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)
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.
The Du-Rites: “Tenement” 10″ EP vinyl/digital pre-order is now live on our Bandcamp page! And so is the second single, “5 on the Floor”. This one’s a special collaboration with Village Live Records (UK). 10″s are a specialty for the most part, but we went for it in 2021 for the Pressure EP and it seemed to be a good fit for The Du-Rites’ aesthetic. This one features an obi strip (a first for us) and comes in black wax and clear transparent as well. The latter is sold exclusively at the Village Live Bandcamp and we’ll have them at our live shows once it drops officially on February 27, 2026. Our Bandcamp has bundles of Tenement with our back catalog if you’re looking to catch up on our older stuff. Depending what you’re looking for and where you’re at in the world – saving on shipping is REAL – pick up your copy via our Bandcamp or Village Live’s…the choice is yours!
Check out “5 on the Floor” on Spotify or Apple Music (or Tidal, etc.). Here’s a bit about the new record:
NYC funk combo The Du-Rites – Jay Mumford (drums, keys, kalimba & percussion) and Pablo Martin (guitar, bass, keys & percussion) – cranked out seven funk albums in six years. After 2022’s Plug It In, they continued working, but chilled on releasing music for a bit. Jay worked as a session drummer (Gnarls Barkley, Kelly Finnigan, Just Blaze, etc.), was sampled by Vampire Weekend and toured with guitarist Adrian Quesada. Pablo toured as a guitarist with veteran UK singer-songwriter Belouis Some, producing and composing when not on the road. When not on stage and in studio with others, the pair maintained their weekly residency in NYC and released a handful of digital singles to keep ideas flowing. But after a three year hiatus from making albums, their new EP, Tenement (on UK-based Village Live Records), is a lean, mean funk machine.
Guest flautist Seth Hachen compliments the twists and turns of the abstract “In Du Time,” while the title track is meat and potatoes instrumental funk. “5 on the Floor” continues the experimentation with its featuring of a kalimba and heavily syncopated, off-kilter drumming, while “Bucky’s Groove” (featuring Bruce Martin of Tom Tom Club on synths) brings it back to basics with b-boy breakbeats. The Du-Rites’ use of guitar and synthesizer tones that are absent from the standard “retro funk” sound are what truly separates them (“Filibuster” and “Super Phunk”), but the dirtiness of the drums keeps things grounded in what funk is about. But above all, Tenement is an exercise in groove. Abstract groove, stank face groove, booty shake groove…it all makes an appearance in the EP’s just under 17 minute run time.
Back at it with Soul Supreme on keys, Skratch Bastid on turntables and me on drums. Switching time signatures and all! Salute to the great John Guerin on drums on the original. And all involved. Enjoy!
Brand Nu Funk! The Du-Rites have been quiet outside of our residency – life’s lifing and other gigs gigging – but today we dropped the first single from our upcoming EP, Tenement. This one’s called “Bucky’s Groove” and it’s a tune in memory of my Dad, who passed away in January. The Du-Rites wouldn’t exist if he didn’t put that Sonor Safari drum kit in the basement in October 2011 and help me find my way back to music. And he was an honorary Du-Rite, so this groove’s for you Pop! On all DSPs.
YouTube, etc. Stay tuned for vinyl and Bandcamp pre-order next month. Much more music and news from The Du’s in the coming months, including our upcoming collaboration with Village Live Records. Special shout to Bruce Martin on the keys!
First Tiny Desk, now KEXP! Another in-studio session with Adrian Quesada’s Boleros Psicodelicos. My first time in the room – and hopefully not my last! Again, grateful to be getting down with his crew.
Adrian Quesada: Guitar, bandleader / Joshy Soul: Keys / Terin Ector: Bass / Trish Toledo, Angelica Garcia and Gaby Moreno: Vocals / and me: drums. Enjoy!
Played my first NPR Tiny Desk Concert! Much love to Adrian Quesada and Boleros Psicodelicos. What a ride it’s been with this crew. This one’s for Dad. Enjoy!
Touring with Adrian Quesada’s Boleros Psicodelicos / Trio Asesino has pretty much kept me sane this year. Totally honored to be in the company of my great fellow musicians and stellar vocalists. Much more to come – till then, here’s our KCRW in studio performance.
Adrian Quesada: Guitar, Musical Director / Joshy Soul: Keys / Terin Ector: Bass / Trish Toledo, Mireya Ramos, Gaby Moreno and Angelica Garcia: Vocals / Me: Drums
Enjoy!
This was dope to see!
“Don’t Call Me Pedro” by The Du-Rites has been chosen as the music for the trailer and upcoming promo of American Caper, the new graphic novel/comic book series by Dan Houser, one of the minds behind Grand Theft Auto and co-founder of Rockstar Games.
We released this song as a digital single in 2018 – funny where things can end up! The Du-Rites have been quiet for a bit (outside of our weekly residency), but we have a new EP called Tenement (our 8th record) dropping this fall and this trailer is a great way to get the ball rolling again.
I’m weary (and terrified) of podcasts at this point and avoid ’em as much as possible. Becoming clickbait content based on something you said being taken out of context or reliving the interviewers personal nostalgia – I’ll take jury duty instead, lol. But it was cool to talk my 40+ year music journey with my friend and former bandmate (from Lulu Lewis), Dylan Hundley. Thank you Dylan for hitting me up and not trying to steer it based on your own narrative or look for something juicy that ends up on a Reddit thread! Check it here to choose your preferred streaming service.
“From Hermanos Gutierrez, to Danger Mouse, Lulu Lewis, Adrian Quesada, Vampire Weekend, Just Blaze, Dan Auerbach, Greyhounds, Madlib, Michael Kiwanuka, and many more. He’s also a co-founder and shares producer and songwriter duties with Pablo Martin (my partner) for their funk outfit, The Du-Rites.
Jay is on tour with Adrian Quesada with dates in August and September and played on Quesada’s Boleros Psicodelicos 2, which dropped June 27th on ATO Records.
There’s a new EP, “Tenement,” from The Du-Rites dropping this fall, and he’s back in the studio with Amsterdam-based keyboardist, producer, and arranger, Soul Supreme, working on new material. I recommend heading over to his Instagram to stay in the loop.”