Nick Pride & The Pimptones

A fixture on the U.K.'s soul and funk revivalist circuit, the Pimptones were formed in 2007 and are led by guitarist/composer/arranger Nick Pride. The band's retro dancefloor-friendly sound on their debut single "Deeper Pimp" caught the ear of influential U.K. DJ Craig Charles, among others, and led to regional support slots for the touring <a href="spotify:artist:4RAQZfFgR7NPAWjKwUpEeC">Maceo Parker</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3S34Unhn5yRcaH5K9aU5Et">Candi Staton</a>, and the <a href="spotify:artist:5QJZUg9ngYII5FkgAGFgW7">Youngblood Brass Band</a>. The single showcased the Pimptones' unique "live band bootleg" mash-up specialty -- a thrilling component of their live shows.

Their debut album, It's the Pimptones, landed in 2009 but it was the second long-player, Midnight Feast of Jazz released on Milan's <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Record+Kicks%22">Record Kicks</a> in 2011, that saw the Pimptones break through to a wider audience, especially the single "Waitin' So Long," which featured vocalist Jess Roberts. The following year saw the album reworked as Remixed Feast of Jazz (with <a href="spotify:artist:4awnjjqiUnSBA4ucPVbF8R">TM Juke</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3TQa9pp9tjIBn9Fw1hDPUw">Diesler</a>, Smoove, and <a href="spotify:artist:4l0ICV3hSM0CArAK2aN5Ls">Renegades of Jazz</a>), with a funky retread of "Unfinished Sympathy" and "White Lines" as a double-A-side single. Switching to the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22L%C3%A9g%C3%A8re%22">Légère</a> label in 2014, the band released Rejuiced Phat Shake -- which was a slightly more diverse affair musically -- and once again featured a host of guest vocalists, including Beth Macari, who would join the band permanently. With a settled lineup of Ian Paterson (bass), Oz Cassidy (drums), Keith Nicholson (trumpet), and Alex Saxon (saxophone/flute) joining Pride and Macari, the Pimptones recorded their second album, Go Deep, for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22L%C3%A9g%C3%A8re%22">Légère</a> in their hometown of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, U.K. in 2015. Released the following year, it heralded a back-to-basics return to their old-school soul and funk roots. ~ Matthew Garbutt, Rovi