Five-piece band paying homage to legendary New Orleans producer Cosimo Matassa.

The Cosimo Matassa Project are a disparate group of musicians, brought together by a love of the music that came out of New Orleans via Cosimo Matassa's studios in the 1950s. Over the years the band has developed its own unique sound, which incorporates 50s RnB, jazz, soul, mambo, ballads and much more.

The band features the soulful Welsh baritone Dai Price on vocals. Al 'Dente' Dunn, who has played with artists such as Loudon Wainright and Richard Thompson, plays piano. The enigmatic Jonathan Lee, once a mainstay of The James Hunter Six, plays drums for the band. The horn section is comprised of Dave Priseman on trumpet and Damian Hand on sax, who between them can boast credits as varied as Van Morrison, Jeff Beck, Allen Toussaint, Jerry Dammers, Jools Holland and Ray Gelato.

The band are releasing an EP, 'Sahara' later in this year, and are looking forward to playing music from the record in their 2025 dates.

Band Line Up & Instruments

Dai Price (double bass & vocals)

Al 'Dente' Dunn (piano)

Jonathan Lee (drums)

Damian Hand (tenor sax)

Dave Priseman (trumpet)