Redtenbacher’s Funkestra – Pioneers of original wall-to-wall (Strudel) Funk

Click HERE for Redtenbacher’s Funkestra Presskit (EPK)

“Redtenbacher’s Funkestra delivers ‘out-and-out spectacular funk.”

– London DJ and percussionist Snowboy

“The Funkestra has got that ?’what is hip?’attitude?more deep grooves than a 78 rpm record.”

– George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

“Stefan, you know what the Funk is About!”

– Fred Wesley, trombonist and former MD of Mr. James Brown

London based Redtenbacher?s Funkestra are the brainchild of Austrian bassist and principal composer and bandleader Stefan Redtenbacher.

With more ten releases under their belt and regular London gigs they have over the past decade become a mainstay UK Jazz Funk band.

Although their music is clearly leaning heavily on classic (Jazz) Funk, Stefan?s writing doesn?t labor under his influences and has managed to create his own brand of original Funk.

To fulfil his vision the records are featuring Jazz and Funk luminaries such as Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis, the horn section of Prince – NPG horns? (New Power Generation) aka Hornheads, horn players of Tower of Power (Lenny Pickett, Stephen ?Doc? Kupka, Lee Thornburg) and Incognito (Sid Gauld, Jim Hunt, Trevor Mires, Paul Booth, Nichol Thomson, Andrew Ross), guitarists Eric Krasno (Lettuce, Soulive), Cory Wong (Vulfpeck), drummers Stanton Moore (Galactic), Benny Greb, Keith Carlock (Steely Dan), Mike Sturgis (Randy Brecker, Bob James), Bruce Gertz (Jerry Bergonzi) and last but not at the very least a collective of stellar London Jazz Funk musicians like Mike Outram (guitar), Rob Taggart/Ross Stanley/Jim Watson (keys), Sid Gauld/Graeme Flowers/Rory Simmons (trumpet), Simon Allen/Piers Green/Rob Fowler (tenor saxophone), Karl Vanden Bossche (percussion) and Mike Sturgis (drums).

An internationally performing band, they?ve played live in the USA, Germany, Austria, Lithuania, etc. with regular gigs in the UK and Austria (aka Backwood Five). Recently they?ve teamed up with vocalist Helena May re-imagining pop tunes in their own inimitable style. ?Part of Me? – the album ft. Helena May was released last November.

Whilst the the previous full length album ‘The Time Thief‘ was heavily featuring saxophonists (Rick Margitza [Miles Davis], Chris Hunter [Gil Evans Orchestra, Michelle Camilo], Andy Snitzer [Paul Simon, Sting] and Alfred ?Pee Wee? Ellis [James Brown, Van Morrison], their next release ?Big FUNK Band? (scheduled for Q4 2019) is featuring an all star line up with spotlight on drummers like Benny Greb, Keith Carlock (Steely Dan), Francesco Mendolia (Incognito), Mike Sturgis (Randy Brecker, Bob James) and Stanton Moore (Galactic). As the name might imply the album will also feature high-octane 13 piece Big Band horn arrangements all wrapped up in exciting new original Jazz Funk compositions by Stefan.

With an eye toward mentoring and educating upcoming musicians, Redtenbacher?s Funkestra has held numerous master classes at colleges like the LCCM in London, the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, ATM Studios in Birmingham, SMTA Blueprint Studios in Manchester, British Academy of New Music in London, and the RNCM (Royal Northern College of Music).

The live-in-the studio recording ‘The Hang’ (ft. Mike Sturgis, Dave Limina, Karl Vanden Bossche, Tucker Antell) will be released later this year on Stefan’s RSB Records label. In addition there will be a Funkestra and 10 piece string section album (written by Pete Whitfield and Stefan) released on Pedigree Cuts.