Christmas show | Masterlink house band ft. Connor Selby

Connor has recently recorded a self-titled album at Masterlink studios, due for release later this year, featuring 'Redtenbacher's Funkestra', a house band of world class musicians with a CV's to prove it (think Elton John, David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Jack Bruce etc). This release should further cement Connor's reputation as one of our brightest young talents; a talent who has already garnered invitations to tour with not only with legendary Bluesman John Mayall but also a UK stadium tour with the aforementioned The Who.

They have recorded with the 'who's who' from the international Jazz Funk and Fusion scene including legends like Fred Wesley, Alfred ‘Pee Wee’ Ellis from James Brown, Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka, Lee Thornburg and Lenny Pickett from Tower of Power, Cory Wong (Vulfpeck), Eric Krazno (Lettuce), Stanton Moore (Galactic), drum virtuoso Benny Greb, Elliott Randall and Keith Carlock (Steely Dan), titanic saxophone players Rick Margitza (Miles Davis Band), Chris Hunter (Gil Evans Orchestra), Andy Snitzer (Paul Simon), Prince’s New Power Generation horn section (aka ‘The Hornheads’) and horn players from Incognito, Brand New Heavies and many more.

Their records have been released on Wooden Hat Records (USA), Pedigree Cuts/Universal (UK) and Stefan’s own label RSB Records. In the last 5 years they have clocked up an impressive 3 million plus (and rising) streams on Spotify only and their music has also been publicly performed by Big Bands in USA, Austria, Germany, Holland, Denmark and the UK.

Over the past two years the Funkestra rhythm section has also served as the studio house band for ‘The Masterlink Sessions’ and have fully embraced a broader range of styles, not least supporting a range of noted international vocalists. The has resulted in 50+ videos and album and EP recordings with US Grammy winner Mike Farris, Hamish Stuart (front man of the original ‘Pick Up The Pieces’ Average White Band, McCartney, Aretha, Chaka, Ringo Starr and many more), Sarah Jane Morris, Jo Harman, Australia's Georgia van Etten, Sam Tanner, Hollie Rogers, Jade Like The Stone, Portugal's Diana Silveira, Helena May, Orphy Robinson MBE, Laura Evans, Jools Holland vocalist Louise Marshall, Purdy, Connor Selby, Elles Bailey and many more.

The band has morphed, somewhat organically, into a zeitgeist equivalent of the legendary studio bands from Motown (Funkbrothers), Stax Records (Booker T & The MGs/Mar-Keys) and Muscle Shoals (‘The Swampers’) respectively, and are the studio/production house choice for very many respected artists at the elite end of the music business. With this, the band, whilst continuing to make their own successful records, has evolved into a highly respected mini-Nashville production house in the Surrey Hills, UK - a set up that seems destined to continue on an even larger scale as we move further into the new decade.

The intention is always to record 100% live in the studio, nodding towards the great studio bands of the ‘60s like The Funk Brothers (Motown), The Swampers (Muscle Shoals) and The Mar-Keys (Staxs). Capturing the energy and chemistry between the artist and the 'crack' studio band is at the heart of all their recordings, all videoed by film maker Leo Mansell, further reflecting the 'organic' nature of the proceedings.

So far, over 50 videos have been produced featuring artists such as Hamish Stuart (AWB, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr), Sarah Jane Morris, US Grammy award winning Mike Farris, Jo Harman, Orphy Robinson MBE, Louise Clare Marshall (Jools Holland) and many more. Masterlink aims to not only feature some of the most established and respected names in the business, but also give a platform for emerging artists who truly have the talent to perform at the required level. Its 'A&R' advisory team includes BiGiAM Artist Services and other management organisations geared to supporting credible artists with like-minded values.

The studio house band (a.k.a. the Funkestra) generally runs as a small collective of international, yet UK-based world-class musicians (with CV's to prove it - think Bowie, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Mark Ronson & more) which, at its core, comprises:

Stefan Redtenbacher (bs, producer) Mike Sturgis (drs), Karl Vanden Bossche (perc), Mike Outram/Tony Remy (gtr), Ross Stanley (keys)

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