Daru Jones, who has been one of Jack White’s tour drummers for over a decade, is heading to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to meet the legendary Bootsy Collins, bassist of Parliament-Funkadelic and former member of James Brown’s band, The JBs. Daru played on Bootsy’s latest album, Album of the Year. “I’m shooting a video for the song I played on, ‘JBs Tribute,’” says Daru, suddenly turning into a fan.
This opportunity emerged from a recording session in Cincinnati, Collins’ hometown, at the historic King Records building. Founded in 1943 and once home to Federal Records, which launched James Brown’s career, the building had been abandoned for years but is now being revitalized. Daru had a dream.
“King Records is still boarded up,” he says. “I thought, ‘Man, it would be amazing to get into the room where Clyde Stubblefield recorded ‘Funky Drummer’ in 1970.’” He made it happen and played “Funky Drummer.”
“Somehow Bootsy got his hands on the video. He got so excited that he wanted me to come into the studio and make a track based on what I did.”
This is Daru’s second Album of the Year appearance. The first was on Detroit rapper Black Milk’s 2010 album, which led to Daru meeting Jack White. Impressed by Daru’s solo during a Black Milk show, Jack invited him to Nashville, and the rest is history. Since then, Daru has contributed to every White solo album, starting with Blunderbuss in 2012.
Reflecting on his time with Jack White, Daru says, “You just never know with him, and I love that mystique because I try to move the same way. I’m grateful that a few of the tracks I played on made the album. I appreciate Jack because he lets us be ourselves.”
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