A live performance built around Chris Booth’s original song
“No Future Blues” began with Chris Booth’s song and his voice at the centre of the room.
Chris came to Masterlink with an original that needed space, grit and forward motion. The Funkestra approached it as a live performance from the outset. We did not build a track around him. Instead, we built the arrangement with him, listening for the moments where the song wanted to push and where it needed to hold back.
That approach suits Chris’s writing. “No Future Blues” has blues at its foundation, yet it does not sit still in one place. Its energy comes from the tension between the lyric, Chris’s guitar work and a rhythm section that keeps the performance moving.
Emily Francis joined the session on keys and brought another important voice into the room. Her playing adds colour and momentum while leaving Chris room to lead the song. As a result, the arrangement grows through the interaction between the musicians rather than through layers of production.
A real take, captured in the room
The performance you hear is Take 2.
That matters. There is no attempt to polish away every edge or turn the session into a perfect studio construction. Instead, the recording captures the directness of a band responding in real time.
Chris gives the song everything in that take. Meanwhile, the Funkestra works around the detail of his vocal and guitar performance. The band supports the shape of the song without turning it into something else.
For us, this is one of the most rewarding sides of playing as Redtenbacher’s Funkestra. We can bring our own musical identity into a room while still serving an artist’s material. Each collaboration asks a different question. In this case, the answer was to keep the performance honest, physical and rooted in the live moment.
Watch and listen
Watch “No Future Blues” by Chris Booth x Redtenbacher’s Funkestra:
Listen on Spotify and other streaming services:
For the full Masterlink Sessions feature, including the original session story and credits, visit:
Credits
Artist: Chris Booth x Redtenbacher’s Funkestra
Track: No Future Blues
Featuring: Emily Francis – keys
Recorded at: Masterlink Productions, Surrey
Series: Masterlink Sessions
Recorded live at Masterlink Productions
Produced as part of Masterlink Sessions
Redtenbacher’s Funkestra is the studio band for Masterlink Sessions