2020 Lineup
Louie Vega
Louie Vega
A leader in global dance music, Louie Vega has painted an award-winning career from a palette mixed with everything from house, salsa and afro-beat, to jazz, hip hop, gospel and soul.
What distinguishes the Grammy winner and 7-time nominee as one of the best living house music deejays is his ability to evolve alongside the times, distill the current musical landscape through his unique taste and put his own timeless spin on all the music he creates.
“Little” Louie Vega, as he is sometimes affectionately known, was born in the Bronx into a musically gifted family (his father is a jazz saxophonist and his uncle, Salsa King Héctor Lavoe). The “Little” moniker is ironic, given the fact that by the 80s he was deejaying at clubs he wasn’t even old enough to attend, holding residencies at Studio 54, Devil’s Nest, Heartthrob, Roseland and playing at the Palladium, Area, 1018 and other seminal New York City Clubs. Soon Vega was producing his own remixes, which included Information Society’s “Running”, “What’s On Your Mind”, Noel’s “Silent Morning”, Cover Girl’s “Because Of You”, and Debbie Gibson’s “Only in my Dreams.”
Then in 1991 he joined Atlantic Records and recorded an album — hitting the mainstream. Teaming up with an up-and-coming Marc Anthony, he produced “Ride on the Rhythm” co-written with India & Derek Whitaker. An immediate club hit, the single put Vega and Anthony on the map. The duo would rock the club circuit with their success culminating when they opened for Tito Puente at his 100th Album concert at Madison Square Garden.
One of the keys to Vega’s success is his refusal to be boxed into any one category, marked by the various styles his songs play with and by his fruitful collaboration with other artists.
More success came in 1991 from the production team he created with Brooklyn-based deejay Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez. Masters at Work, as they were called, were responsible for the critically acclaimed albums “Nuyorican Soul” and “Masters At Work - Our Time is Coming. ” Not to mention the duo found the time to remix and/ or produce for Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Madonna, Jamiroquai, Tito Puente, India, Janet Jackson, Tania Maria, George Benson, Black Eyed Peas, Femi Kuti, Jocelyn Brown, Los Amigos Invisibles, Bebe Winans and Earth Wind & Fire.
Vega, always hungry for a challenge, expanded into a new role of record label owner. Featuring a roster that included Anané Vega, Luisito Quintero, Elements Of Life & E.O.L. Soulfrito (his live bands), Mr. V, Boddhi Satva, Hugh Masekela, Roberto Roena, Lisa Fischer, and Cindy Mizelle, Vega Records has released over 180 singles and 11 Full Length CD / Albums. In addition, Louie Vega has released over 30 compilations (with over 2 million cds sold) on the industry’s most revered imprints, including Ministry of Sound Recordings, Defected Records, Kingstreet, Azuli, Division (Italy), BBE, Concept, R2, and Strictly Rhythm records.
Like his businesses, Vega’s music also flourished. In 2006, he received a Grammy Award for his remix of Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly” on Rhino Records. Then, not more than a year later, Cirque Du Soleil approached him and the house-music group Blaze to compose and produce a song for a once in a lifetime event. Anané Vega sang the lead and the Elements Of life band performed the song “One Dream” to the acrobatics and art of Cirque Du Soleil during the 2007 Super Bowl Pre-Game Show to over 70,000 people at Miami’s Dolphin Stadium. The performance was viewed by 145 million television viewers.
…Yet as we move through the twenty-tens, Louie shows no signs of slowing down…
Vega’s global fandom requires the famed producer extraordinaire to be in many places at once. Radio was a natural extension to his dj performances. In 2010, Vega and Kevin Hedge started a show, Roots NYC Live Radio Show on WBLS 107.5 (New York’s longest running and biggest R&B and soul radio station). Rated the #3 radio show in New York on Friday night, they air every Friday from 10PM – Midnight (stream live www.wbls.com). To keep the music flowing on all continents, Vega can also be heard every Friday from 8pm – 10pm at House Fm on the Dance Ritual Radio show with (www.housefm.net) in London, and every Saturday since 2010 at 10pm via KAYA FM’s Dance Ritual with Louie Vega (www.kayafm.co.za) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Ever the music innovator, in 2013 Vega released Elements of Life – Eclipse on the legendary Fania records. The record, 4 ½ years in the making, keeps the style of Vega’s earlier albums intact (African, Jazz, Latin, World), but is mixed with Soul, R&B, Gospel and Blues sounds. Featured artists on the album include Anané Vega, Josh Milan, Lisa Fischer, Cindy Mizelle, Ursula Rucker, Jose Mangual Jr., Luisito Quintero, Oveus Maximus and an all-star cast of musicians.
The album’s occasion was momentous because it was the first ‘new artist’ album Fania released in years. In Vega’s words, “…It really comes full circle now, being able to be on the label my uncle Héctor Lavoe was on and the Fania All Stars who are all great inspirations for me. Fania Records is to Latin music what Motown is to R&B and Soul, so to even be a small page in this encyclopedia of music is a dream come true.”
2016 was a monumental year for Vega. His emblematic 2016 album Louie Vega Starring… XXVIII was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Dance / Electronic Album. After 30 years in music, Vega has reached a distinct and unmatched level in his career. He knows where global sounds live and hide. And he skillfully capitalized on relationships with the leaders of those sounds by understanding what they represent and how they can be infused. There are few times in an artist’s career where their sonic pallet and connections with other artists reach a level of pure magic. This album is the latest testament to Louie’s growing legacy as a master bricoleur. Starring...XXVIII is a dual disc conceptual record featuring over twenty-five artists on twenty-eight different songs. Collaborators on the album are George Clinton & Funkadelic, 3 Winans Brothers & the Clark Sisters, Josh Milan, Ananè Vega, Lisa Fischer, N’Dea Davenport, Caron Wheeler, Monique Bingham and more.The record is Louie Vega’s first solo album and a contender for his magnum opus.
And music critics aren’t the only ones celebrating Vega’s influence and impact. Kanye West released his seventh studio album, “The Life of Pablo” to ravishing fanfare and spectacle. One of the album’s standout tracks and fan favorite was “Fade,” which finds West diggin’ in the crates to sample two Vega and Barbara Tucker classics - “Deep Inside” by Hardrive featuring Barbara Tucker and “I Get Lifted” by Barbara Tucker. Vega and West fans alike will rejoice thinking of the amazing studio sessions involved in creating the original and the contemporary remix of the classic. Once again, Vega constructing bridges that traverse boundaries and bring people together through music.
It’s worth mentioning that Kanye wasn’t the only hip hop superstar lending his raps to Vega’s sound. Compton- MC Kendrick Lamar jumped on the remix of “Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You”, the standout track from Vega’s 28 album featuring the pioneering funk legends, Funkadelic and their leader, George Clinton. The power of Vega’s ability to serve as a sonic liaison on full display.
2018 is gearing up to another MONSTER year for Vega. He’s in the the studio with fellow jet setters and dj duo The Martinez Brothers working on a new album project. Their first release “Shut The Door” features the vocals of Hector Lavoe on an energetic techno track is hitting dance floors worldwide, truly bringing together 3 generations. Vega and Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez (Masters at Work) are also gearing up for new releases with Kenlou, Masters At work and commemorating the 20th anniversary of Nuyorican Soul. Vega is also releasing in June 2018 his new album “Nyc Disco” on Nervous Records paying homage to the sounds of disco and the infamous Sam Records Catalog. The creative collective Elements Of Life and E.O.L. Soulfrito are hitting the road live soon. Vega provided a sneak peak of the tour’s energy in October 2016 when he played to a crowd of 22,000 people over the course of two days at South Africa’s Delicious Food and Music Festival. Vega brought along featured artists such as Lisa Fischer, Josh Milan, Anané Vega, Monique Bingham, Bucie and Adeva. Other Vega projects include album and or single collaborations with The Martinez Brothers, Joe Claussell, Joseph Capriati and a future jazz project with some surprise artists and producers. On the solo production side, Vega is producing new releases for Luther Vandross, Bebe Winans & the Winans Brothers, Karen Sheard Clark, Josh Milan, Anané Vega, Cindy Mizelle, Sharon Bryant, Monique Bingham, Barbara Tucker, & Rochelle Fleming.
Louie and Anané will carry on tradition with Sunset Ritual aka “The Ritual”, an outdoor party held at prestigious indoor venues and beach clubs around the world and drenched in the sounds of House, Global Disco, Afro tech and Old School. Sunset Ritual has toured the Mediterranean every summer since 2010, including a two-year residency at the Blue Marlin Beach Club in Ibiza. They played at the famed Ushuaïa Hotel and released a Sunset Ritual cd/dvd. Anané & Louie Vega continue the party’s legacy during summer 2018 coming back to Ibiza for their second year residency at Heart “The Ritual With Ananè & Louie Vega, and the continued annual touring of the Mediterranean. Guests at The Ritual Heart Ibiza have included Moodymann, The Martinez Brothers, Joseph Capriati, Soul Clap, Nicole Madauber, Henrik Schwartz, Jazzy Jeff, Kenny Dope, & David Morales.
With all the good fortune he’s received, Vega finds it crucial to give back. During most of his free time he donates Vega Memorabilia to auctions, deejays at fundraisers and serves as a goodwill ambassador for the Cristian Rivera Foundation.
Breaking down musical barriers and bringing people together through a love of music has always been Vega’s aim; after more than 20 years in the game his contributions continue to positively influence global dance music. Listen closely as the best has yet to come from Louie Vega!
Derrick Carter
Derrick Carter
Derrick Carter plays parties, makes music, dances, sings, and really, really likes shoes.
One of the pinnacles of Chicago house music's '90s wave, Derrick Carter began DJ’ing at the age of nine, spinning disco records at family reunions. Born and raised in the western suburbs, Carter was into music from a young age, but during his teens Chicago's house scene sucked him in for good. Before long Carter became a strong presence in the city's underground dance scene. "When I got my driver's license at 16 my sneak ability was validated," he laughs. "I was a fierce bedroom jock for a long time. After you mix for the love of it for six or seven years, you get it pretty tight and you can take it on the road." He got by working at dance-music specialty stores like Gramaphone and gigging at parties. Later he landed regular DJ stints at Shelter, Foxy's, and Smart Bar. Though he doesn't spin much locally anymore, when he does he attracts large crowds. Most of the time he works in Europe, where he's become a minor celebrity among dance-music aficionados :
“Its hard not to laugh on the occaisions when you’ll make 20 times what you make in Chicago on a Saturday night, but back home there are also times when you just do it for fun… So many people come up to me and say ‘Man, I had the worst day, My girlfriend left me, I locked my keys in my car, but you turned it around for two hours, and that made me able to get up in the morning’ That’s the best thing going.”
Derrick’s sets are rooted in house, but he freely travels outside club tastes, seamlessly incorporating old-school disco, soul, jazz and whatever catches his fancy.
His debut single "Love Me Right" appeared in 1987, just after he graduated from college. Another single ("Symbols and Instruments" as Mood) appeared in 1989, but the Chicago house scene faded soon after, leaving Carter and other artists with few to play for except themselves.
Thanks in part to Cajmere's and Felix Da Housecat's respective labels (Relief, Radikal Fear), Chicago house made a comeback during the mid-'90s and began to offer impressive newcomers in addition to the old guard. Carter, recording for the Organico label, returned with several singles, and an album as Sound Patrol. In 1995, he began working with a live band as the Sound Patrol Orchestra.
Several mix albums have appeared, including Cosmic Disco on MixMag and Pagan Offering on Pagan. Carter has also founded two labels (Blue Cucaracha and Classic) and remixed tracks from Chicago's own post-rock heroes Tortoise. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Since then pioneering, innovative tracks and consequent critical acclaim have repeatedly marked Derrick out as once of the most important players in Dance music.
Carter says that due to his growing notoriety his production talents have been requested by pop-oriented acts. But he prefers to remain underground. Although enthused about his own Blue Cucaracha label and a new UK-based imprint he runs called Classic, he's reluctant to offer much explanation of either label's MO-other than each releases records when the mood strikes him:
"I like to keep myself pretty invisible. You may think I'm somewhere, but I've already left."
Omar S
Omar S
Omar-S is a Detroit legend and something of a mythological figure in dance music. He’s always self-released his own music via his label FXHE and rarely gives interviews. Raw and unfiltered: It describes Detroit producer Omar-S's music, as well as his personality. But once you hear the man speak, you'll find that there's more than meets than eye. Detroit dance music works on the mind and the body in equal measure; this requires true artistry to pull on the heartstrings while moving the ass in rhythm. One of the most recent additions to this great legacy is Omar-S.
Marques Wyatt
Marques Wyatt
Sonic love travels in many dimensions – through visceral pathways of the senses, as a uniting force on dance floors everywhere, and within movements unifying souls, states and nations. And as sonic love relates to house music, Marques Wyatt is a seminal pioneer. He's one of the few house music DJs who has managed to avoid the mantle of anonymity associated with the genre: he's a cornerstone of the Los Angeles club scene, but regularly tours the width and breadth of the states, as well as other continents. He has played at just about every major electronic conference and festival, and is one of the most respected DJs and promoters on the West Coast.
Marques’ proclivity for music was birthed from his upbringing in the beachy enclave of Santa Monica. Musical influences abounded, as his father introduced him to jazz, his eldest brother was in a psychedelic funk band and his other siblings kept the house filled with sounds of iconic groups like Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder. As an avid skateboarder, Marques was also turned on to the soundtrack of the Southern California skating culture such as Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and The Who.
With an insatiable palate for music and adventure, Marques ventured into the world of Hollywood nightclubs at venues like "The Odyssey", where the sound of New York clubs and ‘80s music permeated the airwaves. He began collecting vinyl, and around the age of 18, serendipitously began DJing as a hobby via an intuitive nudge of a close DJ friend. He showed Marques his way around the decks and inevitably invited Marques to play a party with him, where he received a rare applause, and at that time grabbed Marques by the shoulders and said, “You have it”. As he never planned to be a DJ, Marques claims that the music chose him. After a 1985 trip to New York to visit friends at NYU and sample a taste of the Big Apple's vibrant nightlife, his suspicions were confirmed: there was a greater world of music beyond. Inspired by the mixed crowd, various genres and electricity of Danceteria and the music of Larry Levan at Paradise Garage, and eventually befriending Frankie Knuckles (RIP) at The World, Marques returned to Los Angeles filled with inspiration, a vision and mission. He began playing and promoting his own events, in an effort to fill the city's musical void.
During the late 1980s, when house music was rarely heard outside of Chicago, New York and gay clubs in LA, Marques introduced the genre to a more diverse Southern California audience via legendary parties like BBC, MAC’s Garage and Does Your Mama Know. Marques traversed the California coast as the rave scene mounted, playing at his Love residency in San Francisco, where he could stay true to his signature sound. Also during this period, always true to his inner visionary, Marques continued ventures into uncharted territory by introducing Los Angeles to acid jazz through Brass, his unforgettable weekly event debuting live performances of high-profile acts such as Jamiroquai, Digable Planets and the Brand New Heavies, who he also deejayed with on tour dates.
In 1993, Marques hosted Louie Vega at his Prague night. Louie then invited Marques to New York to play the opening set in the main room at Sound Factory Bar. The landmark event cemented Marques’ popularity in New York, and he was regularly invited back to play Sound Factory Bar and Giant Step. In the ensuing years, his prowess as a talented DJ led to an invitation by Louie Vega to play the high profile Masters at Work party in Miami at WMC in 1996. Marques now refers to this as his “coming out party,” as the performance put him on the radar both domestically and internationally.
Marques’ keen sixth sense for creating epic parties culminated in his weekly house institution, DEEP, now going strong in its eighteenth year in Los Angeles. He has introduced Los Angeles to a veritable who’s who of house music, from the legendary Frankie Knuckles (RIP) to the Martinez Brothers. Marques has provided the gateway to house for thousands of people through DEEP, and events are now held coast to coast at Mighty and Public Works in San Francisco and Cielo in New York. Marques is also committed to merging his love of music and yoga via DEEP Exhale.
Marques traveled the world to play events as diverse as Burning Man, Miami’s Winter Music Conference, the BPM Conference in Mexico, Pacha in Ibiza, and London’s Ministry of Sound. Yet any native Angeleno will tell you that he always put his City of Angels first, with an unwavering commitment to its community and growth. As a result, he gets a lot of love there—a rarity, as it's not unusual for a DJ to feel more appreciated while on the road. Marques’ sets are known to turn huge dance floors into an intimate ritual. He recently played landmark events at LA’s Grand Park and KCRW's “Made in LA” Series at Hammer Museum, and was also voted Best DJ of 2014 by LA Weekly.
Marques has channeled his gifts in the studio, releasing tracks and remixes on revered labels such as Om, Strictly Rhythm, King Street, Nervous and Yoshitoshi. While he took a break from production, he has now ended the hiatus. He explains, “Over the past couple of years, I’ve been focused on making sure DEEP's foundation is steady, and musically taking in a lot, as there are so many genres to draw inspiration from. I make music when my soul has something to express. I'd never want to force the creative process, because I know what that sounds like.” Ahead of Marques’ re-entry into the studio, he welcomes the forthcoming release of Soul Clap’s remix of his dance floor anthem “For Those Who Like to Get Down” on Om Records.
Marques continues to spread his brand of aural love in Los Angeles, and through touring the width and breadth of the United States and other continents. He globe-trots everywhere from Los Angeles to New York, Shanghai to Barcelona, and Tel Aviv to Dubai with the mission to bring musical unity, love and celebration of life to all souls in his pathway.
Hyenah
Hyenah
Hyenah Manifesto:
“I don’t care about how much money you make. I don’t care about what you own. I don’t care if you are fat or skinny. I don’t care about the color of your skin, about if you are black, white or yellow. I don’t care if you are gay, straight or something in between. I care about what you have to offer. That’s what is important to me. What we all have to offer is what is important. Our positive vibes, our warmth, our respect for each other, our love. Right here and right now. Not a click away. That’s why I do what I do. I want you to come together. I want us to RISE. That’s my mission. It is not about my face. It is about us.”
If you still need hard facts about the Hyenah, here you go:
In 2016 the Hyenah became Afro House artist of the year on Traxsource. The Hyenah had the most charted track of the year on Resident Advisor and two tracks on Beatport’s annual Deep House Top 10. The Hyenah is running the only regular club night for African House music in a major house club in Europe. It’s called RISE and happens every other month at Watergate in Berlin. The Hyenah has released tracks and remixes on labels such as Freerange, Objektivity, AEON, Systematic, Drumpoet Community, Pokerflat, Akbal Music, Tribe Records and Toy Tonics. It has remixed artists such as Jimpster, Frankey & Sandrino, Denis Horvat, youANDme, Miguel Puente and the Afro Warriors. The Hyenah has djed all over the world. The Hyenah is keeping its identity secret and is wearing a mask.
King Britt
King Britt
King James Britt (his real name) is a Philadelphia born, Pew Fellowship recipient, composer and dj. Traveling globally, he carries the history of his musical legacy into the future.
Honing his skills as the first resident DJ at the legendary, Silk City (Philadelphia), King established Back2Basics; a new and innovative music collaboration which merged a live band with a DJ performance. This format serendipitously proved a perfect fit for King to became the original DJ of the Grammy Award winning Digable Planets. After a world-wide tour, King decided to leave Digable at the height of their success to focus on his DJing (house, techno, hiphop,
soul), and production aspirations. Since then, King has continued to DJ globally, spinning in every continent except Antartica. Over the decades, King has played at thousands of clubs and festivals including AfroPunk (NYC), Berghain (Berlin), Liquid (Tokyo), Capital (Johannesburg), Rex (Paris), Fabric (London), Output (Brklyn)
King has performed his live work in a number of forward thinking performance contexts and spaces, including National Sawdust (Brooklyn), CTM Festival (Berlin) and Le Guess Who (Utrecht) and dj'd in thousands of clubs including Berghain (Berlin), Low End Theory (LA), Fabric (London) and Capital (Johannesburg).
As a composer, he has collaborated with the likes of De La Soul, Madlib, Moor Mother and many others, being called for remixes from Meredith Monk to Solange and composing for films like Miami Vice. His Fhloston Paradigm and Sylk130 projects have added more layers to Philadelphia's rich global history.
The role of music event curator is a natural one for King. Given his respect for creative endeavors,
his comprehensive experience, his global connections, and determination, King is a perfect conduit to combine music, culture, and performing arts, curating collaborations for MoMA PS1 (Queens), Fringe Arts (Philadelphia) and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville).
He also co-founded Ovum Recordings with Josh Wink, produced for Hyperdub, Nervous, Rope A Dope, then later went on to establish the experimental collaborative label, The Buddy System.
Tony Touch
Tony Touch
The Legacy Continues. Tony Touch A.K.A Tony Toca continues to be a force to be reckoned with. Tony Touch, an icon in Hip Hop and in the Urban Hispanic genre plus seasoned player in the game, is a true innovator and has revolutionized the DJ game over and over. From his legendary mix tapes, to his skills on the 1’s and 2’s, he has become one of Hip Hop’s most recognized DJ’s. This C.E.O/Artist/Producer just released his 7th commercial release titled “The Piece Maker 3…Return of the 50 MC’s” and has made history once again.
Tony Touch began as a B-Boy during the rap music renaissance era of the early 80’s. Heavily influenced by pioneers like the Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash, Red Alert, ”Little” Louie Vega, and Jam Master Jay, he quickly shifted his interests towards the turntables. Toca is known for his legendary mix tapes like the original 50 MC’s parts 1, 2 and 3. Included in this series are some of the hottest artists in the game such as KRS ONE, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Wyclef, M.O.P., Big L, Mos Def and many more all coming together for one collective piece. This along with the countless other mix tapes, Tony became recognized in the streets and industry as the real ‘Mix Tape King.’
Tony Toca evolved his mix tapes to record releases. In 2000, Tony released “The Piece Maker” on Tommy Boy records. This album sold over 400,000 units worldwide and featured legendary artists like Big Pun, Cypress Hill, Wu Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Gang Starr, and much more. The video for the single “I Wonder Why” featuring Total featured cameos from John Leguizamo, Rock Steady and more. Since then, Tony Touch has released the “Piece Maker 2” which also had an all-star line up with features such as P. Diddy, Fat Joe, Sean Paul, Snoop Dog and even the legendary Ruben Blades.
Toca is also known to represent the Latino community to the fullest. It is the result of growing up with Salsa at home and Hip-Hop influence in his lifestyle. In 2005 Tony inked a deal with EMI Records and revolutionized the game once more with his Latin album called “ReggaeTony”. The hit single, “Play that Song” featured Nina Sky and B-Real of Cypress Hill. The cd had an all star line up including Tego Calderon, Ivy Queen, Zion y Lennox, N.O.R.E, Voltio, and Soni just to name a few. The album went GOLD and with that success, EMI records moved quickly to release ReggaeTony 2 which featured more heavyweight appearances.
Touch continues to be in demand globally. The proof is in the passport as he has toured over 30 countries including Japan, Australia, Puerto Rico, London, France, Greece, Russia, Brazil, Germany, Columbia, Switzerland, Italy and Cuba. He’s also acted as tour DJ for acts like Cypress Hill, Gurus’ Jazzmatazz, Rock Steady and the Beatnuts. You also may have caught Tony on TV shows such as “Saturday Night Live” and “The Dave Chapelle Show” spinning for Eminem. And you may have heard him on the airwaves in New York City on such stations as Hot 97, Power 105, and 107.5 WBLS. In 2004, Eminem and manager Paul Rosenberg closed a deal for their own radio station on Sirius XM Satellite called Shade 45. Tony Touch was quickly recruited to host TOCA TUESDAYS from 8pm to Midnight. TOCA TUESDAYS is also a weekly classic Hip Hop party in which he invites legendary DJ’s to guest spin.
And if that weren’t enough, another weekly party Tony sparked was the FUNKBOX where he plays deep house music with celeb guest DJ’s. Both parties have been running over 5 years strong.
Oscar P
Oscar P
Raised in Williamsburg Brooklyn and Manhattan’s Washington Heights. Oscar P is as groundbreaking as they come. For the past 25 years he’s been fusing afro-latino and deep house influences from NYC, Chicago, Detroit, & Africa to create a unique sound that defines his style today. Over the last 25 years his discography has grown over a variety of labels including Strictly Rhythm, Tool Room, Yoruba, Kolour Recordings, Open Bar Music, MoBlack, Naughty Boy, and Balance Music. As a producer, he’s done remixes for Jamiroquai, Adele, Omar, Mark Farina, KiNK, Soul Minority, Todd Terry, & Physics.
A world traveler, he’s logged in set times at some of the world’s leading venues like The Works (Detroit), Output (Brooklyn), Cielo (NY), King King (Los Angeles), Norad & Beta (Denver), Supperclub (NL), La Santanera (Mexico), Area 22 (Italy), Cinema Club (Bogota), Spin Nightclub (San Diego), Stereo (Montreal), and The Grasshopper (MI).
With more than 40 releases cracking the top ten in the last three years, a who's who of music industry pioneers support his productions. He’s been named one of the best selling Afro House Music Artists yearly alongside Black Coffee, Osunlade, Atjazz, Hyenah, Louie Vega and Manoo on Traxsource.
Oscar P operates two of the most respected underground house labels, Kolour Recordings and Open Bar Music. He also co-produces West Coast Weekender. A boutique music conference and festival that attracts people from all over the world to his home base in San Diego, California.
Cris Herrera
Cris Herrera
Over the past 20 years Cris Herrera has been a driving force and a pivotal part in the San Diego & west coast music community, playing a big role in bringing world-renowned artist and curating some of the top events in southern California.
Born in Acapulco (Mexico) Cris Herrera moved to the U.S at the age of 12 . Music was in his life at a very early stage, introduced by his grandfather a life long saxophone enthusiast.
while integrating him self into society in southern California he was heavily influenced by the early nineties hip-hop and electronic music movements of the west coast .
His contributions to the local scene have left an large imprint, making him a staple in the underground and club circuit's. He's consistently a featured guest at some of the longest running and most prestigious events & venues in the country. Annual appearances at Second Sunday ,Flammable, Sublevel, Winter Music Conference , Mi Casa Holiday (Playa del Carmen) Who's who (mexico) Brooklyn Club in (Mallorca) are regular destinations . His body of work as a DJ have created a following of loyal house heads devoted to the true deep sound.
A co- founder of Souleil , a party that quickly became among the country's best day gatherings going on its 9th Season features a soulful approach and is a great place to display musical range as a DJ . Other projects such as The West Coast Weekender , Art of Sound and The Deep End are all events favored by the undergrounds elite DJ's .
The past few years have allowed growth as an artist . As San Diego is now cemented among the top electronic music communities on the west coast, he is right in the center of the city's thriving music community . Constantly evolving and never pigeonholing him self into a specific sound, his sets include all the colors of what embodies house music, from acid to tribal, vocals & funky bass lines as well as classics and futuristic sounds and textures that make for memorable sets. His versatility and foundation allow him to move any forward-thinking crowd.
Consistent hard work in the studio have yielded solid releases since 2015 . Berlin's Get Physical Music "Ibiza 2015 Compilation" with Spaniard partner Tato. Multiple releases on Spain's Isgud Records along with Dos Vilas , followed by Detroit's Kolour recordings with TOKITA. Most recently some collaborations with Homero Espinosa Large Records (Chicago ) and Oscar P Open Bar Music (NYC) have kept his name charting on music sites world wide.
With no plans of slowing down, the success he has come to enjoy can be attributed to his humble personality, hard work and dedication to the music that he loves.
Eric Medina
Eric Medina
As co-founder of The Deep End, vibe-setter of San Diego’s West Coast Weekender, and event production manager—over the past 11 years, Eric has seen the circle of music continuously rejuvenating itself. “The underground scene expands and contracts as it evolves,” he observed, “and at a certain point it comes full circle.” As a DJ, Eric gained knowledge of what brings people to a party, how dancefloors respond to music, and an extensive appreciation of music as a whole. Eric has been on lineups with Doc Martin, DJ Harvey, Purple Disco Machine, Carl Craig, Cassy, Matthew Dear. He has opened up for rap legend Warren G, and multiple times for Poolside. He’s played parties and venues throughout Mexico, California, Arizona, New York. Without limiting himself, Eric plays house, disco, with early hip hop influences. You can tell a story through music: “Whether it’s your present emotions or the way you want people to feel, you have the power to express your feelings and move the audience through an artistic experience.”
Showcasing the old and new, and presenting music as a unified whole rather than splintered genres that never touch, Eric favors variety. “It allows me to express myself and everything that has influenced me. The multiple layers are represented, not just one layer.” What unites it all, is the feeling that inspired the set, guided along by the way the room embraces and shapes the direction of the mix.
Eric’s dad used to take the family every Friday to the CD shop, where he and his brothers had to pick one CD together to share and discover. They were encouraged to play instruments. Eric’s influences are The Mars Volta, Aretha Franklin, The Gap Band, MSTERKRFT, DJ Heather, and Rub N Tug. He started sneaking into clubs at a young age to hear the music he had heard on CDs and records. San Diego clubs. Dirty Tijuana dives. Sublevel in LA. Warehouses. U-31 and El Dorado where electro was big. Moonshake parties – the hidden hole in the wall for true electronic music aficionados.
Eric started DJing at 17. His first professional gig was at 18. Quick on the scene, he played every San Diego club before the age of 21. A native San Diegan of Mexican heritage, he has committed much of his career to developing and evolving the San Diego scene: “Being a transient city, San Diego is open to accepting new and different ideas.” In creating The Deep End, the motivation was filling the void in the deep house scene. At the time that it was founded, there wasn’t a scene aimed at newcomers that was friendly and delivered quality bookings, and everywhere else was playing different stuff. The younger and newer house heads were searching for a place to gather and explore music together. It’s been magic ever since, with an ever-expanding roster every year exploring multiple genres, definitely The Deep End explores the biggest span of styles than most crews commit themselves to.
Eric just wants to keep creating and nurturing the scene any way he can. He’s happiest when playing. “I want to keeping underground culture alive. Through music, through friendship, through taking responsibility for throwing safe and fun events, each one different and unique. As Daft Punk says: It’s not about the ego, it’s not about the money, it’s about the music.”
Aluku Rebels
Aluku Rebels
London born n bred DJ & Label owner Aluku Rebels expresses African House/ Electronic sounds mixed with Deep and Tech House Music in hyper spiritual fashion .Est.2011
Jodie Denis, aka Aluku Rebels, was born and raised in one of the world’s most multicultural cities, London. Growing up with a mixed heritage – Dominican, Greek, Irish and English – Jodie’s musical influences ranged from Funk, Zouk, 80's Ballad and Reggae, through to Afrobeat, Detroit House and Latin sounds.
Music gave him a solid understanding of both organic and electronic sounds from an early age, and it is with this knowledge that he is now emerging as one of the UK’s new era Dj's. He skillfully blends effects and mixes subgenres of house with his true passion, Afro House, an area which he has been dedicated to promoting for over five years, and has further inspired him to set up his own record label in 2014.
With his diverse sound and infectious energy on the decks, Jodie tears up the UK dancefloors wherever he plays. He is adored in Southern Africa and Botswana, where he gigs annually and his biggest fan base reside. He has played alongside mega SA artists, including Black Coffee, Heavy K, Da Capo and Black Motion.
Since his Dj sets kicking off from 2014, Jodie has performed at a wide range of key London venues such as Ministry of Sound, Pacha London, Egg Club, Supper Club, Brixton Jam, POW and Aquarium along with international bookings in USA,Kenya,Portugal,Nigeria,Croatia,Tobago and more. His vim and vigour have led him all around the UK, pushing the music he loves and performing for different crowds, including celebrity after parties and fundraisers, including for British actor Idris Elba and South African footballer Kagisho Dikgacoi (Cardiff).
Jodie’s sets can include live percussion and sax players, but it is his all-embracing attitude and dedication to showcasing African musical talent that helps create a holistic journey of natural rhythm and emotion when you experience his Dj sets live.
Helen Ting
Helen Ting
Standing at the upper echelon of Hong Kong's musical hierarchy, Helen has now found herself broadening her horizons by performing outside of Asia; New York, San Diego, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami (Winter Music Conference 2012-2014) and Mi Casa Es Su Casa Music Festival 2012-2014 in Mexico. In December 2014, she traveled to Africa for her first time to play in Angola with Kazukuta Records’ Djeff Afrozila. In addition, you can often find her behind the decks of international VIP gigs held by global brands such as Nokia, Jimmy Choo, and Audemars Piguet.
That being said, as the darling of the Hong Kong night scene keeps on making her path, it is without a doubt that wherever Helen goes, her fans will follow her musical journey as she has even more to bring artistically in the upcoming years…keep an eye out for Dj Helen Ting!
2019 Lineup
Claptone
Claptone
In a now long forgotten world, many generations ago, a bird like shape emerged from wooded darkness, floating and fluttering, drifting and dreaming. Backlit by a bright glow of iridescent light, the undecipherable form wore a dazzling golden mask. Its long beak swooped down like an inverted horn and since then, people have referred to the mythical being simply as Claptone.
Years spending wandering medieval landscapes have informed Claptone’s view of the world, experiencing both magical mystery and muted melancholy he enchanted onlookers with occult instruments and beguiling sounds. Forever surrounded by a sense of intrigue, the world soon cottoned on to the elusive yet enchanting musical powers of this otherworldly beast. The results are that today his shamanistic sonic powers take him all around the world.
Carl Craig
Carl Craig
The common thread that runs through Craig’s broad musical canon and creative projects is a resounding fascination with futurism. The prolific producer has cultivated a unique path as an artist, entrepreneur and civic leader, guided by his tendency toward forward thinking.
“My livelihood is making music that I can perform, whether I’m doing orchestral production or modular strangeness or generating club music. I don’t restrict myself,” said Craig. “I defined myself by being who I am. The ultimate self respect is when you say you’re going to do something and you go and do it to the best of your ability.”
Craig released his first track in 1989 on a Virgin UK compilation album, two singles followed on labels run by his first collaborator, Derrick May. After a series of ambitious releases for his co-owned Retroactive imprint, in 1991 Craig launched his record label Planet E, with the groundbreaking EP “4 Jazz Funk Classics”, under his alias 69.
Lee Foss
Lee Foss
Described by DJ Mag as “one of the most talented new forces in modern dance music today” and by fellow future house innovators Art Department as their favourite producer, Lee has quickly catapulted himself into dance music’s collective consciousness. Lee and his Hot Natured partner Jamie Jones currently spearhead a whole family of like-minded producers that includes Robert James, Russ Yallop, Richy Ahmed and most recently Danny Daze who are currently re-writing the rulebook of how to make evocative and emotive house music.
Born and raised in Chicago, the birthplace of house, Lee now lives between London and Los Angels. Lee made his name on both sides of the Atlantic playing at clubs like The Standard Rooftop (Lost Angeles), fabric (London), The Marcy Hotel (Brooklyn), Watergate (Berlin), Spybar (Chicago) and DC10 (Ibiza). Lee’s rapid rise to prominence has been as much down to his unified but all-encompassing approach to DJing as it has to his pioneering take nu school house and synth-heavy techno, backed up by a string of hit releases on labels like No 19, Culprit, Wolf+Lamb and his own Hot Creations imprint. His unique sound, born out a lifelong love of classic house, 90s hip hop, 80s electro and Detroit techno, combined with fanatical grassroots support from clubbers in both Europe and North America, made him the highest new entrant in Resident Advisor’s Top 100 DJs poll last December, coming in at number 36.
While growing up in Chicago, Lee cut his teeth on the clubs and raves of the late 90’s, which sparked his interest in house and disco. However, it was a chance visit to Ibiza back in 2001, that changed his whole approach to music that helped steer his musical destiny for the next decade and beyond. It was in Ibiza that summer that he first became friends with Jamie Jones and the pair quickly formed a tight brotherly bond that has recently blossomed into their highly acclaimed Hot Natured partnership. Having spent several years abroad, and heavily inspired by time spent at seminal electro and deep house parties in Ibiza and East London, Lee decided to take all that he’d learnt in Europe and export it back to the USA.
Doc Martin
Doc Martin
Doc Martin has earned the respect of many who are fanatic about his style of DJ’ ing.
His style crosses over from all timeless genres providing his listeners a new outlook & ever growing futuristic, unique sound.
He can always surprise you with a rare classic that crosses time zones and still hits the spot even now.
You will always feel the warmth of the crowd around the decks watching him spin away as they dance. The variation in his style of music is endless.
What makes him so different from the rest?
A unique ability to spin everything from Deep House to his funky Tribal Bass lines mixed with threads of Acid which creates soundscapes that cross all barriers. His collection of rare & classic records can be heard at his gigs.
He continuously chooses and enjoys mixing with digital and analogue gear as he creates his own signature style of DJ’ing & Recordings.
Constantly producing and remixing for his own and various labels across the world Doc Martin is always working on a new project. He constantly tours at such clubs as:
union (Los Angeles)
Residency at Sublevel @thegreatnorthern (San Francisco)
Residency at Output (Brooklyn)
He has also hit the DC10 (Ibiza) circuit twice this summer playing along side Seth Troxler, Ralph Lawson, Dan Ghenecia, Ellen Alien, Cassy, Martinez Brothers, Damian Lazarus, Apollonia. Cityfox (New York) & Los Angeles along with Dixon.Paradise(Ibiza/New York/Toronto),Heart(ibiza),
Fabric's 15 yr Anniversary (London) playing along side DJ's such as Craig Richards, Ricardo Villalobos, Dixon, Ame, Terry Francis, DJ Three.
As well as other cities like Toronto Coda with DJ Sneak & Ricardo Villalobos, Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver Shine with Jay Tripwire, Rex Paris with D'Julz & Phil Weeks, KCRW Hammer Museum, Public Works (San Francisco), Cityfox (New York), Coachella Festival, Sunwaves Beach Festival, Long Beach Festival, Long Beach Pier, High Tides (Cruises) Soup New York.
New Sound nightclub Hollywood with Steve Lawler & Sublevel Live, The Exchange LA.
He visits Tokyo once a year at different venues/festivals, and everywhere in between.
Gene Farris
Gene Farris
Gene Farris is one of Chicago’s dance music icons and has spiritedly contributed to the evolving house and techno culture around the globe. His music and his djing began to get heavy notice and recognition in the golden era of the 90’s, playing warehouse parties in Chicago and eventually around the globe. He is currently one of Chicago best dj’s to date and is nominated for best Dj 2016 at the Chicago Nightlife Awards.
Gene Farris was Traxsource #9 Tech House Artist of the year and his still on the rise. His productions are well known and play in the sets of some of the hottest dis in the world such as Loco Dice, Carl Cox, and Green Velvet who label, Relief records Gene has produced over 20 songs and has done over 15 tracks with Green Velvet aka (Cajmere). Gene has had Beatport Top 10 tracks from 2015 “We Work It” With Sonny Fodera was in Beatports Top 10 All time and has become a club Anthem. As well as Gene’s “Move Your Body” song on Relief records was #5 Tech House song of Ibiza 2015 and Charted by the Martinez Bros., Simon Dunmore, and Green Velvet.
2016 Gene shows no signs of slowing down at all he already began the year with two #1 songs on Traxsource “Time” which was released on Green Velvet’s imprint “Relief Records” and “Black Licorice” which was released on Gene’s own label imprint “Farris Wheel Recordings” A label which Gene has had since 1998 that has had top shelf producers such as Sonny Fodera, Glenn Underground, Dj Mes, Demarkus Lewis, and Greenskeepers. Also he’s releasing a album this year on Relief Records with collaborations from some of the worlds best artist. Such as Loco Dice, Green Velvet, Doorly, Jesse Rose, Sonny Fodera, and Nathan Barato just to name a few. Gene Farris’s future is looking very Bright.
Harvard Bass
Harvard Bass
Raised in a family with a musical taste steeped in rich Mexican culture, Victor Hugo Ramos was born with rhythm in his veins. At the pivotal age of 16, he would sneak into house and techno clubs in Tijuana to soak in the waves of early inspiration. Driven by a beat he could not ignore, Victor bought his first DJ setup and began mixing songs that were making an impression on him, regardless of genre. This forward-thinking mentality would soon become crucial in the development of the Harvard Bass sound.
Ever-evolving since his first remix deal with DJ Orgasmic and Teki Latex’s Sound Pellegrino label, Harvard has become a pro at combining smooth, minimal beats and deep ghetto house grooves with corrosively addicting drum patterns. “Techyes”, a collaboration with the legendary Green Velvet, harkens back to the glory days of techno while more recent tracks like “Bugged” and “Juicy”, released on Relief Records, incorporate this influence with other elements that come off as retro yet modern simultaneously.
With the creation of Bump City Records, Harvard Bass is extending his brand to other talented producers and ensuring that the scene stays fresh with creative ideas. Constant praise pouring in from respected DJs such as Tiga, Richie Hawtin, Boys Noize and Dubfire salutes the burgeoning musical niche that is taking form, with Harvard at the forefront. Armed with the talent and tenacity to succeed, Harvard Bass has been cemented as a force to be reckoned with in House, Techno music and beyond.
J.Phlip
J.Phlip
Ever since the purchase of a cheap set of belt-drive decks and a mixer on her 19th birthday she really hasn't looked back and, after completing her studies in Engineering, the straight-A student jumped head first into her true passion, music. She won a DJ competition in 2005, toured the USA and moved from her hometown, Champaign, Illinois, to the birthplace of house music, Chicago. In the Windy City she endured the struggle that many musicians go through on their pathway to glory but never lost sight of her dream. A move to San Francisco
resulted in more hard times, but it wasn't long before her determination and natural talent won through.
Phlip's refusal to give up eventually led her to connect with the dirtybird crew and make some real progress. Club and festival tours are now a regular occurrence while releases on Claude VonStroke's highly respected imprint, and elsewhere too, have established her as a reputable source of dance floor killers. People from Skream and Tiga to techno dons Surgeon and Dave Clarke and a bunch of other influential heads threw their weight behind her first truly analogue workout, 'Coefficient', while her latest tech-heavy banger 'Say My Name', which is has been doing immense damage to clubs all over the world, has peaked the interest of Eats Everything, Danny Daze and Huxley on the floor, and taking to the airwaves courtesy of B.Traits, Monki and 1 Xtra’s MistaJam . All that hard work has put her
up there with the industry's female elite; Nina Kraviz, Heidi, Maya...
Go hear J.Phlip in action and you can expect to experience a full booty workout and have your mind blown. You'll be surprised, energised and occasionally weirded out. This is a lady who knows her stuff, yet continues to refine her craft. Her aim is dance floor lobotomy, all the while taking the greatest pleasure in seeing the people get loose. A DJ not afraid to put her vision out there, Jess is to thank for passing Eats Everything’s mighty “Entrance Song” to Voitek and Greg (Catz n Dogz) at Pets and the later introduction to Barclay (Claude VonStroke) and Dirtybird. She's embarked on several tours of Europe and the US, attracting an ever-growing fanbase with each electrifying performance. Spending 3 years living and DJing in Berlin has helped Phlip to gain an understanding of the European market – she was only supposed to be there for 5 months, but ya know, there's some kind of time warp in Berlin that does that to people.
Mark Farina
Mark Farina
Shortly after Mark befriended Derrick Carter in 1988 at a record store in Chicago, his passion for House music exploded.
Mark experimented with a deeper style, dropping De La Soul, disco classics and other genres that weren’t being played in the main rooms of nightclubs. While exploring his love for the purist forms of House Music, Mark developed his trademark style: Mushroom Jazz - acid jazz infused with the West Coast’s jazzy, organic productions combined with urban beats. Fans embraced Mark’s downtempo style so much that he started a weekly Mushroom Jazz club night in San Francisco with Patty Ryan. In 3 short years, the club established a fanatical, cult-like following for Farina and the Mushroom Jazz sound. When the doors closed, Farina continued the tradition by releasing a series of CDs on OM Records: simply titled, "Mushroom Jazz."
Since then, Mark has been traveling the globe performing 100s of shows, to over one million club goers, every year. His House sets take fans on journeys to the jazzy side of Chicago House, mixed San Fran style. Some of these sets have been known to last up to 8 hours. And sometimes you’ll find Mark playing in two different rooms at the same party, showcasing his range of big room sound to the uber chill. When Mark’s not touring, you will likely find him in his studio, working on his next release for his imprint, Great Lakes Audio, or on another signature mix for Mushroom Jazz.
Mark’s chunky-funky underground house style continually turns the heads of tastemakers worldwide, drawing him not only new fans, but landing him on the Top DJs in the World lists.
Miguel Migs
Miguel Migs
Miguel Migs grew up in Northern California on his parent’s diverse collection of classic rock, blues, funk, soul and reggae records – which helped set the tone for his musical inspirations. He infuses these creative influences into his own sound, which combines this wide range of styles, blending them together into his own unique artistry.
Migs emerged from the 90’s deep house underground scene to become the kind of artist who transcends the stylistic limitations of a genre so very few can. His musical journey began after picking up a guitar in his early teenage years and his first outlet was writing songs and playing in Dub/Reggae bands. Although Migs always loved and listened to all different styles of music, in the early 90’s he connected to the soulful sounds of Deep House. By the mid ’90s he began experimenting with producing electronic dance music. And by the time the new millennium dawned, a string of releases and remixes on numerous leading indie dance labels earned him an enviable reputation among discerning dance music fans worldwide. As Petalpusher, he’d also become a stalwart of the hugely influential Naked Music stable with his original productions, remixes and compilations.
But even bigger things were to follow.
His well-received 2002 debut album Colorful You came out on the legendary Astralwerks label, and Migs began to attract attention from the broader music community, remixing big-name artists as diverse as Macy Gray, Lionel Richie and Britney Spears (yes, really). After years of relentless non stop global touring, his 2007 follow-up album Those Things saw him collaborating with big-hitting names like hip-hop legend Sadat X and Reggae icon Junior Reid among others. The album was nominated for Best Dance Album in the Independent Music Awards, and was also included in Virgin records yearly ‘Virgin Recommends 24 ECD’ promotion not to mention the single So Far went into the Top 5 in the Billboard Dance chart and #5 on the iTunes dance chart.
Mr. V
Mr. V
Growing up in the 1980’s the open-minded Mr. V was heavily influenced by House, Hip-Hop, Latin, Garage and Disco classics, Rhythm & Blues and Jazz. Mr. V was enamored by the role a DJ commanded over a crowd and was taken by the talents of his friend Lord G., who had a weekly Thursday night party in New York City. Despite wanting to be a professional DJ, it wasn’t until he met the legendary Louie Vega that he found his calling. “Louie used to have his party called “Underground Network,” and that’s where I discovered a deeper taste for house music. I always wanted to be a DJ, but Louie’s type of music – that whole soulful sound – is what I wanted to play,” says Mr. V.
Louie Vega saw the drive and potential in Mr. V and hired the young Nuyorican DJ / producer as his assistant at the world famous Masters At Work label. In this position Mr. V was given a rare glimpse into the global dance scene and before long was taking to the decks alongside his mentor. Currently, Mr. V is one of the fastest rising names on the circuit. Stylistically, Mr. V has a wildly eclectic sound that brings spontaneity back to the art of DJing.
In addition to his busy DJ schedule – Mr. V has displayed his turntable talents at many popular nightclubs across the globe – he is also making quite a name for himself as a producer. In 2004 Mr. V launched his own label Sole Channel Music as a way to release music with complete control and artistic freedom. To date, he has many singles on the label including his most famous track, “Jus Dance”. Mr. V has also released Original Productions, Collaborations and Remixes for other labels including Vega Records, King Street Sounds, Flamingo Records, Defected Records, Play It Down, Strictly Rhythm and many more. Combining his multifaceted skills as a DJ / Producer / Remixer, and with an ear towards dance music’s roots, Mr. V is a name to watch out for!
Osunlade
Osunlade
For fans of soulful house music, Osunlade is something of a legend. But it took many years for the producer to become an accepted force in the scene. Hailing from neither New York nor Chicago, Osunlade spent much of the '90s cutting his teeth in the major label business, crafting tracks for others, his name buried in the credits. All of that changed, however, around the turn of the millennium when he began to practice the African tradition of Ifá and struck out on his own with Yoruba Records.
Since then, Osunlade has become a deep house force, working with labels like Soul Jazz, BBE and Strictly Rhythm, as well as leading an imprint that has taken plenty of influence from sounds—and artists—from around the world. Perhaps the imprint's largest success, in fact, comes from Afefe Iku, an African producer, whose "Mirror Dance" caught the ears of DJs from a variety of genres and was licensed for numerous compilations, including secretsundaze's Volume 2. We caught up with the producer in advance of his first appearance in London for the crew to talk about his two new albums, why he thought Iku's "BodyDrummin" would be much bigger than "Mirror Dance" and how Ifá changed his life.
Purple Disco Machine
Purple Disco Machine
International DJ, producer and remixer Tino Piontek aka Purple Disco Machine has been on a whirlwind of a musical journey since the 2009 conception of his highly successful disco house music project.
The Dresden-born artist has racked up numerous achievements, although it was his 2013 breakthrough hit ‘My House’, on OFF Recordings, that really propelled Purple Disco Machine into new heights; landing the #1 spot within Beatport’s deep house chart and, at its peak, #3 overall. The track remains one of Beatport’s best ever sellers and Purple Disco Machine now ranks #2 in the online retailer’s all-time Top 100 Artists chart.
2018 saw PDM continue the album campaign with the release of another club and radio bomb in ‘Dished (Male Stripper)’ which flew to the top of the Beatport and BBCR1 Dance charts before achieving the BBCR1 daytime playlist for an impressive 10 weeks including 4 weeks on the prestigious A List. With over 15 million combined streams already, ‘Dished’ proved to be one of the biggest dance records of last year.
2019 will begin with a re release of ‘Body Funk’ followed by the start of the campaign for the second album, now with Universal Music on board for the UK & USA. And excitingly, April will herald the release of the first Purple Disco Machine mix compilation.
As well as boasting an impressive catalogue of solo and collaborative productions, Purple Disco Machine is one of the most in demand remixers in global dance music and has offered up remixes for numerous A-list musicians, including: Gorillaz, The Knocks , Chromeo, Jamiroquai, Two Door Cinema Club, New Order, Claptone, Tom Odell, Faithless, Shapeshifters, Hercules & Love Affair, Sigma Feat. Paloma Faith. Remixes for Jax Jones & Tears And Years and RUFUS DU SOL are imminent.
Rich Medina
Rich Medina
Choice defines the man. Rich Medina has made a life based on one choice that has transformed the listening experience of millions. DJ Rich Medina lives, breathes, and revels in sharing the type of music that make a listener remember his soul. It is this awareness of soul that brings listeners back time and again to hear Rich spin: heads nod, bodies sway, emotions expand and coalesce. DJ Rich Medina uses the decks to guide his people away from the ordinary and into the realm of their imaginations. His intelligent blends bridge unexpected song selections that build a collective consciousness of intoxication. Without even realizing it, DJ Rich Medina lures you in and makes you forget who you were before the music began – Medina spins you into the now, into the moment, into the vital essence of who you are. Medina credits his family’s Baptist faith as the groundwork and source of his musical inclination and intuition.
Music was always a form of celebration and rejoicing. The first time Medina heard Diana Ross’s 1976 hit “Love Hangover” in the family living room, he knew he wanted to be a DJ. When he’s writing music, whether in collaboration with other musicians or a personal project, Medina always aims to inject a universal notion of the need for change. Rich Medina holds DJ residencies at prominent venues throughout the country. Most notably he is a defining DJ at his “Little Ricky’s Rib Shack” parties at APT in New York City. Every Wednesday night Rich draws a crowd that waits patiently in line to experience the Medina funk flow, and for the last decade Medina has been a fixture on the Philly nightlife scene. Saturday nights on a bi-weekly basis, DJ Rich Medina is host of Jump N Funk at the prestigious Martinez Gallery. It is through such residencies that DJ Rich Medina is able to cultivate his audience and hone his craft.
Always evolving as an artist, DJ Rich Medina transitions into the role of pre-eminent spoken word artist at clubs the world over. Rich writes words that convey messages of change and agency, self-determination and hope, and he is also the embodiment of those very same qualities and emotions. DJ Rich Medina, renaissance man, articulate performer and a down and dirty DJ who can go head to head with the best, is an artist who will transform the average experience of any club or venue and give his audience a night of music and words to remember.
The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
An influential alternative rap quartet from South Central Los Angeles, the Pharcyde was formed by MCs/producers Tre "Slimkid" Hardson, Derrick "Fatlip" Stewart, Imani Wilcox, and Romye "Booty Brown" Robinson. Hardson, Wilcox, and Robinson were all dancers and choreographers who met on the L.A. underground club circuit in the late '80s, worked together for a while, and served a stint as dancers on In Living Color. Stewart, meanwhile, performed at local clubs and eventually hooked up with the others in 1990. Under the tutelage of Reggie Andrews, a local high-school music teacher, the group learned about the music industry and the process of recording an album. They landed a deal with Delicious Vinyl in 1991, and a year later released their eccentric debut album, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde, which went gold.
After support slots for De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest as well as a successful spot on Lollapalooza's second stage in 1994, the group released its second album, Labcabincalifornia, which was calmer than their first but no less warped. After a five-year break which saw little action except for the debut of Stewart as a solo rapper (his single "What's Up Fatlip" became an underground hit), the Pharcyde returned in late 2000 with their third album, Plain Rap. The group fractured even more during the subsequent three years, leaving only two members -- Imani Wilcox and Bootie Brown -- to man 2004's Humboldt Beginnings.
Oscar P
Oscar P
Oscar P was raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Manhattan’s Washington Heights. His roots in the city run deep. Fusing Afro-Latino and deep house influences from NYC, Chicago, and Detroit, Oscar has created a unique sound that defines his style today.
“Brooklyn was where I discovered myself through music. Thankfully I had older cats who took me under their wing and schooled me on what good music was. I didn't try DJing or producing right away. I was a record collector first, and a dancer making my way trying to fit in.”
Years later, Oscar P operates two of the most respected underground house labels, Kolour Recordings and Open Bar Music. The latter recently celebrated eight years. As a producer, he’s appeared on labels like Strictly Rhythm, Tool Room, Ultra & Sony Music and his resume includes remixes for Mark Farina, KiNK, Soul Minority, Jamiroquai, Adele, Omar, Todd Terry, & Physics.
With more than 18 releases cracking the top ten in the last three years, a who's who of music industry pioneers have supported his productions. In 2012 Oscar was named the #8 best selling house music artist of the year on Traxsource. In 2014 he sat on the Best Selling Deep Afro House Artists list at #23 alongside Black Coffee, Osunlade, and Atjazz. In 2015 he landed at number thirteen.
Despite his many accomplishments— worldwide touring, top-selling records, entrepreneurial ventures as a label boss and music business marketer—Oscar still pushes the envelope as an artist and businessman.
Recently relocated from New York to San Diego, California, Oscar is tackling the West Coast with fresh perspective. He is currently co-organizing West Coast Weekender, a three-day music conference that will celebrate regional house music, and drum n bass and provide a new boost for the San Diego music scene.
Big moves like this demonstrate that, despite all his successes, Oscar P takes risks to revitalize his own creativity. "Your Local News" on Doin Work Records provides a platform for his political views, he regularly produces new records, DJs new cities, hosts new events, promotes new clients, and still finds time to return to the roots of a lifelong obsession with — music.
Eric Medina
Eric Medina
Just a young kid who started off while no one was home. Started by playing in the garage while no one was home but got caught by his older brothers who gave him some tips. Little by little getting better and finding his own groove and nitch in the music scene. Since then he has split off being dependent and just doing his own thing. Influenced by all sorts of music and sounds and styles. Isnt interested in just one type of genre but many. He has been playing all through Mexico, and southern california. Slowly finding his own style when creating his own tunes. Expect to see many more great things in the near future as he has barely begun to expand and produce and taking off on new ventures.
Cris Herrera
Cris Herrera
Soulonbeat has been providing quality events in the southern California and Mexico. With a focus on Deep and Tech House we have had the pleasure of bringing world class talent to Southern California for the last 13 Years under Soulonbeat or our Sister Company Lifted ent. We focus on the quality of our events not only through sound and world class artist but also strive to create a positive vibe and family like environment at our events. We are grateful for the ongoing support and look to keep moving forward in the electronic music scene in southern California.
Adam Gibbons
Adam Gibbons
Has worked with: Femi Kuti, Lauren Hill, Bebel Gilberto, De La Soul, Thievery Corporation, Bill Laswell, DJ Logic, Oumou Sangare, Antibalas, Ravi Coltrane, Danielo Perez, Black Coffee, Ron Trent, Louie Vega, Boddhi Satva, Debo Band, Rich Medina, DJ Krush, LTJ Bukem, Zaki Ibrahim, DJ Nicodemus, Osunlade, DJ Spinna, Culoe De Song, Wunmi, Balla Koyuate, Kaleta & Zozo Afrobeat Orchestra and so many more.
Bumpy Nuggets
Bumpy Nuggets
Hailing from NYC, by way of Chicago and Philly, Bumpy Nuggets has been a staple of the underground house scene for 17 years. Bumpy began throwing Chicago loft parties in 1999, until his return to NYC in 2001. He quickly gained notoriety DJ'ing at legendary NYC venues such as Centro Fly and Sullivan Room, as well as warehouse parties throughout the 5 boros. Sir Nuggets is currently a regular at Cielo and TBA Brooklyn, as well as running his infamous Quality Control party in the East Village. While maintaining his success as a DJ and label owner, Bumpy is also heavily involved in the nationwide burner community.
His passion for house music led to his current role as co-owner of Kolour Recordings with longtime friend, Oscar P, releasing music by Kink, Huxley, Delano Smith and the recent album by Soul Minority. Bumpy’s signature style behind the decks ranges from the smoothest deep house to cutting edge techno, always with a mind for the dancefloor, keeping it funky, bumpin and always a bit dirty. With a busy DJ schedule in NY and beyond, Bumpy Nuggets continues his crusade to keep the underground underground. Recognize.
Dirty Dan
Dirty Dan
Dan Uhl (Dirty Dan) is a driven and outgoing music lover born from the 90s New York rave scene. He started out as a kid working in a Queens record shop, but quickly made music his life’s work, getting involved wherever and however he could. He worked lights and sound at nightclubs, frequented parties, and collected records wherever he went. By the early 1990s, Dan promoted for legendary spots like Limelight, Disco 2000, The Palladium and The Sound Factory.Eventually, Dan put his knowledge and experience to work on his own radio show. His DJ career flourished as more people encouraged him to pursue his musical talents. After a chance meeting with a director at TV’s Music Choice outside a party in New York, Dan was asked to run a show on the network’s Dance/EDM channel. For over seven years, he’s topped the charts and reached millions of viewers by bringing the underground up and sharing little-known music that wows listeners.In parallel, Dan runs an imprint called Fresh Farm Music with another New York city heavy hitter, Oscar P. The label only made its debut in June 2015, but has already built momentum on Traxsource. As a producer, his track “1978,” among others, reached the top 100 Nu Disco chart and his darker tracks have been supported by undeniable legends like Carl Cox, Joseph Capriati, and Maceo Plex. As a DJ, his high-energy—but wildly diverse—sets have landed him spots alongside alongside John Digweed, Boy George, Marc Romboy and many more artists throughout the years.Whether he’s DJing on the radio, making music as his She Says moniker, managing his label, or packing an eight hour set at Burning Man, DJ Dirty Dan is a versatile maker and curator of sounds. He’s an inextinguishable spirit of the underground and a purveyor of good music for all who brings a tantalizing combination of surprise and warmth to every performance. It’s music for the perfect party.
Eric Groove
Eric Groove
I feel it's my calling to bring people together to celebrate music. So let's do this!
Promoter, event organizer, dj, and dabbles in percussion.
Eric has been a major contributor in the house music scene of Oakland. What started out as him helping bring "Grooves in the Park" from Stockton to Oakland in 2006, to house parties at his pad in the yard in 2008, has sparked those to be on another level and motivation that led to so much more.
Co-founder of "(ATM) About The Music" crew established in 2009, which brought many events that were felt to be missing in the Bay Area/Oakland area. ATM is dedicated to the promotion of house music and its culture...creating a positive community vibe through music, dance, and art at their events in Oakland.
Events such as: "Backyard Boogie at ATM House", Deeper Side of Soul" dance party, "Waveforms" Boat Party, "Groovin' In The Park" park party, and Oaktoberfest's "Dancing in the Dimond" street festival are some of his residencies you can hear him play...as well as guest dj appearance's in various venues/events in the Bay Area. His style of music selections range from Deep, Soulful, Afro & Classic - House, to Roots & Culture, Rocksteady, Rub-a Dub, Lovers Rock, Dancehall - Reggae, and more.
Eric is also the Bay Area affiliate for West Coast Weekender for the 4th year.
DJ Kincaid
DJ Kincaid
DJ Kincaid fell in love with house music as a teenager at his first underground warehouse party in SF in 1992, and was immediately inspired! In 1996 he purchased a pair of Technics turntables with his saved up cash, and it was on from there. In house music and disco he found a huge love and passion for djing, and has been at it, ever since. His styles and vinyl collection range from reggae/dancehall, classic hip-hop, disco/funk, and house. Kincaid’s affiliations: About The Music, Groovin' In The Park, and SundayBliss produce a wide variety of parties including: park parties, night-club events, undergrounds, Waveforms Boat Parties on the SF Bay, community festivals (including the annual Oaktoberfest event in Oakland), and many other popular gatherings in Oakland and SF, that've been going strong since 1999. These popular gatherings feature special guest dj’s from around the globe, dance, culture, art, and amazing crowds which continue to spread the music, vibe, and love today. Kincaid also shares his music at many venues out of state, and abroad. In his 20+ years of spinning records, Kincaid has worked alongside some of the most talented dj's and producers in the business including: Doc Martin, Terry Francis, Mark Farina, David Harness, ‘Evil’ Eddie Richards, Mike Dunn, Tony Humphries, Timmy Regisford, Cevin Fisher, and Roy Davis Jr. Always close to the music, he’s worked for the classic Tweekin Records in SF, and artist-relations for Om Records in SF. Kincaid proudly holds a Bachelors of Science Degree, and has many years experience working in the live sound engineering field, which has landed him many gigs with artists such as: Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, KD Lang, and George Clinton, just to name a few. The love & passion for the music keeps Kincaid going. He does what he loves most.
Kali
Kali
Kalis’ proclivity for music was birthed from her upbringing in Mexico and in Americas Finest City
of San Diego. Musical influences abounded throughout her childhood it was the way she
connected with her older siblings and her mother kept the house filled with sounds of iconic
music bands to which she would be found frolicking away entertaining her family.
The love affair with House Music began after a long night of dancing to Frankie Knuckles along
with the house community’s good vibes; which practiced love, equality and respect. Both
played a significant role in fueling her passion for this genre of music.
Over the past ten years, Kali has been traveling around the world exploring the different sounds
of underground electronic music expanding her knowledge to help create her unique musical
identity. The Isle of Ibiza, bassy influences of Hip Hop and diverse music festivals have all helped
create in her an insatiable palate in music.
Kalis’ music can be best described as enchantingly dark, with sexy bass-focused rhythms and
melodic techno, all fueled by the atmosphere of the night. Her DJ skills, charisma, positive vibes
and contagious energy are helping her to quickly become a local legend as she majestically dips
into every crevice of house music making for a total marathon.
Expect the unexpected from her set music choices which are beautifully curated with the
ultimate goal of connecting with people on the dance floor. Kali has a keen sixth sense to turn
dance floors into an intimate experience and is humbled to share her magic at any event.
Marshall Jones
Marshall Jones
Marshall Jones started in mid-1999 out of Gotham Nightclub in Chapel Hill, NC during
the rave era. Gaining a vast knowledge and skills in the DJ booth, this led to him having
an internship with Ovum Records. 2 years later, he moved to Orlando to attend college
at Full Sail University. During college, Ovum Records ended their internship and
recommended Marshall to intern at Large Music (Chicago). This led him to work as a
promoter for Large Music and considered the Jeff Craven’s (CEO of Large Music) right-
hand man. He was assigned to work with major labels, artists, and the world famous
Traxsource online music store. He assisted in running Large Music’s legendary WMC
event entitled “Get Large”. With all these tasks, Marshall executed superbly and
maintained DJing events in Orlando. His skills, dedication, and knowledge gained him
notoriety in the Central Florida community. He also hosted major events at numerous
venues and groups around town.
In 2007, Jeff Craven proposed Marshall to move to Chicago and work directly with him.
In this duration of time, Marshall began learning from legendary Producers and DJs such
as Roy Davis Jr., Mark Grant, Andre Harris, Jask, Julius The Mad Thinker and more. He
made a name for himself in “The Windy City” by playing gigs with the major artists at
some of the best venues in town. Such venues as Smartbar, Crobar, and more. He was
even able to start a monthly with friends Don Clark and Mayra Neria at
Morseland Bar in the Morseland area of Chicago. In addition, he played on UIC’s
college radio and guest spots on Vocalo.org.
In 2009, he moved back to Durham, NC and linked up with long-time friend DJ Nugz.
Together they create the duo, Sound Cartel. This led to them hosting and DJing their
event entitled “Sultry” at Mosaic Wine Lounge in Raleigh, NC. They hosted many major
global DJs and is considered one of the longest-running Deep and Soulful House nights
in the Triangle.
Marshall Jones is still hard at work in the industry. He is DJing many events all over NC.
He is a DJ for such national and international events as Mi Casa Holiday, West Coast
Weekender and MoogFest. He is the Founder of the online radio station entitled
DanceGruv Radio, which features 65 DJs from all over the world. It has gained swift
notoriety amongst many in the dance music community. He continues to thrive and push
himself with his team to make NC known as a place where House Music lives. In his own
words, "The thing I love about House music is the fact that I am not apart of a scene, but
more of a movement."
Positive Language
Rock The Discotek
Uri Leshner
Yiro Yiro
Yiro Yiro
With a very peculiar style "the jackinhousinlatinfunkydiscodeeper" is his life, the same one that has made him reside in several night clubs, bars, hotels and play at events, private parties, his participation in the WMC 2013, and Year after year since 2015 in Mi Casa Holiday.
He is founder of the concept of parties Love Is The Message and owner of the Mancusso label in Mexico City. It belonged to House Salad, Warriors of House and GH Crew. He was a resident DJ at the French radio station FG Radio in Mexico. He is currently a resident of the Hotel Las Casas B + B in Cuernavaca Morelos and Lucerna Comedor in Mexico City, and is part of the Dancegruv Radio program, where his sets are broadcast online every 15 days.
His sets have been broadcast on radio stations in Chicago, Los Angeles San Francisco and New York.
The Soulful, Funky, Disco, Latin & Afro are the main genres that we can enjoy in their set sessions.