Quincy Mumford

Backed by his tight-knit band the Reason Why, New Jersey singer/songwriter Quincy Mumford became an Asbury Park staple, establishing himself in the late 2000s and releasing several albums that showcased his funky mix of folk, reggae, rock, jazz, and hip-hop. By 2014, he and his band were a well-seasoned touring act playing high-profile gigs and festivals up and down the East Coast. At the end of that decade, Mumford changed tack and reinvented himself as a soulful R&B crooner, working with EDM producer Jenaux to record the smooth 2019 EP Every Wednesday. A native of the seaside town of Allenhurst, Mumford began learning guitar at a young age. Initially drawn to punk music, he soon became more interested in styles like reggae, soul, and the laid-back folky stylings of artists like Jack Johnson, who better reflected his surfer/skater lifestyle. By the age of 16, Mumford had already written an album's worth of songs in a jammy folk-funk style which he recorded with local producer Jon Leidersdorff and released in the summer of 2008. Not long after its release, he formed the Reason Why and the young group worked hard to establish themselves, gigging at well-known Asbury park bars like the Stone Pony and the Saint. Mumford's second album, South Edgemere, appeared in 2009 and picked up a handful of Asbury Music Awards. With the 2011 release of Speak, Mumford and the Reason Why had become regional favorites and recorded a concert album/DVD to capture their high energy live show. The 2012 release of Live at the Saint set the table for his fourth album, It's Only Change. By this point, the group's well-honed sets had evolved to incorporate elements like jazz and hip-hop and they spent a good deal of their time on the road playing with a variety of acts from Rusted Root and Slightly Stoopid to Tedeschi Trucks Band. In 2017, Mumford took a step back from his work with the band to try a new approach as a solo artist. Pairing up with New York-based electronic producer Jenaux, he recorded a group of new songs in a more polished electro-R&B style that took cues from romantic soul crooners like John Legend and D'Angelo. They were released in March 2019 in the form of the five-song EP Every Wednesday. ~ Timothy Monger, Rovi