The Skatalites

2023 marks the 59th Anniversary of The Skatalites. The original members played on hundreds of recording sessions before forming the band in 1964.  Backing most of the vocalists in Jamaica at that time, including Bob Marley, Toots and The Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe and many more The Skatalites secured their place in musical history early on. After disbanding in 1965 the individual members continued playing in various groups as the music evolved from ska to rocksteady to reggae.

In 1983 The Skatalites reunited to play Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay and subsequently in London at The Crystal Palace for the U.K version of The Sunsplash event. A few years later they began emigrating to the U.S.A and in 1986 the first US shows began at The Village Gate in NYC. The band supported Bunny Wailer on The Liberation Tour in 1989 and followed it up in 1990 embarking on their first-ever headline tour of The U.S.A.  The Skatalites have not stopped touring the world ever since and continue to be available for festivals, casinos, and intimate venue settings. Their unique infectious brand of authentic Jamaican ska excites audiences of all ages across the globe year after year.

“We hope you will enjoy listening to our music as much as we enjoy performing it for you.”

The Du-Rites couldn’t have been born from more divergent musical
backgrounds for an instrumental funk band. Buenos Aires-born Pablo Martin -
guitar, bass, synthesizers - brings decades of experience in punk rock, Latin
and pop; native New Yorker Jay Mumford (aka J-Zone) - drums, keyboards,
percussion - honed his ear and skills in funk, hip-hop and soul-jazz. With Pablo
holding down guitar duties in the legendary Tom Tom Club and Jay doing studio
drumming for and/or being sampled by the likes of Danger Mouse, Dan Aurbach
(The Black Keys), Adrian Quesada (The Black Pumas), Madlib, Lord Finesse,
Binky Griptite (The Dap-Kings) and others, their work casts a wide net outside

the band. So in a genre like funk that can lean towards the derivative, The Du-
Rites' individual paths ensure rules will be bent, but the respect for the innate

emotion and groove of traditional funk music holds steady.
Formed in 2013 after a decade-plus knowing one another, Jay and Pablo began
developing their chemistry and sound during holiday jam sessions and
rehearsals with Pablo's rock band. In 2016, they released their eponymous
debut as The Du-Rites to a warm reception, and followed with the meat and
potatoes funk of 2017's Greasy Listening; 2018’s TV detective show film
score, Gamma Ray Jones; their first live LP (Soundcheck at 6) in 2019; 2020's
pandemic-crafted, psychedelic outing, A Funky Bad Time, and 2021’s EP
release, Pressure, which experimented heavily with jazz influences and Italian

soundtrack vocals. A slew of 7” single releases over the years were the in-
between baby steps for The Du-Rites’ growth and provided a canvas to remain

consistent without repeating themselves. Their seventh album, Plug It In, will be
released later this year.
Their work hasn’t been reserved to their own releases as a band, either. In 2018,
The Du-Rites served as the primary composers and rhythm section for “Rock,
Rubber, 45s,” the theme song from NYC legend Bobbito Garcia’s film of the
same name. The song featured jazz legends Eddie Palmieri and Robert Glasper,
and put The Du-Rites in esteemed company. They showed their versatility with a
remix for a Ghostface Killah (Wu-Tang Clan)-led tune from French DJ/Producer
Wax Tailor and got their feet wet as the backing band on Latin Soul tunes from
Mimi Maura. They've also collaborated with percussionist Elson Nascimento
(Sun Ra Arkestra) and keyboardist Money Mark (Beastie Boys) on
their recent material. Live, Jay and Pablo are joined by Bill Harvey (bass) and
Bruce Martin (keyboards and percussion).
To be influenced by so much, yet mimic nothing while keeping a distance from
repetition is just a less succinct way of saying The Du-Rites du what they du.