There’s something very unique and special seeing two musical talents from very different and distinct places of the globe connecting to create future classics in sound that tie in the past while making things relevant in the modern day. That’s exactly what is happening when the likes of New York super drummer Jay Mumford and Amsterdam based keyboardist, Soul Supreme connect the musical dots on their upcoming 7 inch single, “9th Wonder” b/w “Crown Ones”. The pair have steadily been building quite a discography together since their debut outing in 2021 with the re-imagining of Q-Tip and J-Dilla’s “Let’s Ride”. That connection paved the way for future collaborations: a cover of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Award Tour (We Gettin’ Down)” and two tunes on Soul Supreme’s Poetic Justice LP.
Fast forward to the present and their upcoming single delivers a coast to coast blast and and explores Digable Planets’ “9th Wonder” (the “East” side) and People Under the Stairs’ (PUTS) “Crown Ones” (the “West” side) for a 1 – 2 punch.
The iconic synth intro of “9th Wonder” makes way for Jay’s thunderous ode to a slowed down Clyde Stubblefield groove. Sure to be a favorite with DJs, Jay eventually detours into a syncopated New Orleans funk break, before getting back to the groove for Soul Supreme’s funky wah wah clavinet work. Throughout, the arrangement expands beyond both that of the original and all of its DNA. The addition of cascading horns (featuring a trumpet solo by Lourens van der Zwaag) and a second, more aggressive break from Jay bring it back full circle, completing a modern update of a classic that manages to pay homage to ‘70s jazz-funk, breakbeats and ‘90s hip-hop – all while staying both modern and raw.
Diehard PUTS fans will recognize Soul Supreme’s catchy Rhodes line as soon as the needle drops, but Jay’s heavy funk groove quickly separates it from the original and takes it from hip-hop cover to heavy funk tune. Soul Supreme’s Rhodes solo pushes it far beyond the confines of instrumental funk as the groove intensifies, while his chops as an arranger are on full display: his horn parts – featuring van der Zwaag, trombonist Olav Schloorlemmer and Job Chajes’ Contra-Alto Clarinet that channels The Headhunters – counter his synth melodies in a discussion that completes the record as a heavy slice of uncut jazz-funk.