Don Mumford - Musical Career

Musical Career

Mumford had an active career as a musician and private instructor. He played the drums and performed with several bands including Sun-ra and Dollar Brand. He toured with various bands throughout Europe, Africa, Australia and the U.S. He was lead drummer on the album "Motivation" recorded by Rene.

In addition to South African jazz pioneer Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), during several productive years in the active music scene of Portland, Oregon, Mumford's mentors included drummer Mel Brown and saxophonist Jim Pepper. While in Oregon, Mumford played drums in such diverse settings as the play "Red Beans and Rice," Carl Smith's Natural Gas Company and in one especially memorable jazz gig together with Ted Trimble, Steve Christofferson and Nancy King in Eugene. In the 1980s Mumford toured Africa and Europe with Abdullah Ibrahim and Essiet Okon Essiet, as well as with the famed aggregation of the late Sun Ra. In 2007 Mumford showed local artists and community members in Ames, Iowa the importance of a creative community. He helped start a movement to develop the Ames music scene and is the inspiration of the band Mumford's, based in Ames.