Uncategorized
The Du-Rites on Bedroom Beethovens Podcast
The Du-Rites on Bedroom Beethovens Podcast! This was a good chat. A lot of ground covered, including recording our new album during a pandemic with the world seemingly falling apart, Pablo’s unique history and how one bad SXSW show ended one career and started another for me.
Enjoy and our album ‘A Funky Bad Time’ drops November 13.
Pre-Order vinyl at thedurites.bandcamp.com
Podcast also on Spotify
and Apple Music
The Du-Rites: “Done N’ Dusted” [Promo Video]
A live/rehearsal rendition of a tune from our upcoming ‘A Funky Bad Time’ LP. Pablo, me and as a bonus we have Bill Harvey adding some bass to a tune that has no bassline!
Pre-Order A Funky Bad Time here for vinyl and digital.
Album drops November 13 in all formats.
The Du-Rites: A Funky Bad Time Pre-Order!
The Du-Rites fifth LP in five years drops November 13th on Bandcamp (vinyl, digital) and on all streaming sites worldwide, but the pre-order for the vinyl and digital begin today! A Funky Bad Time is just that – times may be bad in 2020, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be funky. And the badder times get, the funkier you have to be.
Pre-order the vinyl LP and/or digital download (which comes free if you order the vinyl anyway) here on our Bandcamp and get 4 of the 12 tunes plus one Bandcamp-only bonus track.
Between the launch of this pre-order and release day, we’ll be back with a music video, little rehearsal vignettes for the album and more! Stay tuned and thanks for your support. #afunkybadtime
J-Zone Micro-Chop Feature
A new feature was just published over production newsletter Micro-Chop. A little bit about recording break records, learning drums in an atypical way at an older age, paying dues and more. Read it here and enjoy!
In Memory of Ronald “Khalis” Bell
I can’t recall the last time my legs actually gave out underneath me but hearing about the passing of Ronald “Khalis” Bell… From the age of 8, when I first discovered Kool & the Gang’s Wild and Peaceful album in my mom’s collection, this man, his compositions and that band shaped the soundtrack of my life. I’ve said it a million times before, but everything I’ve ever done musically began with a Kool & the Gang album. Having my dad drive me deep into Jersey to find their early out of print albums and studying their catalog note for note are what come to mind when I try to reconnect with my love for music. Khalis is on the Mt. Rushmore of funk saxophonists, horn chart creators and composers and stands as one of the greatest musical geniuses of our time.
I never figured that years later I’d have the honor to meet this man on multiple occasions and tell him what his music did for me both as a musician and as a person. And finally chances to get all of those records my dad drove me all over the place to find signed. To hear stories directly from him about “Pneumonia” being written backstage at The Sex Machine night club or “Funky Stuff,” “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging” all being cut the same day. I remember driving home from that totally floored, telling my dad in disbelief on the phone because he knew what sitting down to speak to this man meant to me. THE Ronald “Khalis” Bell. I feel like part of me is gone right now, but he’s given me and all of us so much brilliant music and all of his gifts – which are enough to last forever. My condolences to the entire Kool and the Gang family. Thank you, Khalis.
J-Zone + East Coast Affair
Proud to be a part of this East Coast Affair True Colors LP that dropped on Friday. I played drums on two cuts (“Summer In Canarsie” & “America in 2020”). Proceeds from first 2 weeks sales go to a non-profit to put music in Baltimore public schools. Click here to check out/purchase the album on Bandcamp or below for the two tunes I played on.
Still Alive!
In the age of Covid, the summer ain’t about much musically but a higher electric bill. But behind the scenes there’s some stuff happening. Most important, the completion and submission of The Du-Rites’ fifth LP, A Funky Bad Time, for manufacturing. 12 slices of pandemic-fueled, nasty funk. Album will be released in November. Pablo and I are both inspired and excited, which many musicians aren’t these days and understandably so. But you take it when it comes. Pre-orders begin in October. So for now, we’re just getting all the boring stuff together. Stay tuned. In other news, I recently jammed with Ben Pirani and The Means of Production for the first time since March. We grooved responsibly (masked and distanced) and it further proved there’s nothing like playing with other musicians. Here’s a brief clip of the jam session as a bit of “content” (I hate that word) to hold over till The Du-Rites’ album roll out and other things in September. Stay safe!
J-Zone Interview at H3Soul – Pt.1 (Video)
Sat down with Hip Hop Has Soul (h3soul.com) for a video interview about my time in music from the beginning through now. Watch part one of the two part interview on YouTube:
The Du-Rites: “The Man With The Golden Tooth” (Live at Brooklyn Bowl)
The Du-Rites had a very funky and fun show over the weekend opening for the legendary Skatalites. Here’s a full clip of “The Man With The Golden Tooth”…a lil’ smooth funk, a lil’ Go-Go breakdown, a lil’ film score, a lil’ everything! More clips from the show to come.