Ever order a kale salad and discover a neckbone in it? That’s funk.
Ever write a love letter on a chicken grease-stained napkin? That’s funk.

The Du-Rites are without a doubt the soundtrack to both of those situations, but by definition, The Du-Rites are a duo of New York-based multi-instrumentalists comprised of Pablo Martin (guitar, bass, synthesizer) and J-Zone (drums, organ, bass, turntables, small percussion instruments that require little skill).

Funk comes from so many places that it’s hard to visit them all, but the duo manages to do just that on their self-titled (and almost wholly instrumental) debut LP on Old Maid Entertainment/ Ilegalia Records (with vinyl LP c/o ReDefinition Records). From the greasy, lo-fi and syncopated grooves of the late ‘60s (“Bug Juice,” “Git’n Off,” “Ghetto Ferris Wheel”); to ‘70s cop show funk (“The Chief & I,” “Hustle”); to the slick stomp of the early ‘80s (“Du-N-It”), The Du-Rites have membership at both the rib shack and the discotheque.

Individually, both J-Zone and Pablo have already planted their funk seeds, albeit in different locations. With 24 years experience as a hip-hop producer, 20+ as a DJ and four as a working drummer recording for the likes of Danger Mouse, various film scores (the Stretch and Bobbito Documentary being one) and his own albums and break beat projects, J-Zone knows a thing or two about what makes a song groove. Pablo currently holds down guitar duties for the legendary new wave band, Tom Tom Club, and has worked as a mastering/sound engineer in New York City for 20 years. The Argentina native brings a musicality with his Telecaster guitar that pairs with J-Zone’s rhythms and screaming organ riffs for a hard-grooving and quirky funk sound.

With influences ranging from the obvious (Booker T. & The MGs, Lalo Schifrin, Cameo, Kool and the Gang, The Meters, Jimi Hendrix, P-Funk, Motown, Herbie Hancock, and James Brown) to the obscure (overlooked late ‘60s funk bands Warm Excursion, TSU Toronadoes, The Counts and Willie & The Mighty Magnificents), The Du-Rites bounce from improvisational, raggedy and psychedelic to tight and snappy with the skip of a track. Pablo’s proficiency in punk, disco, pop and Latin and J-Zone’s deep roots in hip-hop and soul combine to make one of the more off-kilter, but undeniably funky instrumental long players you’ll dig into.

The Du-Rites’ music is already being featured in a major film in 2017 and if you need a theme song for your fried chicken joint, they’ll get it done. But for now, enjoy their first full-length album.

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