself production (as it would?ve been in the 70s). The tunes have a refreshing quality that don't tend to focus on one theme throughout, covering a multitude of tempos and styles including jazz, funk and soul. Whether it be the crisp, rolling drums or the intricate guitar work, and not forgetting the Booker-T style Hammond organ, it's extremely difficult to pin-point a standout instrument or musician. With that in mind one has to conclude that it's ALL GOOD. It surely won't be long before they're seen up there with the likes of Grant Green and the Meters."

Yahoo! Music

"Amazingly true to the original sound, even where they break from the formulae, as they do on the Asian guitar riffs on 'Be Yourself', they end sounding like the psychedelic soul of 'Resurrection'. It's a powerful and wonderful sound, which becomes still richer when Corinne Bailey Rae adds her fantastically earthy voice."

This Ain’t Work
Your Love is Mine (feat. Corinne Bailey Rae)
Can’t Hold Me Down
Be Yourself
Better Off Dead
You’ve Had it All
Barça
Six Underground
Coming Up Roses
Coming down
R.T.A.
Do What You Gotta Do
Idle Time (feat. LSK)
This Ain’t Work pt2

Corinne Bailey Rae

Labels: CD, ONRCD001

Keb Darge Presents... (Deep Funk 2001; Cooker 2003; P-Vine 2008)

After many years of spearheading the UK's live funk scene and packing out the best clubs everywhere from London to Mexico City, The New Mastersounds captured the pure energy and excitement of their live show onto this, their debut album release. Dropped by the likes of DJ Shadow, Pete Rock, Cut Chemist, Kenny Dope, Spinna, Keb Darge, Gilles Peterson, Snowboy, Adrian Gibson, and crossing over into the dance scene with their Masters At Work-inspired track 'Nervous' and an inspired arrangement of the theme from James Bond, the interest generated on release of this album was huge. Originally released on Keb Darge's classic Deep Funk label in 2001, it quickly sold out to funk aficionados everywhere.