The band described by some as Grant Green and Lou Donaldson having a fight in a Hammond Organ shop while James Brown holds the coats is set to embark on their Encore 2008 tour with a freshly available live release in the air. The New Mastersounds unique brand of funk is being discovered by an increasing amount of music lovers this year witness the two sold out nights at San Franciscos Independent and highlight performances at Japans Fuji Rock Festival and the Aspen Jazz Festival right here in the States.

While we will have to wait until next spring for the release of their next studio album, Plug and Play, just last week, Live From San Francisco became available on Amazon Japan. This import is culled from a fan-favorite San Francisco performance last July. The band has also released bonus track-enhanced versions of their previous CDs Be Yourself and Keb Darge Presents.

Almost as if to provide geographic juxtaposition for their south-to-north March tour (or in some sort of subtle ode to migration) the band will begin the Encore 2008 Tour in the chilly northern air and gradually escape to warmer latitudes as the tour unfurls.

We’ve had a bit of time off at home in Leeds and now we’re champing at the bit to get back in front of our beloved American audiences – they are the ones who understand our music the best, said drummer Simon Allen, We had such a good run coming up the East Coast in March and we can’t wait to do it again in reverse (sort of).’

Dionne Charles, a guest vocalist on the forthcoming Plug and Play, will make her US debut with TNM at the first stop of their brief tour. She will join them at New York Citys Sullivan Hall November 7 and 8. The tour will conclude with performances November 15 and 16 at the Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival in Live Oak, Florida. They will be one of nine bands to offer multiple sets at Bear Creek. Report by Rob Turner