THE OWNERS
Diamond Mine was founded by life-long musical collaborators Leon Michels, Thomas Brenneck, Nick Movshon, and Homer Steinweiss who’ve been recording since the late 90s. It is a continuation of two former studios they owned in Brooklyn: Soul Fire (Truth & Soul Records) and Dunham Sound (Dunham Records). As writers, arrangers, producers, and as an unimitable session band, they’ve recorded with many incredible singers including Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, Lee Fields, Lady Wray, Clairo, Remi Wolf, Lady Gaga, Kali Uchis, Dua Lipa, Solange, CeeLo Green, Freddie Gibbs, Black Thought, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah. As artists in their own right they’ve recorded highly influential instrumental music under the names El Michels Affair and Menahan Street Band. As progenitors of the New York soul and funk revival, they were also (collectively or individually) members of The Mighty Imperials, The Fabulous Three, The Soul Providers, The Dap-Kings, The Expressions, Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, Budos Band, and more.
It is largely because of Diamond Mine’s legendary owners, and also via a resident producer named Loren Humphrey, that their studio has attracted star producers including Kevin Parker, Mark Ronson, Questlove, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Wyatt, James Ford, Madlib, Patrick Wimberly, Kenny Beats, and Emile Haynie.
Leader of El Michels Affair. Co-founder of Big Crown Records. Former co-founder of Truth & Soul Records. Former co-owner of Soul Fire Studios. Leon’s 20+ years of instrumental music and Lee Fields albums have been pervasively influential among other artists, producers, DJs, and music supervisors. This has lead to a steady stream of samples and syncs, and ensures that he is constantly producing someone else’s record, be it mainstream artists like Clairo, Norah Jones, and Kali Uchis, or underground acts such as Lady Wray, Brainstory, and The Shacks, often for his own label.
Primary Instruments: SAX, FLUTE, KEYBOARDS. Also plays bass, guitar, percussion, drums, programming.
Contact: https://vanpeltmanagement.com
NICK MOVSHON- Partner
Known foremost as an extraordinary session bassist, Nick is also a skilled studio drummer, having played on countless songs during his close associations with producers including Leon, Mark Ronson, Dan Auerbach, Jeff Silverman, Thomas Brenneck, and Phillip Lehman. Nick becomes a contributing writer / arranger in any ensemble he plays for, and is a proficient producer/engineer as well (see: Dave Guy, Slim Kings). Versatile collaborations have included Antibalas, The Black Keys, Ghostface Killah, and Lana Del Ray. While Nick can be congenial with almost any artist or band, he is equally at home building entire instrumental tracks without anyone else in the room.
Primary Instruments: BASS, DRUMS. Also plays guitar and percussion.
Partner One of the best-known and most distinctive-sounding groove drummers of the past 20 years, having been an indispensable beat maker behind all of New York’s revered funk and retro-soul outfits (Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley & Menahan Street Band, Lee Fields & The Expressions), while lending his talents to mainstream artists such as Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar and Jonas Brothers. Behind the scenes, Homer is also a prolific songwriter and producer, engineer, and arranger. He co-founded Dunham Records and Dunham Sound Studios with Tommy, and continues producing artists in addition to his project entitled Homer.
Primary Instrument: DRUMS. Also plays guitar, bass, banjo, keyboards, percussion, programming.
http://www.homersteinweiss.com/
THOMAS BRENNECK- Partner
Leader of Menahan Street Band. Former co-founder of Dunham Records, a Daptone subsidiary. Former co-owner of Dunham Sound Studios. Now owner / operator of Diamond West Records and recording studio in Los Angeles. Tom is perhaps best known for spearheading Charles Bradley’s recorded catalog over many years, as a founding member and producer of Budos Band, and as a former guitarist for Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Amy Winehouse. Even though Tom moved to LA back in 2017 and rarely uses Diamond Mine anymore, the studio continues to house some of his great gear and LP collection, and continues to bear his influence a stalwart practitioner of fully-analog recording and mixing.
Primary Instrument: GUITAR. Also plays bass, keyboards, percussion, lap steel, drums.
LUCAS CARPENTER- Studio Manager and Engineer
Lucas Carpenter is a recording engineer, producer, and mixer working across both analog and digital formats, with a focus on live tracking and performance-driven recording. His work centers on capturing authentic performances while maintaining clarity, depth, and character.
As Studio Manager at Diamond Mine since 2023, Lucas oversees day-to-day operations, session coordination, and studio workflow, ensuring a smooth and reliable experience for artists, producers, and visiting engineers. In his role as Studio Engineer, he leads tracking and mixing sessions, collaborating closely with artists and creative teams across a wide range of projects. His work at Diamond Mine spans multiple genres and includes sessions with both established and emerging artists. Lucas is known for creating focused, efficient recording environments that support strong performances and enduring records. Additionally, Lucas is co owner of a studio in Putnam County, NY which he designed and built. Credited on works from Cameron Winter, Geese, Leon Bridges, Norah Jones, Cuco and many more.
Primary instrument: Electric Bass, guitar, percussion, synthesizers and programming.
LOREN HUMPHREY- Resident
Loren is a fellow retro-analog enthusiast who keeps a complete set of equipment at The Diamond Mine and uses the studio whenever it’s a good fit. As a producer, engineer, mixer, drummer, and arranger, Loren works with an entirely different set of artists including Cameron Winter / Geese, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane, Cults, Adam Green, and Willie J Healey.
Primary Instrument: DRUMS. Also plays guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion.
JENS JUNGKURTH - Former Chief Engineer (available freelance)
Jens is now an in-demand mixer working out of his home studio, but he still keeps his mic collection at Diamond Mine and will still take select recording sessions from trusted producers.
Jens previously served as Diamond Mine’s de-facto chief engineer, technical director, and studio manager from 2015 until 2023, after helping to build the studio during 2013-2014. The partners had previously known him as an equipment designer and repair technician at their former studio Dunham Sound, and upon completing the new studio they discovered he was also a talented recording engineer.