After numerous collaborations like last year’s “9th Wonder” b/w “Crown Ones” 7″ (which originated from a series of Instagram cover reels) and me playing on many of Soul Supreme’s releases over the years, we finally have an album of original material slated for February 2027. It’s called the Hell’s Gate Affair. Think of ’60s and ’70s music libraries and film scores colliding, but it still sounds like the backdrop of something years away from being made.

If that sounds like music to your ears, then we got a tune for you because Bandcamp pre-order for The Hell’s Gate Affair LP dropped today! (Note: If you’re outside the U.S. and want to pre-order one, hit up Soul Supreme’s Bandcamp) Survey says: that’ll save you a whole lot of bread because the USPS really ain’t playing anymore! Here’s a quick slice of “Chicken Feed,” the first cut on the record – with some visuals. This one’s available with pre-order now but there’s much more to come.

We’ve got the old school tip-on album jackets for this one, plus there’s a very limited deluxe edition with marbled wax and a 12-page storyboard illustration booklet to follow along with. If you want the deeper backstory on the record (and us), here ya go:

___________

New York City, circa 1970. Crime’s up, money’s down and flower power is in the rear view mirror. Smoke filled diners, informants, garbage-strewn alleys and desolate beaches at the far reaches of city limits. The clandestine world of espionage meets the streets of NYC during one of its more turbulent patches, and the sound of The Hell’s Gate Affair sets the tone. Inspired by the masters of 60s and 70s library music and film scores, the record slides easily into those territories with music that’s as detailed in its arrangement as it is relentlessly funky and aggressive in its groove. 

Amsterdam-based keyboardist/producer/arranger Soul Supreme and NYC-based drummer/producer Jay Mumford have respectable lists of individual credits and a half decade’s worth of collaborations to boot. Soul Supreme’s productions and solo releases have garnered support from the likes of Giles Peterson, Rich Medina and DJ Koco; Jay’s worked extensively as a session and touring drummer, playing with Danger Mouse, Adrian Quesada, The Du-Rites, Dan Auerbach and Hermanos Gutierrez and countless others, while being sampled by Vampire Weekend, Mark Robson and Madlib. With Jay playing drums on numerous Soul Supreme releases, the two first shared billing with 2025’s “9th Wonder” b/w “Crown Ones” 7”. The Hell’s Gate Affair is the debut full-length release from them as a duo.

Soul Supreme’s sweet string arrangements and electric piano playing punctuate Jay’s unorthodox, tom-tom driven groove on “Dead Drop,” while elsewhere on “Chicken Feed,” Jay is in breakbeat mode and employs a kalimba (African thumb piano) for melody, while Soul Supreme switches to a minimal, rhythmic approach on keys. “Agent 66” and “Dry Clean” will pull the headnod crowd that dug the “9th Wonder” 7”, while the script is flipped completely on “Hell’s Gate Theme” and “Meet Me In the Alley,” high energy swingers that evoke period-specific TV theme songs played by musicians who came to work in suits. Brazilian influence appears on “Love Lottery,” which gives Soul Supreme a canvas for his flair as a keyboardist, while Jay goes deep into both his groove and melody bags as a drummer on “Drop Dead”. Their breadth as musicians also shines – Jay contributes keys and Soul Supreme adds percussion on a number of tunes.

The Hell’s Gate Affair’s refusal to fall into tropes means the concept album with all original material could be the soundtrack to a gritty and under-budget 1970 spy flick that never saw the light of day, but just as likely a futuristic score to a film that’s decades away from being made. 

This thing still on? Haven’t posted anything here in almost 5 months (!) but for good reason: a long (but amazing) summer of touring with the great Adrian Quesada, Joshy Soul and Terin Ector as Trio Asesino. Europe, Canada, a festival circuit, etc. Thanks to everyone that came out to see and hear us. Now that I’m home and out of my old man recovery period, back to new music, happenings and updates for the three people that check this site lol. Back in June I played a very fun beach gig with superb guitarist Reed Turchi and Seth Barden on bass. Not being on here, I missed posting it, so catching up now. Great visuals and sound + a great time playing with those guys as always. Enjoy!

The Trio Asesino live session – featuring Adrian Quesada, Joshy Soul and me – is out now! Catch us on our first European tour and Montreal Jazz Fest this summer (dates in the previous post). Enjoy and see ya out there!

Photo: Keith Kreeger

After touring for a year (and recording our debut album at the same time), Trio Asesino dropped today! Mega salute to my trio funk brothers Adrian Quesada and Joshy Soul. And to Terin Ector, Minta Spencer, Keyon Harrold and all the killer guests. Salute to my fellow drum family member John Spiece (who plays on 3 of the cuts) and Will Grantham on the boards. Everyone involved! Out everywhere! Spotify, Apple Music, on wax…dig. Here’s “MF AF” (featuring Keyon Harrold and Minta Spencer):

Late to post, but I played drums on the new Gnarls Barkley record! The cut is called “I Amnesia”. The drums I played on “Lux Prima” (Karen O & Danger Mouse) were cut in the same session as these when Danger Mouse hit me up to play some grooves back in 2015 – very early on in my playing years. Dope to see where it all ended up. Shout to the fellas and to Dan Auerbach on the track too. Very cool to be a part of the final album in the Gnarls Barkley discography.

I’ve often complained about the a lack of funk platforms in the podcast world – and an over-proliferation of gossip/nostalgia podcasts, but that’s another post – so it’s very cool to be on the 40 Minutes of Funk Podcast! Hit that link or find it on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. Here’s what it’s about:

“Jay Mumford and Pablo Martin from The Du-Rites team up to talk about 1970s cleaning companies, identifying hip-hop source records, drumming on pillows, blizzard jams, getting booed off stage, trolling gear heads, Danger Mouse’s keyboard collection, and African thumb pianos, plus they reveal why they’re the “Steely Dan of Funk…”

A lot of funny stories and behind the scenes Du-Rites stuff, as well as a deep dive on my now defunct Give the Drummer Some Podcast on Red Bull Music Academy some years back after Pablo had to run toward the end of the interview.

Enjoy!

February 26th ain’t the easiest day for me. Having the same birthday as my Dad was the greatest 1 in 365 odds, but since he passed…not having that call is jarring to say the least. So the new Du-Rites record drops the day after our birthday to honor him – this one’s for you, Pop. Thanks for being the best Dad and for the gift of music…and being indirectly responsible for the birth of The Du-Rites by putting that Sonor Safari drum set in the basement in 2011, a time when I needed to clear the cache and start over more than ever. He always knew me better than I knew myself, but that’s how Pisces do.

The Du-Rites’ Tenement EP is out everywhere today…all DSPs (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) and on wax with Village Live Records. Both our Bandcamp and theirs, though ours is just about sold out of the vinyl. If we run out (and overseas folks as well), hit up Village Live! Thanks to my funk brother, Pablo Martin, Village Live for believing in the Du-Rites, Bruce, Seth and Sami for their contributions to the record and everyone who’s supported us over the last decade. (Yes, our debut dropped in 2016.) Time flew like a MF. Enjoy!

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m very weary of podcasts at this point, lol. But this was a lot of fun! I’m short on words these days, but one way to get me talking is to get into funk music and funk drumming / rhythm sections. Then, the coffee starts perking. Honored to be on the inaugural episode of Black Etc., a new podcast from Ian Yusef. It’s a long one, but a good one. Enjoy!

The History of Funk Drumming (w/ Jay Mumford) (site)

Spotify

The Du-Rites send a shout out all yuh’s who pre-ordered the new 10” on Bandcamp – we tightened up on these tape guns and got your records out a month ahead of street date. We thoroughly appreciate you all for your ongoing support. Our 8th full length since 2016 is called Tenement. Here’s the latest single “In Du Time” with our extended funk fam Chef Seth on flute. We’re running low on stock but if you’d like to pick up a copy of the 10″ on vinyl, there’s some on our Bandcamp (U.S. orders only)

This is a collaboration with Village Live Records. All folks in the UK, EU and worldwide outside the U.S., hit up Village Live’s Bandcamp.

Tenement is out everywhere and on all streaming platforms on February 27.