This, Stezo’s “It’s My Turn” (which I also covered), half of Ultra’s Critical Beatdown album and Large Pro remix of “It’s A Boy” are all examples of how mixing console/sampler quirks and effects totally altered commonly sampled drums to the point of them becoming their own unique thing. Just Blaze had me replay this groove for him this summer, but I didn’t really try to dial it till now. “Smokin’ Cheeba Cheeba” is a common breakbeat but the vibe of the equipment used and the delays at the end of the song always made it feel like something new. Love playing the JB’s ending with the wild delays but damn that drum sound took a lot of trial and error to dial! I got as close as I could with my set up but I had to play the more drastic delay parts on the set. I added the AWB horn and some vocal snippets from “The Promo” (pitch shifted so I don’t get flagged). One of my favorite drum-related moments on a sample-based record!

Our seventh album in 6 years dropped today on all DSPs (Spotify), on Bandcamp (for vinyl) and in some online shops and mom and pop stores! Overseas crew can save on shipping by getting it from HHV. It’s a very funky one, with guest musicians Tre D’Ambrocia (vibes), Marianna D’Ama (vocals) and The Beastie Boys’ own illustrious Money Mark on keyboards. For those in NYC, we’re playing a weekly residency every Wednesday at Penny Jo’s on 163rd & B’Way in Washington Heights. 8PM and 9:15PM shows.

Thank you for your support in the group making it to album number seven, which is longer than most of our funk heroes lasted!

Ultra talented guitar duo Hermanos Gutierrez dropped their new LP, El Bueno Y El Malo, today on Easy Eye Sound. I played some subtle groove drums on three of the cuts (“Hermosa Drive,” “Thunderbird” and “La Verdad”) – proud to be on it. Shouts to Hermanos and Dan Auerbach for the call. Stream the album on Spotify below and I implore you to see these cats live if you can, their show is the truth!

What an experience this was! I had the honor of playing drums with Adrian Quesada’s Boleros Psicodelicos for Austin City Limits last weekend, as we performed the album in its entirety and more. (I played drums on four tunes on the album). Still buzzing from both the festival and the TV show taping, which will air on PBS in upcoming months. Till then, enjoy some photos from the eye of photographer Greg Giannukos.

The Du-Rites will be playing Channel Music Fest in Dobbs Ferry on Saturday, Sept. 17. Right on the Hudson River, Waterfront Park. 5PM show time. Free + all ages. After our set, we’re the backing band for LuLu Lewis at 6PM, so you really get us for two straight hours of hard grooving. Half funk, half disco/punk. Opening for Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers). A slice of rehearsal footage below. Come by!

Why not drop new tunes on Tuesday for old times sake? New Du-Rites single “Penny Loafers” out today wherever you stream! From our forthcoming 7th LP Plug It In, out in November. Here’s a short clip:

+ dig in on Spotify.

Play while you head over to Crazy Eddie’s for an insannnne end of summer A/C sale. More on the way!

Big up Danger Mouse for giving me the opportunity to play drums on the super dope Danger Mouse & Black Thought Cheat Codes album, out today! It’s a small instrumental section at the end of “Identical Deaths”. It happened by accident when he was playing me the album last summer in my basement; I picked up the sticks and started playing along to the main part of the song. He just said “keep that up,” I recorded it, he added full instrumentation and that’s it.

Proud to have a small part of a big record. Also dope to be credited as a session player. The sample pack stuff is dope in its own way, but I rarely get label copy credit for that stuff and session credits help keep you working. So huge gratitude for Danger Mouse, Dan Auerbach, Adrian Quesada, Madlib and Egon, Prince Paul, Soul Supreme, Lord Finesse, Binky Griptite, Showbiz, Dotan Bergman, Saucy Lady, Big KO and everyone else who saw a clip or heard the packs first, then called me to join them live on stage or play on their records and challenge myself in the past couple years. Now go get Cheat Codes!

NYC: We’re live on stage this Friday (August 5) at Brooklyn Bowl opening up for my longtime friend and music peer RJD2. The funk will be heavy and continuous. Join us. A rehearsal clip below.

Buy tickets here.