Bassist | Composer | Producer | Creative Collaborator | Founder of Redtenbacher’s Funkestra, Masterlink Sessions & RSB Records
About Stefan and the bass guitar
Stefan Redtenbacher is a boundary-pushing bassist, composer, producer, and creative leader whose career has spanned three decades of fiercely independent artistry. Based in the UK and originally from Salzburg, Austria, he is the founder and frontman of Redtenbacher’s Funkestra, the musical director and co-creator of The Masterlink Sessions, and the founder of the artist-first label RSB Records.
The Funkestra
Since his first Funkestra gig in the mid-1990s, Stefan has consistently defied categorisation—bridging jazz, funk, soul, and pop with precision, invention, and groove. His music has clocked over 16.5 million Spotify streams, and his collaborators include legends like Fred Wesley, (the late) Pee Wee Ellis, Cory Wong, Eric Krasno, and Elliott Randall, alongside iconic horn sections from Tower of Power, Prince, Brand New Heavies, Incognito, and Horn House.
Sideman and beyond
But Stefan is not defined by who he’s played with—though his sideman experience includes artists like Amy Winehouse, Steve Winwood, (the late) Sam Moore, and Jack Bruce. Trained as a sideman but led by a fiercely creative spirit, he has forged a distinct path as a leader, writer, producer, and collaborator. His musical universe is driven by original ideas, unorthodox combinations, and a relentless hunger to create.
Education and Music EdTech
Educated at the Vienna Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, Chichester University, and the Institute of Education (UCL), Stefan built a foundation of technical fluency that fuels his creative risk-taking. His earlier career included a decade (2012–2019) exploring music technology and digital learning through his ed-tech startup KnowledgeRocks, where he co-developed the patented AudioSheetMusic™ format. He also held regular teaching roles from 1996 until 2012, with a final return stint at Eton College in 2018. However, since then his focus has fully returned to creative collaboration and musical innovation.
Collaboration
A key turning point came after a U.S. tour with the Funkestra. Following the departure of longtime guitarist Eran Kendler, Stefan pivoted from the band’s fixed nucleus to a more collaborative, open format—bringing in a wide array of musicians and leading to the creation of the award-winning Masterlink Sessions with studio engineer James Welch and videographer Leo Mansell. Since 2019, this project has produced over 150 live-in-the-studio videos, from Grammy award winning artists Phil Lassiter, and Mike Farris, legacy artists Rumer, Mutya Buena, and Hamish Stuart to emerging UK talents like Rosie Frater-Taylor, Connor Selby, and Georgia van Etten. Inspired by classic session collectives like The Wrecking Crew, The Swampers, and The Funk Brothers and contemporaries like The Dapkings and Scary Pockets. Stefan now directs a modern take on the studio band model—centred on real-time, high-level musicianship.
Producer
As a producer and co-producer, Stefan has helped shape critically acclaimed releases by Rumer (‘In Session’), Connor Selby (‘Connor Selby’, ‘The Truth Comes Out Eventually’), and Elles Bailey (‘The Night Owl and the Lark’), alongside projects by Dave Limina and Carter Arrington. These collaborations—along with the Masterlink community—gave rise to RSB Records, an independent label supporting authentic, artist-led music.
2025
Now, 30 years after the first Funkestra concert, Stefan continues to evolve. He has reconnected with his artistic mojo, affirming a new chapter of creation rooted in integrity, groove, and heart. Upcoming in 2025 is a three-album Funkestra box set—‘The Colours of Joni’, ‘Live Your Best Dream’, and ‘FUNKOPIA’—a bold statement of artistic vision, released via RSB Records.
“It’s always been about creativity,” says Stefan. “Whether I’m on the bass, writing, producing, or mentoring—music is my way to connect, to build, to inspire. It’s never just about the notes. It’s about energy, emotion, and community.”