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Gamma Ray Jones TV Promo + Vinyl LP Preorder!

So my group The Du-Rites’ upcoming third LP, Gamma Ray Jones, is…you ready?…the soundtrack to a lost television detective series from 1972! Think Mannix meets Superfly, but low budget, campy and far too violent for prime time television at the time it was created. The pilot for the show was filmed, but shelved by NBC before it’s scheduled air date and was never assigned a composer for the musical side. So when the original film reels were recently discovered, Pablo and I were approached about scoring the show with our Du-Rites brand of cinematic funk! The pilot episode of this lost TV show was originally titled, “Get This Turkey Outta Here!” And it still is. Dig the trailer!

The Gamma Ray Jones album will be available on all streaming services and in all music stores, both digital and brick and mortar on November 23. The vinyl LP and digital download can be pre-ordered now right here on our Bandcamp page and you will receive a portion of the album now and a download link to the entire album two days early.
We also released a new single called “Don’t Call Me Pedro” a few weeks ago. That song isn’t on the album, but you can stream on Spotify (and follow us) or buy on Bandcamp.
Stay tuned!

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New Du-Rites Single: “Don’t Call Me Pedro”

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A Premiere of a Gamma Ray Jones Outtake!

For every album we’ve made, there’s a song we can’t get wrapped up in time for mastering for one reason or another. In 2016 it was “Moving To The Moon,” last year it was “Du-Matic!” and this year it’s “Don’t Call Me Me Pedro.” Dig it! “Don’t Call Me Pedro” is a brougham-tactic Du-Rites spin on the classic orchestral Blaxploitation sound. No plans for vinyl release, so download/stream it for something new to roll to until the release of Gamma Ray Jones in November!

Get it on Bandcamp!

or Apple Music

Spotify is taking a long time to release the song so follow us and you’ll be alerted when it goes live!

Stream it on Soundcloud!

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Gamma Ray Jones + Cop Show Funk! J-Zone Interview with Hot Peas and Butta

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In anticipation of The Du-Rites third album (Gamma Ray Jones), I did an interview with DJ Skeme Richards for Hot Peas and Butta about scoring music for ’70s cop shows and my love for the great TV sleuths and private detectives of the ’60s and ’70s. Mannix, Cannon, Columbo, Ironside, Mod Squad, Harry O, Banacek, McCloud, Dan August…you know the deal. Read a bit about the album, the process and my deep TV sleuth knowledge!

Check out out here.

 

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The Du-Rites: Gamma Ray Jones – Artwork + Story

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Very proud of The Du-Rites‘ third album in just as many years, Gamma Ray Jones. Pablo and I are honored to provide the musical score for the lost pilot episode (“Get This Turkey Outta Here”) of 1972 TV detective show Gamma Ray Jones. It sat for 46 years with no music because it was dropped by the network in favor of “Banacek,” “Cool Million,” “McCloud,” “McMillan and Wife” and other detective show comp. Apparently Gamma Ray Jones was too violent and the overhead for hospital bills and crashed Cadillacs caused network execs to drop the show. All violence was real – Gamma Ray Jones didn’t believe in stuntmen and Pedro “Gamma Ray” Jones was a real life detective in NYC, not an actor. (Zoom in on back cover in slideshow for the whole story). The album drops Nov. 23 (a week or so earlier on our Bandcamp) with Redefinition Records doing the vinyl. Hopefully the show with the music locked to film sees the light of day. Much more to come, including a mini-documentary on “cop show funk”. Suitable for broughaming!

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Give The Drummer Some: Leslie Ming

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My Give the Drummer Some column returns with an interview with great studio drummer Leslie Ming, who joined BT Express as a teenager and went on to play with Kashif, Madonna, Evelyn Champagne King and more in the 80s. This one is one of my favorites just because of how I met Leslie. Long story but a crazy one.

The doctor who delivered me was the financial backer for funk bands Brass Construction and BT Express, so my parents had both bands’ albums in the crib just because. As a kid I would get into the albums and BT Express’ Energy To Burn album always stood out because of how good the drumming was (I was a bass player then) and how wild the outfits on the back of the cover were. Always wanted the outfit Leslie had on – it was straight out of the Willie Dynamite pimp meeting, man. 20+ years later, he was one of the drummers who inspired me to start playing. A few years later, I’m driving through my neighborhood and pass a brother in a Guitar Center drum-off t-shirt standing in front of his crib. I recognize him but don’t know from where. He looked like the same dude on the BT Express album cover but obviously a bit older and in normal clothes. At the risk of coming off as a psycho, I got out the car, approached him and asked him if he was who he was and it was a huge shock to us both! A story I can’t make up. Leslie became a friend and mentor over the years and has shared countless rhythms (I got a Du-Rites groove or two from him), crazy stories from the music business and life advice in general that has helped me get to where I’m trying to go. So it’s only right he’s among the greats I’ve interviewed thus far.

Read it here!

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Give The Drummer Some: Harold Brown of War

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I’m honored to have interviewed drummer Harold Brown of War for my Red Bull column. War albums were/are a huge part of my education as a musician/DJ/producer and there’s a wealth of musical knowledge and great stories here. Plus he’s a historian, which I always appreciate. Check it out, and while you’re there, check my other interviews with legendary drummers George Brown (Kool & the Gang), Mike Clark (Herbie Hancock), Robin Russell (New Birth), Dwight Burns (TSU Toronadoes/Archie Bell and The Drells), Steve Ferrone (Average White Band), Steve Arrington (Slave), Frank Waddy (P-Funk/James Brown), David Garibaldi (Tower of Power) and Greg Webster (Ohio Players). Salute the greats while they’re still with us. Enjoy the interview here.

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Give The Drummer Some: Robin Russell of New Birth/The Nite-Liters

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After a two month hiatus, I’m back in the mix with these interviews with influential drummers. This installment features the great Robin Russell, the man behind one of the funkiest on-record drumming performances ever (New Birth’s “Got To Get A Knutt”) and the current source of rhythm in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park. An amazing (and under-appreciated) drummer with an amazing story. Each interview I conduct feeds me more information as a I travel down a new musical path. Enjoy.

Robin Russell interview for J-Zone’s Give The Drummer Some on Red Bull Music Academy

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