The Cosimo Matassa Project are a London-based collective of musicians united by a passion for 50s rhythm ‘n’ blues, and a love for the artists who passed through Cosimo Matassa’s studios.
This man made musical magic in his New Orleans recording studio 75 years ago and became one of the most important figures in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, guiding to stardom Fats Domino, Little Richard, Ray Charles, Dr John, Allen Toussaint, Lloyd Price, Big Joe Turner and many more.
He created the New Orleans sound – heavy on piano, bass and horns, copied by many and still hugely influential in popular music today.
Now, in a brilliant revival of the glorious music of that time, we present The Cosimo Matassa Project, the brainchild of Dai Price (leader of those long-time Kalamazoo favourites, Dai and the Ramblers) and piano maestro Alan Dunn. Bass man Dai leads on vocals and has assembled a crack team of session players : Al “Dente” Dunn (he’s worked with Richard Thompson, Loudon Wainwright III and Bob Geldof), tenor sax man Damian Hind (Van Morrison, Jerry Dammers, Allen Toussaint), trumpeter Dave Priseman (Imelda May, Jeff Beck, Jools Holland orchestra) and drummer Jonathan Lee (James Hunter band).
