Opera House: New Mastersounds Live, 1/16/2020!

09 Jan Opera House: New Mastersounds Live, 1/16/2020!

The Sheridan Arts Foundation presents The New Mastersounds live in concert at Telluride’s historic Sheridan Opera House on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 9 p.m., with opening support from DownTown Abby and The Echoes. (Doors, 8 p.m.) Tickets here: 35 GA standing room tickets; $45 reserved balcony seats.

Scroll down for a preview of the show.

The New Mastersounds are at the very top of an elite selection of acts who bring the soul out of funk. As a band and as individuals, The New Mastersounds have collaborated with an impressive array of musicians, DJs, and producers, including Corinne Bailey Rae, Lack of Afro, Page McConnell, Grace Potter, Karl Denson, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, Maceo Parker, George Porter Jr.

In the late 1990’s, guitarist and producer Eddie Roberts had the opportunity to put a live band together to complement the DJ sets at a club  known as The Cooker. Simon Allen and Eddie had previously played together as The Mastersounds. Through friends and the intimate nature of the Leeds, England music scene, Pete Shand and Bob Birch were added on bass and Hammond respectively. The New Mastersounds was born.

Though raw and more of a boogaloo sound at first, the music was powerful from the start. The group’s first rehearsal was hot enough for Blow it Hard Records to release on two limited-edition 7” singles in 2000. Fast-forward 20 years, and the band’s recorded catalogue boasts 24 more 7” singles, 13 studio albums, 3 live albums, 1 remix album, and 3 compilation albums, released variously in UK, Japan, and USA – where The New Mastersounds continue to tour extensively.

Joe Tatton, another veteran of the Leeds scene joined back in 2007, replacing Bob Birch on organ and piano. During a 2018 US tour, a sit-in by Atlanta-based vocalist Lamar Williams Jr turned heads. In fact, the fit with NMS was so right everyone pledged to make a record together. The resulting album was written and recorded in Denver, CO in December of that year and released fall 2019 on Eddie Roberts’ own Color Red record label.

Opener DownTown Abby & The Echoes captures the spirit of old soul while emphasizing its youthful energy and fresh songwriting.

Taking influence from the work of the titans of soul, blues, and southern rock, the Asheville, North Carolina-based band brings its fresh take on soul to an ever-growing fan base. Recently named the FloydFest 19 On-the-Rise Series winner, DownTown Abby & The Echoes has never been more focused on its mission to bring funky, dance-inducing original tunes to the world. The band’s powerful vocals and groovy rhythm section is a must-see for all ages and musical preferences.

The concert will be followed with an AfterSHOW in the SHOW Bar, on site at the Sheridan Opera House, with Cousin Curtiss, known for his ability to get all of Gorrono dancing on a ski day.

The Sheridan Arts Foundation was founded in 1991 as a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization to preserve the historic Sheridan Opera House as an arts and cultural resource for the Telluride community, to bring quality arts and cultural events to Telluride and to provide local and national youth with access and exposure to the arts through education. The Sheridan Arts Foundation is sponsored in part by grants from the CCAASE and Colorado Creative Industries.