 .Anyone who has had a conversation with me knows how I feel about facebook and what I call "the birthday parade". One of the many things that annoys me is those who parade around social media begging for attention, based on the fact that it's their bday. Not only did I make the decision to hide my bday, but vowed to not celebrate it publicly. After getting down to the week before my bday, I decided to invite a few friends, colleagues and family to The Charleston, for what ended up being more than a simple drink.:) I curated a playlist specifically of my favorite artists, disco edits and such. Feel free to take the journey to youtube or spotify and listen to the #BoozeandBoogie playlist. Thanks to Sarah, Sol and those who joined us, for what became an official birthday party for me. I'm still smiling based on the surprise that started with a simple invite for 1 drink! Consider joining us 10/30 for another #BoozeAndBoogie session for #scorpioseason!!
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 Monday a patron (aa) sat and pretty much rocked with us all night. Towards the end of my set he asked, do you play this great music at the black venues you spin regularly? My reply I try. We both sighed of embarrassment. #whichboxareYOUin #didYOUbuildit#ordoYOUmaintainit? #boozeandboogie   In Chicago SOME folk need to be sold on what they are getting before they show up (social media whoas). Last night we had another booze and boogie session. After getting quite a few compliments on the selections, I decided to start publishing a playlist of the tunes here that I run (per event) and on youtube. Uncle Sam (Original Mix) Jet Negro Muzic Glenn Underground All Is Full Of Love (Miquifaye Vocal) Anthony Nicholson & Jaidene Veda Come Into My House Queen Latifah Get Your Money will.i.am Weekend Phreek Kissing Strangers (Ralf Gum & Crisp Original Club Mix) Ralf Gum feat. Monique Bingham Lovebeat SUMO Can You Feel It (Original Afro Samba Mix) Carlos Francisco Beat Goes On Ripple Queixme (MAW - kuts mix) Tom & Joyce Beng Beng Beng Femi Kuti Talk to Me Third World I Can't Get No Sleep Tonight (Original) Monodeluxe Get On Up, Get On Down Roy Ayers Voices Inside My Head (Roger Sanchez Mix) Police swimming places Julien Jabre Do You Have It (Maurice Joshua Remix) DJ Spen, LeRoyal, Maurice Joshua I'm ready---kano Your Ways The Jacksons Numbers Kraftwerk Glamorous Life Shela E It Must Be Magic Teena Marie Am I Wrong (feat. ScHoolboy Q) [Explicit] Anderson Paak It Seems To Hang On Ashford & Simpson Get Lucky (Clean) Daft Punk ft Pharrell Williams Restart Bilal Hold On (feat. Sampha) Sbtrkt Until The Dawn (Milk And Honey Pt. 2) The Foreign Exchange Take Me To My Love (Ralf GUM Main Mix) Ralf GUM feat Monique Bingham Jimmy go n=boom james brown rmx The Trumpeter (Original) - 4A Ray Foxx Never Figure Out (Stimming Remix) Rasmus Faber feat. Emily McEwan In My Heart (Original Mix) Sean Ali, Munk Julious, Rona Ray Lettin' Go! Janelle Monáe Baby Gets High Peter Brown Burnin' Up Imagination Afro Jump (Afro-Jump-Uptown Remix) Solodinjgo Walk Right Now Jacksons I Kendrick Lamar American Boy (118 bpm)INTRO - 8A Estelle & Kanye West Beat Goes On (feat. Kanye West) Madonna Dirty Low Down Boz Skaggs Do I Do Stevie Wonder Jamiroquai - Blow Your Mind (FFS & JRG Rework) Hey Love Quadron Lite Spots KAYTRANADA it's the falling in love (mikeandtess edit) Michael Jackson Chameleon [Unmixed] Pregunta Funky Nassau (Part 1) The Beginning Of The End Erykah Badu - (one) 20ft Tall (De Spice Rub) - Uncle D CONVERTION - LETS DO IT (KRYSTAL KLEAR NY MIX) Apache Sugarhill Gang Treat'em Right Chubb Rock A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" (Disco Fever Mix) De La Soul Superstarr Pt. Zero K-OS Blame it on the boogie The Jacksons Liquid Spirit Gregory Porter The Spinners - Its a Shame (The Groove Supplier Remix) Call The Law Outkast Feat. Janelle Monáe We Trying To Stay Alive – Clean DAngelo - Betray My Heart (Chillhop Edit) Free Your Dreams Chantae Cann Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly Lizz Wright Of course the goal is to get you to come and join us on the last monday of the month, which is 8.28.17 at The Charleston 2076 N Hoyne Chi 9p.  Yes, I don't really care to socialize electronically much. I prefer to look folk in their faces physically. The issue with this is most folk are in public gazing in their fons. I too struggle.(lbs)     Please take this for inspiration though it may come off harsh.I am not the perfect dj, and yes art is subjective! Just this afternoon, I decided instead of roaming through the radio stations (educating myself on random tunes), while driving to Evanston (which is beautiful this time of year) I would listen to mixes that other “dj’s” had given me recently. Though I will not name names (I could LOL), I was utterly disappointed to find that these individuals either are not mixing at ALL or doing it poorly. Having come from being awed on the dance floor and wanting to convey the feelings that one LIL LOUIS happened to evoke in me (as a kid), I became obsessed with listening to and figuring out how dj’s transitioned from one song to another. I was slow about calling myself a dj because I knew that Chicago was (and still is) a breeding ground for dj’s AND of course harsh critics. When one comes from vinyl; straight arm pitched dial tables, to standard technic 1200′s, to cdjs, up to mixing software (serato), you learn the ropes. The entire trip is MOSTLY based on tuning ones ear, translating through the equipment to the crowd.Of course there has been many debates about technologies influence and the trend of djing, with everyone from random celebrities, to little kids playing dj hero, assuming that they can rock a party. My issue is TITLE. In my opinion if you aren’t even attempting to MIX 2 mp3s, vinyl or cds TOGETHER seamlessly (or close), you are not “MIXING” and I’d almost go as far as to say NOT DJING. Scratching, transitioning, even dropping tracks, ON BEAT is a part of the art. I even respect cats hollering (though I hate the air horn) over tracks when transitioning from song to song. Titling yourself as a “dj” and getting gigs to play out and simply playing one song after the other without honing and using the skill as stated above is NOT DJING (in my opinion). Call it selecting, call it hosting or toasting. When i think mix cd’s i think MIXING. A cd with spaces (dead air) between each song is not a mix it’s a compilation. I don’t care if you have the hottest music taste, find the rarest grooves, unearth every bob marley and michael jackson tune never heard.People need to know that mixing and djing is an art and learn the true fundamentals. You only add to why ipods can easily be used to replace dj’s doing otherwise.Listen to your tunes and find out what sounds similar and work on mixing and transitioning. No one is perfect at it and yes some rely heavily on editing or djing software instead training their ears.I am applying this way of thinking to my next endeavor (production) as well stay tuned!Even the best of the best can learn new and different things, I love this cat and his videos! Peep and be inspired!If you want it to be real work at it. There are far too many ways to learn.   This past Monday was the beginning of my new monthly residency at the charleston in bucktown/wicker park. It reminds me of my beginnings at Buddha Bar. Yes BAR not lounge. Simply put a place to get free. If you are lucky you might have a spot where you can navigate the journey and the patrons allow it. This unfortunately is not the norm for djs anymore. People have gotten so demanding, they expect the dj to spin everything they want to hear. This most certainly works for weddings, birthday parties and corporate events. Uh huh bookings that PAY you to play exactly what they want. The current club, lounge and bar scene has allowed people to navigate the musical journey, which has eliminated taste-making. Taste-making, no requests, simply the dj and their history and experiences leading to all things fresh. The god son sol nakai, dj and producer knows of this first hand. I think this in part of the reason why he invited me to join him and his long time friend Sarah for their Monday vibe building. And vibe building we did and shall.. At the end of this week, we break new ground. Khari B. (Discopoet) and I have known each other longer than I can remember. If we didn't cross paths anywhere else, we would meet on the dance floor. And the boogie IS still for real. We have worked together on more than a few occasions, as I have provided the soundtrack for events he has hosted and performed. We recently joined forces on stage, to create a bit of an impromptu jam session for Brews, Brats and Brass. What's different now? We have added making a music together to our evolving conquests. Working with Khari affords me to be craft quietly and strategize. I love the idea that I can simply whisper and he nods.  no, i'm not new to this game, well not completely. last year i released my first 2 singles online and i can't say that the response was soo overwhelming. based on the critics and haters who don't have the gumption to try it, i wasn't met with an overwhelming stream of yays. lol i am most certainly continuing my process of creation and very excited about what is set to come. as my goal is to release a continuing stream of tunes in order to build up my catalog, i have quite a few comrades on board to assist.., as always i am inspired and grateful. we are not all alike. we don't share the same ideologies and world views. we don't have to. what we have to do is UNDERSTAND people individually and you don't have time or the attention span for that. for some strange reason it feels like we are pitted against each others based on the NUMBERS GAME and insecurities. grown people are very easily manipulated these days. you now seem to believe everything that comes down your timeline without further and direct SOURCE research. algorithms show you what they want people to see OF you and immediate judgments are made without seeking further explanations. you won't get a real understanding of people UNLESS you know them in REAL LIFE. videos and livestreaming does help but only if people care to understand. i have tried it time and time again. my participation started with myspace. your every move was not announced and seen as it is on fb. youtube probably was my second space for communication because i needed to break myself of shyness. i have had enough again. my entire reason for being on sm is to market myself and again fb fails me in doing so. so i will keep my interactions on personal page to a minimal, drive my content to fanpage, instagram, and my youtube accounts, besides it being collected HERE. The other day I was reminded of how many angles there are to djing, in addition to the reason why people do it. |
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September 2018
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