New Mastersounds

The New Mastersounds
The New Mastersounds performing live on Equifunk Music Festival in Equinunk, Pennsylvania, United States, 6 September 2009
Background information
Origin	Leeds, England
Genres	Funk, jazz fusion
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Various including Blow it Hard Records
Associated acts	Corrine Bailey Rae, Benson Taylor
Website	Newmastersounds.com/
Members	Simon Allen Eddie Roberts Pete Shand Joe Tatton
Past members	Bob Birch Rob Lavers

The New Mastersounds are a British four-piece jazz fusion and funk band from Leeds, England. Over the last 16 years, they have issued ten studio albums, two live dates, two remix collections, and a compilation album.

In the late 1990s, guitarist and producer Eddie Roberts was running a club night in Leeds called "The Cooker." When The Cooker moved into a new venue with a second floor in 1999, there was space and the opportunity to put a live band together to complement the DJ sets. Simon Allen and Roberts had played together in 1997 as The Mastersounds, with a different bassist and no organ. Through friends and the intimate nature of the Leeds music scene, Pete Shand and Bob Birch were added on bass and Hammond respectively, establishing The New Mastersounds. Their first rehearsal produced the release for Blow it Hard Records on two limited-edition 7" singles in 2000.

As a band, and as individuals, they have since clocked up collaborations with an impressive array of musicians DJs and producers, including: Soul Rebels Brass Band, Lou Donaldson (Blue Note), Corinne Bailey Rae (EMI), Quantic (Tru Thoughts), Carleen Anderson (Young Disciples / Brand New Heavies), Keb Darge & Kenny Dope (Kay Dee Records), John Arnold (Ubiquity), Mr Scruff (Ninja Tuna), Snowboy (Ubiquity), Fred Everything (2020 vision), Andy Smith (Portishead), James Taylor (James Taylor Quartet), LSK (Faithless), and Karl Denson (Lenny Kravitz),(Greyboy AllStars).