SOD: The New Mastersounds "Flimsy"

It's been a while since I've posted anything, so I figured why not jump right back in with a great tune from one of my all time favorite funk groups. The New Mastersounds have been going strong for over a decade now, but I still feel that they don't get the credit they deserve. I'm not saying they're unknown, but they surely aren't on the tip of many peoples tongues these days. In certain circles of similar music, they've been given their due, and I think that if more people heard them, they'd agree that these guys are worth it. For my money, I put them right up there with greats like Herbie and Funkadelic. They've got a great balance between the jazzy and they funky, that'll keep you on your toes.

Based out of Leeds (that's in England people), the group was formed and is led by guitarist Eddie Roberts. I saw Eddie Roberts play with a different lineup at Equifunk one year, and let me tell you, this guy is legit. He's got a very distinct and fluid sound, that's certainly rooted in Jazz. At the age of 18, he studied Jazz at Leeds College of Music and put together his first band then, The Jazz Mailmen, who focused on the music of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. That was the beginning of Eddie's career, and here we are today, over twenty years later, and there's absolutely no end in sight.

Clearly there sound has much more than one type of influence ingrained in it. There's some Meters, some James Taylor Quartet (whom I've written about in the past), and of course Jimmy Smith. What organ player isn't influenced by him. But for all the comparisons you can draw, The New Mastersounds have retained and edge and originality that sets them apart. They've got twelve albums, and a slew of singles, but their true identity can only be seen in live performances. Of course they have great chemistry, but you also get to see up close and personal, how diverse their repertoire is. Much like Soulive (another one of my favorites of this "genre"), their skill is unmistakable, but their cool factor is off the charts. These guys are good, and they've "brought it" every time I've seen them play.

Another interesting tidbit about the group, is that since 2003 they've been distributing music through their own label, "One Note Records." I'm always interested in how people choose to play the so-called game, and it's always inspiring to see those that take it in their own hands.