In the Bag | Resonate Suwanee 2024

April 6, 2024 — Leave a comment

As I mentioned previously in my In the Bag post for Hulaween, my first introduction to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park was Purple Hatters Ball in 2015. The smaller, more intimate nature of Resonate Suwannee reminded me a lot of it. Seeing as Paul Levine and his Purple Hat Productions is involved in the festival, it should be no surprise this weekend took me right back to memories of it almost a decade ago. Please make sure you support these smaller fests, they’re brilliant. It was the perfect for speed for me and my camp mates.

In advance of the fest, I reached out to the Resonate Music Festival Family group on Facebook for a little help packing my bags by asking in a poll what they’d like to hear from me and, overwhelmingly, they voted for funk, with disco and house getting some love too. So that’s what I packed, with an emphasis on jammy, synth-laden tunes, given the electronic jazz funk fusion lean of the fest’s programming. Went for a quick mixing approach to try to fit in as much as into the hour I was given as well and eventually made my way up into house.

Thanks to Paul Levine for extending another invite to perform up at Suwannee, Greg Geier for assisting with the turntable and isolation setup, and Devin Constant for documenting it all.

Stream the continuous playlist, with the exception of two songs that were unavailable, or go track by track through the setlist with blurbs about each selection below.

Playlist

Setlist

1. Lafleur – Tribute to the Sun Summer Issue 14, Detroit Electronic Quarterly 2018

No digital previews of this vinyl only release anywhere online unfortunately, but let me tell you, it is far out. Interestingly enough, these DEQ compilation releases coincide with their magazine issues. Picked this one up in Detroit one Memorial Day Weekend at my favorite, Peoples Records. I assume the “Sun” in the title is Sun Ra as it is an experimental and cosmic percussive piece of music with space age saga vocals cutting through the chaos with the lyrics, “we travel through space and time.” I chose this simply as a soundscape to reset, clear the air, and cleanse the palette.

2. Digable Planets – It’s Good to Be Here Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), Pendulum Records 1993

One of the most universal and cosmic hip-hop groups to ever do it, this Digable Planets cut off their classic Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) seemed like a good choice for the set starter proper. I’ve always loved this group and album, with “Nickel Bags” being a go to of Boomerang and I’s that I use in a lot of downtempo sets (including opening for Mark Farina at the Music Room in Atlanta). I never owned the album though and didn’t realize how pricey it was until I looked it up after I was gifted a copy in a box of records from NYC DJ legend Richard Vasquez of The Choice. Anyway, the spacey intro really stands out and is totally unexpected when it then goes into jazzy, laid back hip-hop with lyrics like, “Tell my pops i’m out earthbound with the crew… I split to earth to resurrect the funk.” I knew Late Night Radio who was playing before me is kind of Pretty Lights-esque sample heavy hip-hop adjacent broken beat electro-soul, or what have you, so I thought this might be a good bridge between us. Plus, there were a lot of “I’m Glad You’re Here” stickers making the rounds that were really popular and this was kind of my response to that too, “And it’s good to be here.” Also, for the people in the audience, I hope they felt the same. As it panned out, with the 15 minute gap in time between acts, there wasn’t really an opportunity to win any of his audience over. Still the raps are a bit of a calling card for me and what I do, “We jazz up the streets to prove we have beats, fat jazz fat style and the sound so sweet… so to the flam lovers that crowd in dark spots … now we have arrived with crazy boogie sounds, get yourself a mate today’s the boogie down, this is all we know, we feel it when we slams, you could hear the love, it comes out in our jams.”

3. General Caine – By My Side Dangerous, Tabu Records 1983

If it’s good to be here, it’s much better “when you’re by my side.” This song by the P-Funk inspired group General Caine is mainly a message for my friends I know I can always count on to be there for my sets at these things and the encouragement they give me, although applicable to anybody joining us. Choosing to spin vinyl and selecting records that are eclectic, unfamiliar deep cuts drenched in funk and soul while steadily building the vibe isn’t the easiest route to take, which would be banging it nonstop right out the gate. These lyrics are a bit of an ode to that, “I’m glad we kept our thing, got in gear, that’s why we’re here, while others try, I’m thankful you’re sincere.” Before expanding on this with, “We worked it out, we built a strong relation, the trust we have, it calls for a celebration.” Indeed.

4. Tempest Trio – Starlight Tempest Trio, Marlin 1979

Detroit musicians and producers on a Miami label — always love to give a little Florida flavor to my sets. Tempest Trio is the best of Motown soul and funk meets Miami with a twist of disco. Might be the sole album by this group, led by Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey, but damn if it’s not a good one. About the time I was playing this, outside the Music Hall was turning to night with the stars, which are beautiful up at Suwannee, beginning to appear in the sky, “First star I see tonight.” This was alluding to the change of times during my set, you’d enter during daylight and come out in the darkness of night. “I wish all day, I wish all night…”  A reminder we’re about to “take a trip on my funk machine.”

5. Steve Harvey – Tonight (François Remix) Tonight, London Records 1983

Another one from Richard Vasquez’ collection. I’ve had the pleasure of playing with François K, one of the most genius and prolific remixers of the ’80s and a legendary DJ, a few times now. When the saxophone eventually hits, it takes this song somewhere else. Festival sets are such a fleeting, in the moment, one night only affair, “Just tonight, I will give you all the love that I got to give.”

6. Mandrill – Put Your Money Where the Funk Is Put Your Money Where the Funk Is, Montage Records 1982

“All I ever hear from you, you’re talking about the things you do. Seem to try to impress the crowd, but all you doing is talking loud. You ain’t got a thing to prove, but to yourself when you’re just being you.” Somewhat of an affirmation for a DJ like me, I also love a good shit talking record and this is one of those. Funk guitar licks with blaring horns and a boogie synth bass line. Check, please. “Living for the latest trend, ain’t go no meaning in the end. If you don’t respect yourself, you can’t expect nobody else. Thinking you’ve got it made, ain’t nothing but a masquerade.” A nice find from Underground Music Academy’s pop up shop in Detroit, it feels good to know my purchase is going towards teaching some kid how to lay a synth down like in this song.

7. West Phillips – (I’m Just A) Sucker for a Pretty Face (I’m Just A) Sucker for a Pretty Face, Quality 1983

This one is just pure, unadulterated fun. You can’t help but smile when the vocoder voice comes out of nowhere, growing into a full ear to ear grin with the higher pitched, erotically charged Prince-like response, “I’m just a sucker, looking for some sugar.” But my favorite vocals are definitely when the verse finally kicks in, “Skips cross the room like she’s dancing on air, winks at me and smiles and shakes her pretty hair. Girl’s got style, she got class, a sexy flair (which always cracks me up because I’m expecting him to say ass). Want to take her higher, but she’s already there.” File under let your freak flag fly material.

8. Vernon Burch – Do It to Me Do It to Me, Spector Records International 1981

It’s kind of pointless lending words to songs that speak for themself like this one, “It’s all in the vibrations you send.” Honestly the understated keys are my favorite part of this song, as well as the “honey” refrains. Bonus points for those that know Vernon Burch’s “Get Up,” which would go on to became the foundation for the Deee-Lite’s smash hit “Groove Is in the Heart.”

9. Klique – Love’s Dance Love’s Dance, MCA Records 1981

“Take hold of the beat, it’s so sweet. On the high side of the party, don’t sit around on the wall. Everybody come along, do one for love.” The bottom and middle half of this one is serious LA funk and boogie, but up top it’s pure disco, with the strings, claps, triangle, and cow bell. “Can’t hold back the rocket (what the funk does this even mean?), keep the groove in your pocket.”

10. Dynasty – I Don’t Want to Be a Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) I Don’t Want to Be a Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself), Solar 1979

The title sort of says it all… and based on the response, it seemed like more than a few in the crowd knew this one — or maybe they just recognize the chorus from “Phreaky Mf”er Mike Dunn’s famous house take on it, which also took its instantly familiar drums from the infamous “Is It All Over My Face” by Loose Joints. Either way, there’s not usually a lot of sing along moments in my sets, so it was nice to share this one together.

11. Chi-Chi Favelas and The Black and White Band – Give It to Me Rock Solid, Prism 1978

Anyone that’s caught enough sets of mine, has probably heard me spin this one. It’s often in my bag and on heavy rotation for me. I first came across it in an only 2–3 records sparse disco section at Mojo Books & Records in Tampa. The asphyxiation mannequin cover instantly caught my eye (not sure what that says about me…) and this is another one of those only-album-released groups, but again, they managed to make it count. The Chi-Chi Favelas name is as strange as the album art, an unsuspecting alias for a British cabaret talent from Hull by the name of Kay Garner who wasn’t a household name, but was a prolific and in-demand backing singer for the likes of Elton John, John Lennon, George Harrison, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, Serge Gainsbourg, Lou Reed… and disco acts like Kongas, even delivering the vocals on member Cerrone’s hit “Supernature.” This background totally makes sense in her style of singing here, and the accompanying music really has more of a soul and blues rock feel than it does disco, although the drums, bass line, and and rhythmic guitar are all in that vein. “Once you’ve had a sweet taste, got to have some more. You have got the flavor, I’ve been waiting for.”

12. COEO – Express Lane COEO Edits, Razor-N-Tape 2019

Continuing to thread the more twangy side of disco, I’m not usually big on edits, but COEO tastefully condenses the best bits of Eastbound Expressway’s “Never Let Go” into a more impactful arrangement, without adding unnecessary production elements. After the begging of “give it to me,” “it’s got me and I’ll never let go” felt like a fun follow up.

13. Love Drop – Temptation Temptation / The Buzz, Disco Deviance 2015

You know that thing I just said about edits? Well, maybe ignore that for a moment. This is another one that I’ve given a lot of love to in my sets over the years, including warming up for Luv*Jam in the Atrium. There is a such thing as feeling too good and clearly Lenny Williams was going through some of that when he wrote the song this bootleg is pulling from, “Please Don’t Tempt Me.” This is actually a record where I couldn’t see myself playing the original, which is too ballad like with a really cheesy, tired narrative. I don’t typically like most edits, but this one clearly has the power to “make me feel something I don’t want to feel.”

14. Live – Strut Your Stuff Strut Your Stuff, The Sound of Brooklyn 1981

After a few of my more disco soul and rock ‘n’ roll selections, it was time to get back to the bottom end of things with synthesized funk and boogie. The pantomimed “hot” vocal on here is so over-the-top hilarious to me. “I like the way you strut your stuff, I like it because I never get enough.” Feel like this is totally up Chromeo’s alley — they DJ’d the night before, but kept it largely house.

15. Paul Johnson – Erotic City Erotic City, Unofficial Release 2003

Speaking of house, here’s one of its greatest covering another great of funk and pop, Prince. Saturday’s theme was Purple Paradise, so you know I had to throw in a tribute to The Purple One. “All of my purple life.” I feel like a lot of people don’t know about this one or it would be way more popular. It’s also unfortunately not available to stream on any of the platforms, but you can find a pretty poor quality preview from Japanese record store Mole Music here. Forgive me, for what is to follow is probably a sin, but the vocals in the original “Erotic City” I’ve always found to be too manipulated and high pitched for me. “Your a sinner, I don’t care.” This is a super tastefully well done cover to me.

16. Nu Colours – Desire (Masters At Work Dub #3) Body & Soul (Volume 1), Wave Music 1998

I like to balance out raunchiness with deeper, more sensual and spiritual sexuality. Masters at Work really knocked this remix out of the park. This is peak-time scale energy, yet with super soulful diva vocals and slow building organ atop a funky, walking bass line and big horns. “I’m gonna give it, I’m gonna give my all to you. And all I wanna do is love you, and all I wanna do is please you. It’s my, it’s my desire.”

17. Moot Booxle – Galactic Matriarch Transmootation E.P., NYC Records 2020

Real quick, the YouTube session embedded here is not the version I played (obviously), that’s a recorded one available here and also linked above on Discogs, but it’s close enough and I thought people might appreciate this live jam. It’s also why this record felt especially appropriate on the night. It isn’t all that far off from a synthesizer solo you might hear during a STS9 or Papadosio set and I wanted to touch on that before my time was up. I also sound checked with this record and Greg and I agreed it sounded fat, so there’s that. Did I fail to mention the guy behind all this synth wizardry is based out of Ft. Meyers, Florida, of all places? Like I said before, I’m always here for celebrating a good Florida connection.

18. Savile – Thanks to the Heads (in Jackson Park) No Sleep, Not in America, Stripped & Chewed 2016

The producer and DJ on after me in the Music Hall, Skiz, is a dubstep artist, so I thought it might be good to tease something a bit more dub oriented that also dives into breakbeats. Savile is a Michigan native that at one point resided in Chicago, holding a residency at Smart Bar, and is now based out of New York. That’s neither here nor there though. While the record is nothing like their sound, I assume the title “Thanks to the Heads (In Jackson Park)” alludes to the annual Chosen Few Picnic which takes place in Jackson Park every July 4th weekend. I’ve attended before and it’s a great event. Highly recommend if you want to get to some of the roots of this thing here we call house.

19. Unknown Artist – The Answer (Gipsy Kink Remix) The Answer / Timeless Signs, UPS 2009

Building off of the previous departure in sound, this track almost dips into UK garage territory with its wonky, distorted bass and 2 step like shuffle. The vocals are from Danny Tenaglia and Celeda’s seminal “Music is the Answer (Dancin’ and Prancin’)” hit. This has got to be one of the first records I ever bought, while I was still going to school up in Tallahassee. Felt like a fitting ending.

That would’ve — and I’d like for it to have — been the last record, but I kept looking around for the next DJ and thought he hadn’t shown up, with the A1 and stage manager not communicating to me anything otherwise, so I got on the mic (which I never do) like a moron, and said, “I don’t think the other DJ is here, so I’m going to keep playing records for you, if you’d like.” Everyone cheered and I mixed into Basement Jax’ “Fly Life (Extra),” which got even more applause, but embarrassingly it turns out he actually was there and my set was over. It’s not anywhere close to the kind of note I’d like to end things on, as it’s absolutely too high energy and totally leaves everyone hanging a bit. Yeah, let’s just imagine this one didn’t happen…

In the Bag | Suwannee Hulaween 2023

October 29, 2023

The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is a magical venue and absolute Florida gem with Hulaween serving as its crown jewel and biggest annual gatherings. It’s one of the nation’s premier independent festivals. I’d been attending or performing at the park since 2015, beginning with the more intimate Purple Hatters Ball. From Silent Discos and beach stages with a backing band to surprise renegade sets at the Incendia and House of Lost installations, these festivals have been a part of my decade-plus DJ journey. So it was a special honor to be called upon to perform as a part of Hula’s 10 year anniversary celebrations.

I was given the option of playing Saturday night during The String Cheese Incident’s big Shebang set or Sunday afternoon. I chose the latter. Preparing for the weekend, I definitely overdid it, packing 7 record bags for a one hour set. In the end, I wound up playing blues, soul, reggae, jazz, funk, and psychedelic rock fusion. As a festival set, it’s a showcase of you as an artist and not as important to match the preceding or following acts, but the direction I took served a perfect bridge between the Sade reggae covers of the St. Augustine (where I was born) band before me, Sailor Jane & The Apricators, and fellow St. Pete based jam band after me, MiniM, at the Campground Stage in Spirit Lake. I didn’t really realize this flow or give it any thought until I was on my way back driving up from DJing The Dalí Museum’s annual Sueños de Dalí fundraiser the night before. What’s funny about the situation is I’m totally a mixed bag as an eclectic DJ, so neither the festival nor I knew exactly what I was going to do when this was booked — I think most would expect something house-y — but the bookers and I were on the same page as to what constitutes a Sunday afternoon vibe, offering a bit of programming kismet. This kind of cosmic alignment is sort of validating, but I guess is just natural for those that think and feel deeply about music. Having went with more of a funky, live music approach because it’s what Suwannee screams to me, especially on a Sunday afternoon, hopefully I didn’t disappoint anyone looking for something more electronic.

Whenever I’m given a larger opportunity or platform, I always try to do my city, craft, mentors, and friends and supporters proud. It was mainly a crowd of our St. Pete music family that braved the afternoon’s beating sun and heat for my set and I appreciate every one of them for making this home away from home feel even more like home. To fit the part, I was wearing a shirt I had picked up months before at an Alchemy event from local upcycled and vintage outfitters Reclaim Threads, who also vend at the fest, and some Kai Alcé Eyewear sunglasses. Thanks to Paul Levine for having me, the whole Hulaween staff for making things smooth, Christian Parchuke for helping with the turntable setup, the production crew for a last minute solution to keep the sun off my records, and Rob Morey for documenting it all.

Setlist

1. Pacific Gas & Electric – The Blackberry Are You Ready?, Columbia 1970

I opened my set with this 1970’s blues rock song, “The Blackberry.” Something about it just feels Suwannee to me, talking about gathering in the woods and enjoying the sweetness out of life. On a deeper level, it’s a statement of intent. The saying “the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice,” has a century’s old history of use by prominent African American writers, musicians, and thinkers reclaiming Black identity in this country from a painful and sordid history into a metaphor for truth, beauty, and pride. It’s a powerful reclamation. I play predominantly Black music, so it felt appropriate to give this nod.

2. Nomads – The Journey Unity, Strictly Roots Productions & Records 1988

This is a fairly rare record I discovered at Peoples Records in Detroit that unfortunately has no digital previews anywhere. It’s the only release by this band and was recorded in Detroit. Otherwise, can’t find much info about them. The album is reggae fusion with “The Journey” specifically having a large dub reggae sound with heavy psychedelic guitars, providing a lot of energy right out of the gate and setting the intention of the journey we were about to embark on.

3. Ishan People – Come to the Music Ishan People, GRT 1977

Another Peoples Records find. Canadian reggae? Why not? I absolutely love this song and its laidback groove. It also follows up on the sweetness theme with its “sweet music” refrain at the beginning. It’s a great early record, literally welcoming people in to “come to the music,” but also its lyrics are part of the overall “pick me up” message I was trying to capture. “When you’re all alone, when you’re on the ground, the poor man’s getting you down, making you want to frown…” By Sunday, people can already be kind off spent, so music that uplifts and speaks to overcoming this can be healing, offering a chance to recharge and the motivation to continue on. “It’s the force that keeps you going, free your mind and all you’ve got to do is come to the music…”

4. Glenn Echo & Daniel Meinecke – Fancy Operation Partly Cloudy, MotorCity Wine Recordings 2021

Alright, apparently you could say the Detroit is strong with this one. Wasn’t my intention at all, but last three records have that connection. This album is out on the D’s MotorCity Wine Recordings. It’s a great downtempo showcase. “Fancy Operation” picks up on the pieces of the previous cuts I played, fusing their reggae and blues with the direction I was taking things later on in my set, adding an energetic hip-hop beat over New Orleans style funk and soul riffs. Essential acid jazz for you. I know Paul Levine, one of the producers of the festival, had mentioned to me that Mark Farina was some of the first electronic music he noticed when he was younger, so I guess this selection a nod to him. It hearkens back to that Mushroom Jazz sound, Nightmares on Wax (one of my early introductions), Thievery Corporation, etc.

4. The Voices of East Harlem – Can You Feel It Can You Feel It, Just Sunshine Records 1974

This is me being meta again, checking in on if folks were feeling it, reiterating what we’re doing here with these funky soul sounds, and encouraging them to stick around. Bonus points that it’s on Just Sunshine Records. “Everybody gather round, tell you what we’re gonna do, we’re gonna dance sing, do our thing, make it feel good to you. Good vibrations, soul sensation, is gonna be coming down, being a funky soul when you start to roll, feel it all over town. I know you got the feeling, I know you can’t conceal it. You’ll see if you stick around, that we’re sure enough getting down. I wanna know, yeah, can you feel it? Yeah, tell me. All we do is just for you, gonna spread a little love around, oh we want you to know to let yourself go, get on up to get down…”

5. Donzii – Crash Landing Fishbowl, Grey Market 2023

I always love any opportunity to incorporate current Florida music in my sets. Especially when they’re as dope as Miami’s Donzii band. I’d love to see them performing at Hulaween themselves one day. “Crash Landing” kind of plays on this year’s full moon theme. They have an art rock sound that fuses a lot of different styles and is reminiscent of the Talking Heads to me. Asking people, “are you with it?” … is a good follow up to “can you feel it?” And again, “feeling pain, kick it to the side” is what I’m trying to accomplish with keeping people grooving on a Sunday. “Heart expanding to feel this last beat.”

6. Faze-O – Good Thang Good Thang, She Records 1978

Whereas previously, I was checking in, this one’s more of a funky affirmation, “I like, I like…” “the good thang.” The confidence is kicking in. “Come real close to me … I’ll never, never let you leave.” And, as we’re getting our groove on, “Doesn’t really matter what you’re doing when you boogie.”

7. Wilson Pickett – Funky Situation A Funky Situation Big Tree Records 1978

The James Brown-esque Wilson Pickett. “Try to trick you, baby, into giving up your good thang.” He says it all, “It’s a funky situation, too much talk, not enough communication.” No words necessary.

8. Natalie Cole – Sophisticated Lady Natalie, Capitol Records 1976

A reminder that the ladies know how to get funky too. My good friend Erin Yonke, who gave me my first official DJ gig in St. Pete and sometimes works the door for our parties, made it seem as if this song was dedicated to her as she put a huge smile on my face dancing on top of an acro partner’s shoulders during it to the lyrics, “She’s a different lady with her different style, she stands tall and steady like the Eiffel Tower…” I also absolutely love this line from the song, “She is hip to politics, but loves her jazz, she’s got lots of rhythm, she’s got lots of class…”

9. Seawind – Angel of Mercy Window of a Child, CTI Records 1977

Speaking of politics, I have a hard time playing music without somehow addressing what’s going on in the world. The Israeli-Palestine conflict has been heavy on my mind, so this was me addressing it. “Truth is hard to believe, when the standard of the world is to lie, cheat, and deceive. First comes power, and then comes greed. The more we get, the more we get, the more we need.” To me, it all boils down to hatred and lies in the service of mankind’s greed for power and land. It’s a sad state of affairs with innocent humans, especially children, caught in the middle. “I’m the baby, born alone, I’m the child crying in the night that love’s never known. I’m the sadness, in a sad song. And I’m a world full of sorrow, where love has gone. But mighty is a word of love, when love becomes love, a common sight, and mighty is the truth, when the truthful word is livin’ in every life.” We should all be pleading for someone to “send us an angel of mercy, send us an angel of love” in this world right about now.

10. Pleasure – Future Now Balance vs Interweaved EP, Interweaved 2023

Expanding on the weight of this issue, the solution is much harder to grasp than the problem we’re facing. A small, but important, step is realizing we are all one. Pleasure’s cosmic funk tune “Future Now” lends a message of togetherness, as we are “universal children,” we come from the same stars, scattered across this planet and divided imaginary boundaries we’ve created, justifying our treatment of our fellow mankind as somehow being other to us. “Come away with me, let your thoughts be free, from pain and misery, with the speed of a falling star, you’ll cross the galaxies, past infinity, can you just open your mind…” Another reminder to free ourselves from pain, physical or otherwise.

11. Escape from New York – Slow Beat (Dance Mix) Save Our Love, Isle of Jura 2023 Reissue (originally 1983)

Escape from New York is a recurring band in my Suwannee sets. I own all their releases and played “Fire in My Heart” at Incendia in 2021. They have this eerie, futuristic ’80s sound I love that feels perfect for Hulaween. I have no idea what they’re saying, but it sounds like a cry from space. Plus, I have to throw at least one in for my friend and fellow DJ, Christian Parchuke, who was there and we both share a love for this group.

12. Kano – Party New York Cake, Mirage 1981

Trying to leave things on a feel good party note. “Come and party, why not do it, why not do it more?” And again, soldiering through Sunday and all the dust. “Ashes, ashes on the floor, dance until we all fall down.”

13. Headhunters – If You’ve Got It, You’ll Get It Survival of the Fittest, Arista 1975

I wanted to end with Roy Ayer’s classic “Love Will Bring Us Back Together,” but I have the short 45 version and there was a bit too much time left in my set, so I chose this song by The Headhunters instead. “If you’ve got it, you’ll get it, you gotta get it.” Off their album Survival of the Fittest, hopefully the people that joined me and made it to the end got it, so to speak. It’s a funky, psychedelic jam and a good segue into MiniM, who was up next.

I’m extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity, but it also furthered something I’ve always known to be true, that it’s extremely hard for me to condense what I do into just an hour set. I hope to be back to create more Hulaween and Suwannee memories with everyone. Working on a pitch with some friends for a more intimate DJ experience featuring extended sets, so maybe that will come to fruition. Happy Hula!

In the Bag | Franck Roger Graffiti Gallery Warmup

September 23, 2023

In an effort to blog more (really tired of social media), and because I’m terrible at actually recording my sets, I wanted to share some of the records from my bag that I packed and remember playing — although I’m not entirely sure they’re in the exact order — during my opening set at Open House Conspiracy’s September 23rd warehouse party with our special guest from France, Franck Roger, in a series I’m calling “In the Bag.” It had also been a while (many months) since our last OHC event and I’d really missed musical home. It’s the only place where I don’t feel any obligations other than what I’m feeling, capturing the context of the night and space, and the dance floor, usually my friends and kindred, likeminded house heads from our community.

Whether you were there and are interested in getting the titles of some of the music I played (by the way, if you ever want to know what I’m playing in the moment, don’t be shy, just ask and a will gladly share — gatekeeping is some insecure, ego filled bullshit) or you missed out and are curious how it went down, I hope you’ll enjoy these selections and the extra insight into my process and the thinking that goes into my warm up sets. This one actually had way less thought behind it than usual because normally I’ll spend a couple hours a day in the week or most of the time before on the day of leading up to an event going through records and packing my bag, but for this one I only had 30 minutes to scramble and throw as many as I could manage in while also juggling showering and some last minute communications obligations. I either need more help or should really heed the advice that you shouldn’t play your own parties.

Setlist

1. Colkin – No Rush Dream House Spezial, Blind Jacks Journey 2017 (Buy on Bandcamp)

Ever since we hosted him in 2018, pleasantly surprising everyone and winning over their hearts and minds as their new favorite DJ, Luv*Jam is an absolute St. Pete cult favorite. The nicest English countryside bloke, he gifted me a whole box of his records before he made the trip over. They’re always lovely, quirky little bits and bobs. This one is off his Blind Blacks Journey sub label.

2. JT Donaldson featuring Penelope Antena – “Dis Oui!” “Dis Oui!”, Dolfin Records 2022 (Buy on Bandcamp)

I’m a big fan of Ben Hixon’s label and quite a few of JT Donaldson’s productions as well. Breezy, sensuous French vocals and synth swirls, just felt fitting.

3. Open House featuring Pace – Seven Day Weekend (Brennan Green’s Ontario Mix) Seven Day Weekend, Tu Wrong 2006

Brennan Green is a phenomenal remixer. I have quite a few of his records and this one is, of course, cheekily named given our parties are called Open House Conspiracy. It’s been sort of an early warmup anthem for me over the years. Always gets the night marching along nicely.

4. Ex-Friendly featuring Rich Medina – Journey Man Journey Man, People Are Looking At You, 2013

The creative writer in me can’t get enough spoken word vocals. One of my favorites is Ursula Rucker and her fellow Philly wordsmith Rich Medina delivers a truly sublime narrative here complete with a funk-filled backing track. I’ve had this record for a hot minute, probably since I started DJing, and it’s likely you’ve heard me play this one before. My friend Santino, also a DJ and producer, once dubbed me the “journey man,” so this is a bit of a theme song for me.

4. Latecia – Love Will Make It Right (Instradub) Love Will Make It Right, Clairaudience 1998

I’ll keep this short… Ron Trent at his best, exploring the vast expanses of the cosmos on a journey through space and time. “Do it.”

5. Quarion – Callisto Moons Around Jupiter, Retreat 2010

I’d had my eyes on this record for a decade and recently found a Discogs seller who had it with a lot of other items in my want list, so I finally pulled the trigger. It’s charmingly dreamy, totally something I might accidentally space out to while behind the decks DJing and forget I’ve got to put another record on. Thankfully that didn’t happen, but hey, sometimes people like when you let a record play out with a little bit of silence.

6. Motorbass – Ezio Ezio / Les Ondes, Different 1996

I wanted to incorporate some French sounds for our special guest to make him feel more at home. Etienne De Crecy is a legendary producer from France and this one from his side project is a bonafide classic merging the best of Chicago house, Detroit techno, and New York disco all into one. It’s like Ron Trent and Moritz von Oswald meets Philly International. This record specifically felt like a proper nod to Vix Fitz’ art installation in the venue. Something about it just gives whimsical, futuristic fairytale garden feels.

7. Moonchildren – Heaven Beyond Love, Deep4Life 2000

Chris Gray is a genius producer. This has all the elements I love, mental and deep yet driving and heavy at the same time. My friend, Chicago transplant and then traitor Greg Webb, gave me this record as a gift. Not sure if he knew it was a pricier one at the time or maybe he had two copies. Either way, thanks Greg.

8. Djeballi – Hunting Back Thugs on the Corner / Hunting Back, Djebalii 2012

Continuing the French connection with Djebali… I’ve owned this record since I first started DJing. Pretty sure my DJ duo partner at the time (bleek ‘n’ coy days) included it in one of his early mixes. It’s grit and bounce gives it a nice urban, street appeal with carefree vocals like you’re on a lantern lit cobblestone city park stroll.

9. Brawther – Second Nature Sundials EP, B2 Recordings 2023

Brawther has been one of my favorite French producers for proper deep bidness for some time. Bubbly house at its best, but, more importantly, that speaks to the moment I feel I’m in with a short, but impactful vocal sample, “It’s like, like this isn’t just something that… this is like a lifestyle to me, and it’s like a lot of the artists nowadays, it’s like, I don’t know, like they think there’s something else.” After the pandemic, it feels like there’s more newer DJs and events than ever and a lot of them don’t seem to be in it for the right reasons or to have that deeper love for and understanding of it. Also, I gave up a fairly comfy, well-paid position last year in the art, creative, and events industry to get back to focusing on myself as an artist and the struggle of full-time DJing. Supporting other artists, the ones with good hearts and pure intentions, was great and really rewarding, but dealing with all the egos of the nefarious ones just wasn’t worth the stress and left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wondered, “Why am I working myself to the bone to support these people, always going above and beyond, to make things as easy and comfortable for them as possible when some of them were ungrateful and a handful outright toxic and harmful?” At the same time, I felt like I was letting our community of music lovers down because I was too busy to play out or put on events of my own, which have always offered a different flavor and served as a bit of a respite for this area. This event specifically, at an artist collective run warehouse space, was me getting back to my roots (I.e. Paper Crane). We were also promoting, supporting, and giving back to one of the most humble, down for this life local artists I had met during that time, Bruno Rocha. Sorry, that was a lot, now back to the music…

10. DJ Rouge – Uplift (South Shore Garage Remix) Balance vs Interweaved EP, Interweaved 2023

This record was actually the result of a producer contest put on by Brawther and Chez Damier, which is pretty cool. I’m a sucker for UK garage after spending a summer exploring nightlife (allegedly “studying” and interning abroad) in London in 2011, which started me on my DJ journey when my randomly assigned flatmate had some decks and experience — only right I copped this from Juno. Add in a hazy, deep, and poetic message about humanity coming together for less hate and more peace, less division and more unity, less war and more love… well, they know my weaknesses.

11. Mr Fingers – Closer (Frankie Foncett Dude Mix) Closer, MCA Records 1992

The original of this is an all-time classic and one of my favorite house tracks. I got to see Mr. Fingers live, which is a really rare thing, at Movement in 2017 — a memory I’ll always cherish. This mix is a little less ethereal, while still sensual, and more of a party starter for people to begin filling the floor and getting closer.

12. Pain – Bang to the Beat (Groovy Dub Mix) Bang to the Beat, Martru Records 1990

This is a quite literal banger and a good way to put the party in motion. Because of how sparse and track-y it is, it’s more of a DJ tool to me, so I usually do long mixes in and out of it, not letting it ride too long on its own. “Everybody!”

13. Sugar Bear, DJ Gran “O”, & Kevin Adams – Wild N’ Crazy (Instrumental) Wild N’ Crazy, Baltimore Citi Record Co. 1992

I have a couple Baltimore Citi Record Co. releases I picked up at Beatlab in Atlanta one year during the annual trip for House in the Park weekend that serve as secret (not anymore!) weapons in my sets. I actually played the Instrumental version, which I always do, because the vocals are corny, but that one is unavailable to stream, so here’s the mix that is — you get the idea. If you want to turn a party out, B’more usually does the trick.

14. Mr. Fowlkes – Eddie’s Circus Detroit Beat Down Sounds&Grooves Vol. 2, City Boy 2003

Detroit OG Eddie Fowlkes taking on a disco classic, Martin Circus’ “Disco Circus” (a record which I also have) and turning it into a bumping hip-house influenced acid track? Say no more. I like to imagine the vocal scatting is a mix of “I do boogie,” “I get busy,” “to the beat,” which is exactly what we were doing at this point.

15. Earl Jeffers – Higher Higher, Melange 2021 (Buy on Bandcamp)

After building up the floor with some bouncy cuts, I figured it was time to let people know where we’re taking things, “Higher.” This is the sound that was really the first side I fell in love with when I got into house. The New Jersey house style a la Jovonn (one of my favorite producers), Kerri Chandler, Tony Humphries (who I got to open for in 2019 at Paper Crane), et al.

16. Ka§par – Higher Fire Higher Fire EP, Finale Sessions 2018

Keeping the “Higher” theme going, I always try to incorporate a Finale Sessions release into my sets. The late Michael Zucker was a mentor to me and it was an honor when I was accepted onto his DJ roster for the label. I hope my efforts continue to keep his spirit and impact alive and that I’m making him proud. (P.S. I still have few copies of this record from the back catalogue if you’d like to own one for yourself — the money goes to his sister).

17. Phil Asher – Today’s Tomorrow Sparkle (AJ’s Dance) / Today’s Tomorrow, Moreaboutmusic 2017

RIP Phil Asher. I picked this one out because I had seen Franck did a tribute to Phil Asher. There’s such an epic sound to this record with chords that are a bit melancholy, dramatic rave style synths with an acid tinge, and a big bass line. If there was a record to remember him by, this felt like it. I bought it in Amsterdam at Rush Hour during ADE in 2017. Moreaboutmusic also has also released some records with Mike Dunn that I have. OHC hosted the Chicago legend thanks to the label’s management.

18. Abe Duque & Blake Baxter – What Happened? What Happened?, Abe Duque Records 2004

Maybe this is my Jask moment (IYKYK). On the real though, I had to get in at least one dirty, squelchy acid techno track for the warehouse environment before I ended my set and this one speaks to my disillusion with the industry I shortly referenced above. This record is from two decades ago though, so seriously what the hell happened? P.S. thanks to Charles Webster for turning me on to this when he played it at one of our past OHC parties.

19. Ben Hixon – BDZ N.I.C.E. EP, Dolfin Records 2021 (Buy on Bandcamp)

Okay, I lied. I got in two tracks with that proper warehouse energy. At least, this is the kind of stuff I want to hear in a dark and grimy box, but I also never want to get too far ahead of myself and play too hard before a guest. No surprise it’s Ben Hixon and Dolfin, as I already expressed, big fan over here, and it’s exactly what it says on the tin — N.I.C.E.!

20. The Jasper Street Company – A Feeling (Lenny Fontana Remix) A Feeling, Azuli Records 1995

I wanted to leave Franck with something feel good that might have a familiar feeling. There’s also a special energy in the air when you hand the reigns over to the guest, kind of an anxious tension that gets released as people finally get the moment they’ve been waiting for, to see what they’re all about and the rest of the night entails. People get to hear me often enough, so while I try to keep them on their toes, there’s more familiarity and less mystery there. I usually play the original of this in my sets, but this remix felt more warehouse appropriate. I always appreciate the opportunity to switch it up like this and play another side of the record (in this case the second in a double). Funny enough I discovered this song digitally and then found it later that week in a record package from my mentor Brad Ashwell I hadn’t finished going through. A reminder, I should totally do that more and get to all these records waiting on me rather than going through and buying new ones. Ah, the all too common plight of a DJ with a serious record problem. Even when you have more than you can handle, you still can never have enough.

On a side note, I got to see Basement Boys’ DJ Spen at the 2022 Chosen Few Picnic — highly recommend!

Razor-N-Tape In the Shop Livestream | July, 2023

July 30, 2023

After a couple gigs for between2clouds in Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, I continued up the coast to hit NYC for a day, originally with sole purpose of enjoying King Britt‘s debut Blacktronika festival at Public Records, but Jask also just happened to be in town and invited me to join him for a Razor-N-Tape In the Shop livestream session. Barely operating off one hour of sleep — unfortunately usual for me, but totally need to stop doing that — I wove together an eclectic mix, beginning with downtempo moody hip-hop, modern bossa influenced jazz, and tropical jazz funk fusion, before bubbling up into Afro-Latin sounds like Shangaan electro dub, traditional jùjú music, afro psychedelia cumbia, and patchanka, then finally rounding things off with a groove laden selection of soca and reggae disco, soul, boogie, funk, and blues. YouTube stream and full track list available below.

Tracklist

1. P.M. Dawn – The Ways of the Wind (Cash Money Groove Mix) (0:00–4:30)

The Ways of the Wind, Gee Street / Island Records 1993

2. The Arx – The Shop (Radio Edit) (4:31–7:30)

The Shop / Simply Ms. Tony, Sinical Records 1994

3. Dilla Dog – The Best That Ever Did It (7:31–9:45)

Dillatroit, Mahogani Music 2012

4. Melodiesinfonie – There Is You (9:46–12:45)

A Journey to You, Jakarta Records 2019

5. Jazz N Palms – Stay Awhile (12:46–17:45)

Jazz N Palms 02, Jazz N Palms 2020

6. Zinja Hlungwani – Ntombi Ya Mugaza (Burnt Friedman Remix) (17:46–23:00)
Theo Parrish / Burnt Friedman, Honest Jon’s Records 2011

7. King Sunny Adé and His African Beats – Tolongo (23:01–25:50)

Synchro System, Mango 1983

8. El Grupo Folclórico – El Tornillito (25:51–28:06)

La Locura de Machuca, Analog Africa 2020

9. Mano Negra – King Kong Five (28:07–33:22)

King Kong Five, Virgin 1989

10. Merchant – Be Careful (33:23–39:17)

Rock..It, Benmac Records 1985

11. Legacy – Monday Blues (39:18–42:32)

Crown Ruler Sound, Spacetalk Records 2017

12. Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – It’s Your World (42:32–46:17)

It’s Your World, Rumal-Gia Records / TVT Classics 1998 Reissue

13. Cameo – Enjoy Your Life (46:18–50:33)
Alligator Woman, Chocolate City 1982

14. Coffee – Purpose (50:34–56:13)

Second Cup, De-Lite Records 1982

15. The Patchouli Brothers – Project Soul (56:14–1:02:50)

Lead Astray, Moton Records Inc. 2021

16. Wilson Pickett – Groovin’ (1:02:51–1:06:27)

A Funky Situation, Big Tree Records 1978

17. Seawind – Free (1:06:28–1:10:31)

Horizon Music: Records and Tapes. Sampler #2, Horizon Records & Tapes 1979

18. Latimore – Yes We Can (1:10:32–1:15:49)

Getting Down to Brass Tracks, Glades 1980

19. The Fatback Band – Street Dance (1:15:50–1:18:44)

Going to See My Baby, East End 2009

20. Wah Wah Watson – Good Friends (1:18:45–1:24:20)

Elementary, Columbia 1976

21. The Moments – Music in Your Eyes (1:24:21–1:27:34)

Those Sexy Moments, Stang Records 1974

22. Natalie Cole – Can We Get Together Again (1:27:35–1:30:31)

Natalie, Capitol Records 1976

This Too Shall Pass, a Takeaway from the 2021 Dunedin International Film Festival

January 22, 2021

This past Friday, January 15th, was my first public gig since March, when my career as a full-time DJ was put on pause. My set was a low-key affair for the Dunedin International Film Festival between films, with Open House Conspiracy‘s special screening of Check Your Body at the Door immediately after. Since I was filling in for Fred & Nico of The Moviemix — who, for obvious reasons, couldn’t make it from France — I stuck to their theme of music selected from movie soundtracks and picked a few of my favorites from the film Eden, a Parisian love story set in club culture. It wasn’t my intention, but once the audience arrived it turned into a small, masked and socially distanced ball complete with an impromptu commentator (MC, master of ceremonies…) for a few songs before the film and one last song (Barbara Tucker’s “Beautiful People”) after the Q&A when dance legend, and the film’s griot, Archie Burnett did his planned live dance demonstration. He even made mention of how he wasn’t supposed to dance before the film, but said that’s the sign of a good DJ. It was humbling to receive this compliment, especially from a club culture OG, after so long off the decks, and a welcomed sign of encouragement not to give in or give up on my purpose, not that I could ever anyway. What he was really speaking to though was the power of music, of which we are just a vessel, whether dancer or DJ; make sure you’re harnessing it for good during these times. Maybe it’s because we were in the presence of an icon like Archie, showing a film that celebrated other icons that have left us such as Willi Ninja, but I was reminded of the importance of how we want to be remembered after all is said and done, an idea so much greater than any singular moment in time. In this sense, vogue came full circle for me as everything we do really is for the camera in the end, even if it is just for our own viewing and the inward perception of ourselves. I am happy, proud, and fulfilled to have been a part of these events during what will be looked back upon as such an odd period of history where the curtains were finally lifted and our true selves were left fully exposed. In times like these we show what we are truly made of.

“Considering these new conditions that we’re under, to still have events happen, with the new protocols, is a big deal, it’s a big deal. Because, for the human spirit, the idea is to continue. This too shall pass.”

— Archie Burnett

I hope through this effort I was able to honor some of the friends and colleagues I’ve lost to this disease, due to both its physical and mental health tolls, Mike Huckaby and Nick Moses.

“Thank you for introducing me to one of my favorite music cultures. Wish I knew about it sooner. I know you’ll bring it back with style and respect.”

— Nick Moses

Your constant encouragement and appreciation these past years always made things more worthwhile, Nick, and is why I know we must continue, safely. Love you and wish you were here.

The second photo included below is of the Thursday night vogue and punking masterclass with Archie hosted in collaboration with What the Punk Fest and sponsored by Metro Inclusive Health.