Nick Pride and the Pimptones

Nick Pride and the Pimptones
Nick Pride and the Pimptones
Background information
Origin	Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Genres	Funk, jazz, soul, hip-hop
Years active	2007 (2007)–present
Labels	Légère Recordings, Record Kicks, Wack, Jazz Girl
Associated acts	James Brown, Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and the Dapkings, The Haggis Horns,
Website	Nick Pride and the Pimptones on Facebook
Members	Nick Pride, Oscar Cassidy, Keith 'KB' Nicholson, Ian 'dodge' Paterson, Alex Saxon, Beth Mcari

Nick Pride and the Pimptones are a funk/jazz/soul band based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Pimptones were formed in 2007 by guitarist, composer and arranger Nick Pride. Their record label Record Kicks describes them as "a deep funk / jazz-dance outfit playing original material in the style of The Meters, JTQ and Charlie Hunter. The group is equally at home in a noisy nightclub or intimate jazz setting, and is most likely to bring the roof of either down with their heavy dancefloor grooves, big breaks and sophisticated jazz numbers"

In the original line up, Pride was joined by Oscar Cassidy (drums), Ian 'dodge' Paterson (bass), Dave Wilde (sax and flute) and Alex Leathard (trombone). This first incarnation of the band can be heard on the debut release "It’s The Pimptones"(Jazz Girl Records).

In 2009 the band released the 7" single "Deeper Pimp" on Wack Records, which went on to enjoy extended radioplay across Europe including the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC 6 and became the first of the group’s trademark "Live-Band Bootlegs", a unique approach to the Mash-Up genre, and a show stopping live feature. The success of the single helped ensure more live opportunities for the Pimptones and promoters in the North-East drafted the group in to support touring acts such as Maceo Parker, Candi Staton, Youngblood Brass Band and Hot 8 Brass Band.

The departure of the first horn section and the arrival of the new horn section (Keith Nicholson and Tomas Quilliam) heralded the start of the new line up for the Pimptones and a new tougher funkier sound. 2011 saw the release of the single "Waitin’ So Long feat Jess Roberts", and later the album "Midnight Feast of Jazz" featuring Jess Roberts, Susan Hamilton and Zoe Gilby, both on Milan based label Record Kicks. This album was well received with reviews calling it "a very strong debut by Nick Pride here that you can dance to or just sit back and groove to","A refreshing blast of energy and musical enthusiasm" ,"There’s so much below-average Funk being made at the moment and so let this be a sharp lesson to all of those bands. This is how it should be done. More please!", and that "these guys are certainly capable of throwing a party in your living room as well as in the town hall of your city".