At the 606
A Brasstastic return to our favourite London venue on Friday 19th April playing every tune from the new album at the official CD release party of The Cooker!
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News, releases and stories
Latest music, Masterlink Sessions notes, tour updates and project stories from Redtenbacher's Funkestra.
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Stories and updates
At the Farncombe Cavern
We return to our ‘local’ the Farncombe Cavern on Thursday 18th April as part of a week of events promoting of the launch of our latest album The Cooker!
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Who is ‘Funky Barbarella’?
Funky Barbarella is a funk baritone saxophonist and leader of a small renegade group of musicians with instruments that produce low notes in a world where all low notes are forbidden… …sopranos, piccolos and glockenspiels rule the day… …the CS (read ‘Coloratortura Soprano’ government has banned all low notes and all instruments that omit low notes… …will Funky Barbarella save the funky day?
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Our debut gig at Floridita
For our debut gig at Floridita on Wednesday 17th of April we’ll be playing a full-on instrumental set followed by a set with none other than fantastic vocalist Vanessa Haynes (of Incognito fame)!
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Why did I ask Lenny Pickett to guest on ‘The Cooker’?
By now it almost seems ‘tradition’ to invite guest musicians to appear on our records along side the killing funk machine that is made up by the wonderful musicians of the ‘core’ Funkestra (Mike, Eran, Jim, Sid, Taggie and Dave). One of the great guest musicians on ‘The Cooker’ is funk tenor saxophone legend Lenny Pickett. So how come I really wanted him to be on the record?
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‘The Cooker’ coming on Tuesday, 16th of April 2013
Finally, our super fat and ultra-funky instrumental Jazz Funk album ‘The Cooker’ will be released on Tuesday, 13th of April 2013. The album features the Funkestra core ensemble enhanced by two muscular horn sections, one from the UK and one from the US, and remains firmly rooted in foot tapping groove music. Special guests include Saturday Night Live bandleader Lenny Pickett (Tower of Power), Eric Krasno (Soulive) and Michael B. Nelson’s Hornheads (Prince).
Read storyAt the Farncombe Cavern
We are back once again at the Farncombe Cavern on Thursday 21st March with guests Mr Little’s Noisy Band, who’re getting ready for their first recording!
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Steve Taylor Big Band Explosion performs ‘Music To Swing Your Handbag To’
A while ago Steve, his wife Josie and their daughter came down to the 606 Jazz Club to hear us play with the Funkestra. As it happens their daughter really seem to dig ‘Music To Swing Your Handbag To’ (originally recorded on our ‘Hausmusik’ album). Consequently Steve asked if I wanted to write a Big Band arrangement for the tune so he can perform it with his ‘Steve Taylor Big Band Explosion’…well, I can’t remember the last time I said YES! to anything that quickly:-)
Read storyAt the Farncombe Cavern
Come down to our first Farncombe Cavern gig this year. Not on a Friday but on a Thursday this time round. Featurning a mix of old tunes, some from the upcoming Cooker release and a few super new ones!
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Stefan’s ‘in session’ column for the ibass magazine
Nick Wells, former editor of the Bass Guitar Magazine has invited me to write a monthly column for his ibass magazine. I decided that I wanted to make a departure from my ‘Funkyologies’ column which I wrote for a few years for the BGM. I thought that players might find it useful to get a play-a-long track every month to either challenge their reading skills, ears, technique, sound or stylistic skills and ideally, all of it. Adding a few listening recommendations in the style of the track and a score, full and minus bass track will hopefully allow bassists to have some fun and acquire new skills on the way.
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At the 606
Our first gig back in 2013 at our favourite London venue the 606 Club with special guests Tor Hills on vocals, Ed Barker on alto saxophone and Steve Rubie on flute
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A Festive Funky Farncombe
Another great evening at the Cavern on Friday 14th December with support from the brand new and a rather unusual special guest!
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