Posts Tagged ‘DJ Stanzeff’

CULOE De SONG 23.02.18 WAKANDA REMIX

March 29, 2018

Wakanda Remix

 

When he said that.  I wanted to cry.”  She gripped her right hand in her bosom and sighed. Seconds paused.  Seconds passed.  Onze-onze-onze thumped underneath staccato tappings in the background.  In the foreground, the chatter of voices spoke lines from a recently released blackbuster superhero release. At the bar, surrounded by friends and acquaintances the party was off to a liquid start. (more…)

CULOE DE SONG 23.02.18

March 1, 2018

Culoe De Song 

23.02.18

“Father, tell me the story of that night. The night of music, dance, and DJ, and all that happened.”

“Dear Love. It all happened in the land way down south. Mouths profess, “Durrrty, Durrrty,” for the land’s great red clay. Let us sojourn to the city. For within the city’s walls is great music, its capability to draw all kinds of worldly sounds into its hub of drums. I will tell you of the night of music, dance, and DJ.”

“It all began one unseasonably warm night. That night marked the final cycle of BPM. Black Peoples’ Month, the celebration of history & herstory. This was a time for not only celebration, but of reflection, of ancestors and their vast contributions and varied gifts to the world. This too was the cycle when the drum sojourned to the city. ATL’s Alley Cat Music digitally posted the message over a network of platforms. House heads, techno heads, and Afro-lovers all gathered at the city’s, “Edge” to inhale the breath of beating drums in a boombox named…” (more…)

CHOSEN FEW DJs 21.12.13

December 22, 2013

CHOSEN FEW DJs

Winter’s arrival announces sixty degree temperatures. A gust of warm air dances into a car’s rolled down window as a 10th anniversary Kenny Dope remix plays into the night’s air. While trying to find a spot to park, blinding blue beams flash in the rear windshield. “Uh oh.” One of the city’s finest, dressed in blue from head to toe, exits a newly purchased navy Ford. However, the only “protecting and serving” the law enforcer is concerned with is the scanning of license plates and the identifying of tags of two parked vehicles. The driver trying to find parking breathes a sigh of relief. For the owners of the two vehicles parked in front of a “no parking sign,” a sigh of relief will be the last thing they will utter as they discover a gift attached to their windshield. Merry Christmas from the APD.

Down the street at the events facility, fifty shades of brown wait huddled in front of a massive wooden door. Standing in the line that snakes down a ramp, conversations ensue. One dialogue stands out from the rest. A gray haired individual pushing the mid-century mark asks, “What makes a successful party?” 

The Ingredients for a Successful BANG!

One can argue that taking time off from throwing events allows for rest, recuperation and reinvention. This is one key ingredient for throwing a successful party. Nothing wears people out more than having to throw a party every week or every month. Not to mention those who feel pressured to attend every weekly and monthly event. Take, for example, the Tambor party. After a four month hiatus, the drum makes a much-anticipated return with a must-attend event.


Founder DJ Stan Zeff and right-hand man, DJ BE’s winning event formula is sought after by party promoters/event planners the world over. The two prep a musical concoction that wins over the skeptical purists and trumps the egos of naysayers. One key element that must be realized is the key of collaboration. Thereby, Tambor brilliantly teamed with one house music’s premier international networks. The Chosen Few DJs, the brainchildren headquartered in the birthplace of house music- Chicago.

Tambor’s winning formula begins with bestowing their guests with a generous heaping of southern hospitality. Be it a genuine welcome; glowing smiles, a caring hello, and a free gift; a CD, sticker or glowing tambourine, that greets guests at the two wooden doors of the facility.

A whomp, whomp, BOOM. The sound of heavy bass pulls bodies into the door. Listen and feel the beat. The one thing the people can’t deny is the clear and crisp acoustics. The sonics deliver a BANG! Pull out the earplugs, you will need them.

Two red and two silver giant orbs hanging from the ceiling add a plush holiday touch. The air is saturated with the aroma of love as Tambor-ites exchange XO. If a party has no love, the party is no success.

Already DJ BE and DJ Stan Zeff blaze the dance floor with a surround sound of furor. Together the two are unstoppable. And so this party proves as people can barely make their way up to the DJ stage without stepping on dancing sneakers or experiencing elbow jabs in the ribs.

12:00

Center stage stands Chicago’s Chosen Few ambassador, Alan King. The lawyer by day and DJ by night starts the party with a dose of jazz injected soul from Ralf Gum’s featuring vocalist Jon Pierce & trumpeter Kafele on “Never” (Louie Vega EOL Mix). Pat-ta-pat, pats and thump-di-thumps tells the dancers to form a semi-circle. The beating of live percussions kicks the party into full afro gear. Those dancing wallop their knees and their arms flail into the air without any structure or synchronization as their movements interpret the drum’s ancient language. From afro house the Chosen Few ball cap wearer segues into disco territory. Remember a little disco goes a long way. And boy does Alan deluge a heavy dosage of blue lights in the basement. The graying of hairs, receding of hairlines and the balding don’t mind. That Southside sound causes even music snubs to shake in the air, red, blue and green glowing tambourines. “Look” says one woman dressed in all black with an outstretched arm that points to the floor covered with white residue. Even the baby powder comes out on a disco jam. Attorney King steers the music reigns back into the provocative purview of South Africa’s resident Ralf Gum. This time former Tambor guest Monique Bingham sings “Take Me To My Love.” The fist-pumping Quentin Harris’ Shelter Vocal version of “Disrespectful” by Chaka Khan featuring Mary J. Blige works bodies into writhes. This house veteran knows how to work a room: after all he has been DJing for nearly four decades.

01:00

A body walks onto the stage.  The music fades.  “I didn’t know she could sing.” A voice yells from the back of the crowd. The room grows quiet. The party people are silenced. Tambor’s founding father offers a spirited introduction, “Tambor let’s give a warm welcome to Atlanta’s own…”

 

She shimmers in a gold and black jumper that sways over her black leggings. She bounces up and down on the heels of her black spiked boots. “Dance. 4. You.” She coos like a sexy Santa. This is the voice of the Chicago native and Tambor’s beloved, Cortney LaFloy who performs, without prior warning, her soon to be release debut on Tambor Music. The song’s producer, another Atlantan via Chicago, Steve Chi Profess stands behind the ones and twos playing music maestro. A swarm of “awws” traverse the room as digital cameras flash, videos film and happy feet dance in show of loving support. Cortney LaFloy drops the mic and dances across the DJ stage. Her live performance ignites fiyah. Promoters take note, there always has to be an element of surprise thrown into the mix. The unexpected flavor keeps the party turnt up.


Add a former recording label VP of Artist and Repertoire who has worked with Will Smith to Justin Timberlake in for success. Take one listen to the Pied Piper of RnB’s stepping anthem to hear how influential this DJ impacts the world of music. Wayne Williams is that DJ.

01:10

Where DJ Alan King played warm-up, DJ Wayne Williams appears hell bent to pick up the tempo. The sensual dialogue between a flugelhorn and a sax turns up the furnace. Shoes slip and slide. Bodies half way fall onto the slippery surface once covered with baby powder. Yes, the cement floor sweats. The unmistakable sounds of the undeniable Josh Milan’s “Thinking About Your Body” causes an uproar. Not only does a successful party don a DJ who knows what song to play at the perfect time-an art truly devoid in 21st century DJ culture-but a DJ who knows to play the perfect remix at the perfect time. Louie Vega’s Dance Ritual Mix delivers a bang to jump off any soulful house music party. As Josh’s ad-libs fades, the veteran DJ again surprises. Osunlade, the Yoruba soulster, offers “Dionne.” Ms. Warwick’s looped vocals are so heavenly, they can bounce on clouds. Suddenly, the beat bangs harder. Heart pounding four-on-the floors thump faster as Chicago house takes lead. Out come the sweat rags. Out come the pearly whites. Out come the feet that dance faster and harder. One house head hangs her chin low and bathes in the ambience of raw beats. She has a defining moment; she is gripped by the power of house music. The fifty minute adrenaline rush of Chicago house and disco house closes out on an inspirational note. “Lift Him Up” takes the spiritual saints who are in the know to church. Another key for a successful house music soiree is to have a DJ who is a DJ first, not a label owner, producer or party promoter, to heat the party up. Certainly, the Chosen Few originator, DJ Wayne Williams is more than the necessary ingredient.

02:00

Where DJ Wayne Williams drove the party into hyper drive in peek hour, DJ Terry Hunter slows the music down to a “catch your breath” tempo. A rework interpretation of Stevie Wonder’s “Supersition” is thrown in mix. Midsong the melody takes a dramatic turn into deep tech territory. Dark haunting keys steadily build wrath into a climatic shadowy mirage. The minimalist patting of drums disappears into a bottomless abyss. Dancing feet are unaware of what to expect as they try to keep pace with the two-faced tune. Don’t fret. Terry safely leads the dancers to South Africa rhythms, a place where the DJ appears more confidently exploring than his Chosen Few contemporaries. Although the T’s Box label head does tread on 120 BPMs and disco rhythms courtesy of DJ Spen’s Re-Edit of Chaka Khan’s “Live In Me,” Terry quickly returns to the Motherland where he scoops up the Princess of House, Bucie, on Louie Vega’s “Angels Are Watching Over Me.” From the heartfelt, Terry takes it old skool with a nu skool twist of Patrice Rushen’s “Haven’t You Heard.” Joey Negro’s Extended Disco Mix excites the crowd that sings “I’ve Been Looking For You.” As to pay not enough homage to Mr. Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” Terry drops the instrumental over a subtle disco count. From that moment on things get crazy and a bit hazy.

02:45

On the DJ stage DJ Alan King sports a “We Play Different” logo across his black tee, recognizable name property of an online dance music download store. DJ Wayne Williams strips his black jacket to reveal a Chosen Few tee. DJ Terry Hunter’s black Chosen Few tee sparkles with silver embroidery. Add to the mix DJ Stan Zeff who breaks up the monotony with a purple Tambor tee. There appears more brand recognition than a summer blockbuster movie. 


Thank you(s) are exchanged. There is a thank you to Tambor. There is a thank you to the Chosen Few. A historic speech is delivered. There is a group photo with the DJs. Then there is another group photo with everyone in the building. DJ Terry Hunter, the BANG remixer, appears stunned at all of the commotion. How dare anyone interrupt his DJ set? Seizing the moment he launches into a fury of guitar riffs that thrash against the brick and mortar. Dancing bodies leap high into the air before their soles crash onto the cement floor. Blurred circles bare witness. Hands are raised in praise. The gyrating of bodies appears to be high off psychedelic rhythms. A few curious railbirds scratch their heads. One DJ softly asks, “What is this finale closer of 70’s rock meets disco soul?” Shazaam displays, The Jackson 5 “I Am Love.”

03:00

There you have the successful makings of a hit party. Successful parties take time to create, show their guests love, are not afraid of team collaboration, have a banging sound system, include an element of surprise-be it a live performance or guest DJ-invite guest DJs who know how to work a crowd; by knowing what song to play at the right time and invite DJs who are DJs first. Last but not least, a successful party unifies, not divides. Dj Stan Zeff said it best, “We are one!!!”

QUENTIN HARRIS 20.07.13

July 21, 2013

Quentin Harris

00:00

 “The party is in the main room!!!”  A Tambor guest observes.  Her hazel eyes scope the vast lounge and concert hall. The event space dazzles underneath its natural lighting.  In case this much is forgotten, Tambor is an event, an experience in and of itself. Haters are silenced.  And bloggers be hushed.  A surprise looms in the air. 

Close to four years ago, a DJ led Atlanta’s House Music Movement to church.  Where would this same DJ drive the movement, if he were to play tonight? Church?  The Promise Land? Or NYC’s Funkbox?  All guesses were subject to personal interpretation.   

Right off the bat, the music flies from the speakers with a clean and clear appeal.  The music swings not too bass heavy.  But has the right amount of kick for the space.   Rumour has it Quentin Harris returns to Tambor.  That rumor turns true.  The DJ/remixer/producer/songwriter appears onstage ready to score.  First up, Adele’s “Rumour Has It” hits a homerun!  The Quentin Harris Fuck What You Hear Re-Production clocks a safe 4 minutes and 45 seconds, however, Quentin plays the song double time.

Guitar chords break the surge through the sound sphere.  Disco house enters the playing field.  A familiar pitch delivers the drive to Chaka Kahn’s” Live In Me.”  Quentin takes the DJ Spen Edit to another level.  He loops, “Groove with the Motion, Let’s Take It To The Top” for what seems like minutes.  “Tambor let’s take it to the top.”  DJ Stanzeff cheers.  And so the party continues its ascent into the outer field.

Subtle bongos play.  Cautious ears must take note.  In the background “Ahamdulillahi” plays.  Who?   Not who, but more like what?  This is the sampled intro to JT’s “Let the Groove Get In” off The 20/20 Experience Part 1.  If you blinked, you missed it.   

Quentin Harris travels to his Midwest roots to bestow the dancers with some good lovin’.  Chicago house legend, Cajmere along with Chicago vocalist legend, Dajae represent on “Satisfy.”  As people sing the hook and their feet shuffle over baby powder the song plays entirely too long. 

Onstage, Quentin’s tattooed sleeves that weave between a laptop, a mixer and a sequencer look nice.  However, some hard bodies paid to see the Sacrifice tat.  Quentin pays no mind.  Although hard at work, he appears all too relaxed dressed in an “Open the Games” black tee that stays on his back all night.  His body language eludes pose and refinement while the music screams, “sex.” 

“Is this Prince?”  A voice yells.  The eruption of horns blaring over a guitar sounds so.  Actually, the Purple One takes a back seat on this track to let his former girl group, Apollonia 6 sing, “Sex Shooter.”  People scream amazed at the execution of rocking the old school.  “Satisfy.”  Again, the Cajmere song reappears?  “Are You Satisfied?”  Dajae sings.   “Yes and enough.”  The crowd answers.   

Moving on.  A gospel house track plays; sadly, the vocals are mixed too low to make out the lyrics and that’s said by the people dancing in front of the speakers. 

Quentin digs deep into his back catalog.  He pulls song number eleven from his debut opus, No Politics.  A titled aptly needed for these days.  Time treks back to the year 2006.  Soul songstress Tina Broussard’s “Joy” (Quentin Harris Mix) breaths life into these troubled times of polarized views.  Quentin plays the song in its entirety, allowing his signature production work of electric beeps that pong over spacey beats, to shine.

What does the world need?  More joy!  Amid the news of a large municipal filing bankruptcy, racial tensions and protests, Quentin seems to be in a happy place.  Or so speaks his message, he delivers through the music.  Lord knows, the crowd could stand to hear some more positivity.  So the in-demand music producer delivers nothing less-than-his-stellar, his mega anthem that has won over global dance floors, his interpretation of Leela Jame’s “My Joy.”  The melody bouncing over soft percussions ignites ears.  Hands fly into the air.  Bodies jump up and down.   Even upstairs, the very important people sway from side to side.  But before Margaret Grace sings one lyric the music vanishes into thin air.

“I’ve Got A Deeper Love.”  A smokey alto wails over no music.   Quentin pays homage to his Detroit’s Mrs. Aretha Franklin with her early nineties Pride anthem, “A deeper Love.”  All of a sudden, the boys appear dressed in ribbed shirts and tanks that reveal toned biceps and protruding pecs.  The grown and sexy rush front and center stage.  They all sing “Welfare Don’t Need.”    Queen ReRe’s a cappella flutters on.  The beat to “My Joy” drops with a bang into the mix.  The vocals and music play together in perfect harmony and peace.  People of the world, please take note.

Quentin Harris is no stranger to the world of house music.  He’s heralded to command both American soulful house dance floors and European music festivals alike.  So when he drops a dirty beat of pure tech house, heads pay attention.  Bells ring as the four on the floor dissipates.  The music stutters on reverb.  His two hands take the helm of the Bozak and lifts the sounds to a climatic build and then drops hardcore thumps onto the screaming house heads.   Quentin shows-off, playing big room beats that builds and drops into frantic states.  The musical styling puts the T into Tambor. 

A male’s voice sings the blues that only pain produces.  The voice complains about a woman who deceives him and cheats on him.  He calls her out.  She’s a “Millie Vanillie.”  Cajmere’s green haired alter-ego, Green Velvet featuring Russoul shows face on the whimsical track. 

A house music party without playing a Peven Everett song is like a house music party with no subwoofers, the two go hand-in-hands.  The famous Timmy Regisford and Adam Rios concoction falls from the sound ware.  “Burning Hot” rejuvenates.  The former Timmy Regisford study lavishes by extending Peven’s vocal hold for more seconds than needed to make the crowd shrill with ecstasy.  The room’s temperature flies off the meter. 

“Tambor let’s give it up for the infamous Quentin Harris.”  DJ Stanzeff announces with a proud smile. 

 02:07

The Tambor Party founder works his own surprise.  Daddy Tambor starts his music hour off “Perfectly” with Shea Soul’s raspy vocals singing over the Layabouts’ signature beats.  DJ Stanzeff rocks the crowd with a mixture of deep, spatial, and stretched out themes that unite the elements of the night.

03:00

What a surprise!  Quentin drove the party to the edge of amazement.  For the ears wanting to experience a different sound, Quentin delivered.  For two straight hours, the Funkbox NYC resident banged the beats.  He never drifted to one subgenre or slowed the beat down.  The music played at the right tempo, the drums kicked a harder four on the floor all to construct a heavier sensation.  Some songs played too long and certain segments looped too often but that is Quentin’s choice style of play.  Let’s be real, “Let’s Be Young” plays for an Olympic ten minutes.  Sadly, the track was not included in the party’s playlist. If people complained after this Tambor installment, perhaps their pulses and heartbeats need to be checked, because this experience could not be dismissed with a callous nod.  Better yet, Quentin would say, “Kiss My Black Ass.”   

Visuals & Words: AJ Dance

GREENHOUSE 23.06.13

June 24, 2013

Visuals: AJ Dance

LARS BEHRENROTH 15.06.13

June 16, 2013

LARS BEHRENROTH

Happy Father’s Day

 

You’ve got to love the event pages on social media websites.  The best is the website, yada-yada-yada, that tracks who is going to attend an event.  Read the dozens of posts to hype the event.  Check out the several comments to hype the posts.  Thumb up.  Over one hundred people click, “going.”  Nowhere near one-hundred people attend the actual event, not even ninety or eighty….the drastic drop grows depressing.  There goes the digital age’s accuracy of tracking and surveillance.

 This ain’t no stairway to heaven but a stairway to a hole-in-the-wall.  The thought references the steps that lead to the entrance of the venue’s smaller room.  Even sadder, is the missing accessible ramp for the disabled.  Walk-if you can-through the open door, greet the Tambor Party’s awesome twosome.  Purchase a Tambor tee, members: ten bucks, nonmembers: fifteen bucks, in the tiny foyer adjacent the men’s and women’s rest areas.  Enter the main room.

-Witness the makeshift DJ stage.  Listen to the sound system pieced together by the hands of manual labor and view the neon strobe lights playing a game of cat chase mouse, without succumbing to a seizure, underneath a Pro lighting setup. Tambor deserves an A for effort.   The party is a DIY initiative.-

There is still something off kilter about the smaller space.  The vibe is off.  The room is dark, too dark, for a Tambor party.  And the room is too small.  Whiff.  The air smells stale.  A chill hangs overhead.  And, no, this chill does not blast from the AC or industrial fans.

Where is the love?  Is the love at the bar?  Can the love be found upstairs in the VIP area?  Perhaps, is the love at the merchandise table in the hall that separates the larger room from the smaller room?  Where the larger room is Tambor’s home, the smaller room is Tambor’s gloom.

23:15

Several months ago, one post on yada-yada-yada asked, “What is the house music song you never want to hear played at a party?  One female dancer commented, “My Name Is” by DJ Zinhile.  DJ BE, hard at work, plays the Alpha & Omega Drum Arena Remix.  Where BE fails, he trumps with Atlantans ChiProfess and Kwi B’s, who have yet to arrive at the party, “We Are Black Love.”  The Tambor Party’s number two keeps the music Afro for the remainder of his set.

 23:30

Several family faces are absent.  Where are the people who complain they want to hear different music played?  Where are the virgin ears that have yet to experience this month’s guest DJ?  Furthermore, where are the 80% other folk who attended last month’s Tambor Party?  “The night is young,” Optimism answers. “Surely they are on their way.”

 00:00

An impressive montage of pounding drums, hissing snares and hi-hats abruptly fade.  The event’s guest DJ, dressed in a blue V neck that exposes his chest fur, stands center stage. Cue the music.  A Spanish guitar plucks strings over Balearic beats.  The song is the perfect nod to summer nights in Ibiza.  It’s a rather soft-opening statement.

“Whomp.  Whomp….Chomp.” The sound is bass heavy.  A weight reserved much more for trap & dubstep’s aggression than deep house’s spiritualism.

“Can you hear the Tambor bass?”

Stanzeff.  Yes.  Not only do the people hear the bass, they feel the bass.  Apparently, Lars interprets Stan’s inquiry as an opportunity to pound the shit out of the bass.  He drops the bass, filters the bass and explodes the bass on several songs to come.  Lars is that eight year old child mistakenly left in a music studio, playing with the controls, sliding crossfaders, turning knobs, and pushing buttons that light up bright colors while he grins mischievously.  Behind the decks, he is a mad scientist.  Lars concocts further antidotes of claptrap rarely heard in these parts.  Voiceovers and sampled vocals float haphazardly over the loudest percussions imaginable.  Lyrics collide into digital beeps and pongs.  The faint of ears need protection.

Several standees-wearing the color white, the party’s unofficial shade, stand glowing underneath a black light,-wonder where the music marches towards.  Several dancers, too busy dancing can care less.  The music must be trusted.  The DJ must be trusted.  The medium must be trusted.   The west coast maestro understands.  He silences all doubts.

“We Are Sons of Yoruba of West Africa”

“We Are Sons of the Great Divinity” speaks the South African producer and vocalist, Bluelle on “We Are Africa.”  The crowd agrees.  Lars has their attention.

Sonic jolts of bass shake the ground.  A synthesizer chords slices the air.  The voice of string instruments stutter.  Electronic bleeps burp on ones and threes.  Heavy percussions thump, tick tock.  Seismic shifts of sound evoke a melodious flow. A sample of Common Sense’s “Voices Inside My Head” pits the lyrics to the drum.  Viewing the surroundings suggests common sense lacks as several people appear to hear voices inside their head.

Vrooom.  A white Panama hat blows by.  Actually it’s a female, all smiles and entirely too happy, skipping by.  An unknown lady dressed in all black molests a male dancer, without permission, and proceeds to tango.

“There is too much going on.”  Natalie Cole comments.  Oops, that’s not Natalie Cole.

Look.  There onstage.  Have you seen a DJ on bended knees play music?  If anyone else isn’t having the time of their life, then Lars is having the time of your life for you.

“Happy Father’s Day!” DJ Stanzeff shouts out.

Lars, the graying father and loving husband plays his mad scientist’s bravado.  The bass disappears.  He teases the crowd. He throws out the bass and snatches it back. Finally, he fully drops the bass over a tribal thumper of soft handclaps and a tambourine shrilling against stark minimalism.  A male’s falsetto flutters into ears.  His heavenly voice commands “The Only Way.”  The anthem rings loud and clear.  The Ralf Gum featuring Kenny Bobien single (Artistic Soul Spiritual Touch Mix) inaugurates Tambor’s policy that this event is for all races, creeds, colors or origins.

Kudos to the different shades of faces, who rarely attend a Tambor Party, that show up and represent.  Right stage, B-boys crop a circle for dance offs.  Rear room a dance duo performs syncopated choreographed steps.

A deep bass line wobbles against synthetic warps plowing over soft pads that crescendo into an orchestrated hotbed of deep tech.  A voice calls “Hey” that steadily echoes to a soft whisper.  The Russian born, Ghana bred, current Limpopo SA resident, Kojo Akusa track (Posh Mix) has one B-boy spinning around in circles on his head with no hands.  The dancer receives a small applause.

 Lars descends not only deeper into the heart of Africa but through time; a fall that finds him almost entirely too entrenched in the sound of shrubbery from yore.   Instant House’s “Awade” (Joe’s Jungle Sounds Dub) hashes stark bongos fused amid a sexy sax with an airplane flying overhead and more yells than a Yeezus track.  At this point Lars digs deep, a move that might scare the breakers afar. Perhaps the tribal emphasis stems from the Tambor Party’s philosophy of all things the drum.  Notably, the sound quickly oscillates to further global influences.

Ceila Cruz”Elegua.”  The late “Queen of Salsa” or “La Guarachera de Cuba”award-winning voice soars on the Orisha tribute, remixed by Jose Marquez a former Tambor guest DJ. Orchestrated viola strings crescendo to a dramatic climax.  The music breaks.  An all too familiar bass line punches with the ringing of a cowbell.  The crowd recognizes one of the most sampled bass lines in popular music.  They revel with regard.  The music time travels back to the Reaganomics era with assisted fuel from Eddie Grant’s, “Time Warp.” During the party’s peak hour, the DJ/Deeper Shades producer/remixer drops the lows, the mids and allows the highs to scream at a pitch reserved for canines for thirty seconds.  This is the Lars Behrenroth experience.

Consider Lars Behrenroth hails from Germany, the land where music chemists crafted the industrial sound.  Midwest America, Detroit and Chicago especially, go gaga for industrial tech but the South-not so much.  The L.A. resident is no stranger to the A, having played in the town eight times in six years, an astronomical accomplishment for any DJ.  Like an extended family of cousins never met, so is the ever expansion of the city’s deep/soulful house community.  Many freshmen heads are unfamiliar with Atlanta’s adopted cousin.  Salutations must commence.  His music is assertive, bash and unrelenting.  Yet, his music can be all fluff and full of sex.  Take, Botswana, Meropa Park’s “Live A Lil” remixed by Canadian Suges, a promo from The Deeper Shades of House imprint.  The dancers let loose.  Ponytails drop to reveal long manes.  Hips swing left to right.  Arms stretch into the air.  Heads bob.  Smiles stretch wider.  Dance moves become sexually suggestive techniques of foreplay.  This is how sexy house sounds.  And the Deeper Shades label owner, no stranger to making love to the music, gets down.  He dances a little. He drinks a little.  He gets his groove on.

What catapults this German turned American citizen above his peers?  It’s his WTF moments where the Deeper Shades founder triumphs.   His ability to dig deep, pull out and drop a piece of music that explodes like combustible gas.  The philharmonics run.  The people run.  They run not from the dance floor but to the dance floor.  “I totally forgot that song existed.” and “Where did he pull that one out from?”  People ask.  Yes, Lars throws curveballs.

 The crowd never sees coming Georg Levin featuring Clara Hill’s “(I Got) Somebody New.”  The decade-old classic played on heavy rotation on the city’s HBCU jazz radio station back in the day.  Jazz Nouveau.

Lars loops the mid-tempo track in mid-song.  The next track of tribal drums plays.  He steadies himself, hands and all.  The crowd stares unaware of what takes place.  The man of the hour matches the grooves.  He clocks his time.  He turns the Bozark knobs with an acute acumen of skilled precision.  The two tracks slowly consummate.

“Take your time.” One dancer shouts from the crowd.

“Take your time. Work dat….”  With a punch of sound “(I Got) Somebody New” resounds from nowhere.  Surprise!  Lars creates an Afro infused spontaneous mash-up of the two songs.  Eyes and ears are stunned.  The room is on fiyah.  Thankfully, the two industrial fans positioned at the ends of the DJ stage cool heated bodies.

“Who’s got my bass?”  The ever gregarious cousin yells.  He looks around like he is about to bomb the room.

“Where’s my bass?”

He teases the audience with words.

“We got it.” One dancer responds.  And with that…. “BOOM!” The bass falls on the dancers with vengeance. Lars pulls the cowbell to the forefront on Floetry’s, “I Want You” remixed by Tambor’s previous month’s guest DJ, Osunlade.  Voices yell, fists air punch and bodies erk and jerk with excitement.

Lars drops acid! That is acid house.  For the old-school heads, A Guy Called Gerald’s “Voodoo Ray” stirs memories of the late 80’s nostalgia.  A time when Roland 808’s and Roland TR-909s were rad.

Having taken Tambor for a wild and whimsical whirl of tech, the Men of Nile’s “Watch Them Come” brings the guest DJ’s time to a close but not before one last tribal thumper.

A white Tambor tee and white pants glides onto stage.  Tambor’s daddy, DJ Stanzeff guides the sound.  He is up to something.

That eight year old kid is still having too much fun, turning knobs and pressing buttons.  To watch him play is both exhilarating and exhausting.

“Bop, bop, bop.”

“Bop, bop, bop.”  The drum pounds louder and louder and louder until, his finger rashly presses the Bozak’s loop function.  A belt heavy of drums unleashes its power through out the room.  The crowd loses their minds. The force of Marlon D and Boddhi Satva’s “Power of the Drum (Marlon D’s Tribal Deep Tribal Mix) is unstoppable.  Sadly, Lars is stoppable.  DJ Stanzeff stands ready to play.  However, Lars won’t let go.  He continues starts the drums over from the top and BANG.

 “Tambor, let’s give it up for Lars.  The people give a rousing applause.  “We will have him back soon.”

 02:00

Several months earlier, a Chicago DJ posted on yada,yada,yada, “Even if Jesus remixes this song, I never want to hear this song played again.”  The song: Dennis Ferrer’s “Hey Hey.”  DJ Stanzeff opens his set with the Osunlade Edit.  The majority of the crowd is entertained and sings “Hey Hey” in return.  They must be drunk.

Again, why is it that 80% more people attended last month’s Tambor compared to this month’s party?  Answer. The DJ.  Sadly when an “I haven’t heard of that DJ” who brings a fresh approach and plays a justified sound, people play ghost.  Of course, a sizable crowd represented.  Yet, this Tambor fell short of its mandate.  This was a must attend event.  No excuses.  Lars deserved better.  He deserved an authentic Tambor experience; the larger room, a more engaged audience and eager fans that attended to support.  After all, this is Lars freaking Behrenroth playing at Tambor.  A rarity.  And if you didn’t know then you should’ve asked somebody.

Visuals and Words by AJ Dance

OSUNLADE 18.05.13

May 19, 2013

OSUNLADE

00.00

A brush of a shoulder here and a brush of a shoulder there detour not from the festivity at hand.  A sea of brown and beige paints the room’s canvas.  The lovely soul children have arrived.  The people pack the place.  They come ready to be baptized into the waters of deep.  Digital phones and tablets rush front and center stage with bright red buttons aglow that records movement.  Onstage busy bodies migrate to and fro as they prepare for the third coming.  The return of one of the most anticipated Ministers of Sound that has defined a musical movement for this generation’s era. 

Tambor Party.  Let us welcome back for the third time, all the way from Greece, Mr……”   

 

Osunlade’s Tambor debut, three years earlier, saw the “Envision” singer share the bill with a fellow DJ from Chicago.  Talk about running upstairs and running downstairs to catch both DJs at work.  In addition, the venue’s shoebox shaped basement could not contain the crowd Osunlade commands.

One year later sees Osunlade-in support of his final house music offering ‘Pyrography’ with organic illustrations from artist Scott Marr-headline Tambor’s two-year anniversary soiree to a capacity crowd.  Peculiarly, Tambor was pushed out of the venue’s more spacious accommodation and into a smaller adjacent corner with no air-conditioning in mid-August heat.  Epic FAIL. 

This time around, team Tambor envisioned correctly and secured the event facility’s main room, come hell or high water.     

 

Reinvention is essential.  Not only has Osunlade’s music manifesto evolved at each Tambor but so his appearance.  Gone, the dreads traded for a military cut.  Ever present: the ear gauges large enough to punch a fist through.  Standing proud and appearing stunning in a golden tee, contrasted by a grey vest, the artist steps up to play. 

The warm cheers subside.  Quietly the people stand.  A sense of anticipation shatters the atmosphere.  An anticipation so delicate it borders on discretion.  Suddenly, a shimmering vocal sounds.  It softly dances on heads and drifts through the air.  As so, eloquent discretion begets questions.  Who is singing?  What is the title of this track?  Everyone’s response: petrified silence.  Perhaps this is no expected powerhouse anthem, but more of a soft opener wetting the people’s appetite for more to come. 

Punch the bass and hit throttle.  The music kicks into high gear with Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” (Osunlade Mix).  Stevie Nicks never sounded so distinguished than belting notes over a deep house treatment.  The audience agrees.  They sing along.

Questionable.  Neophyte, Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” (A Nooma Remix by Manoo) quiets the tone but keeps bodies in motion. 

BOOM!!! Afefe Iku’s “Mirror Dance” shatters the sound sphere.  The song’s vibrancy still has not lost its edge.  The crowd jumps off.  Their unbridled praise proves the Yoruba Soul Remix featuring Oveous Maximus is still relevant. 

Anyone for a slow dance?  Jill Scott’s “My Love” plays filler duties.  The Jason B Remix is a sleeping beauty that needs to stay asleep. 

“HEEEYY.” Dave Ghan screams.  The crowd awakes and stands attentive.  Depache Mode’s lead vocalist sings “Reach Out” on MasterKev/Tony Loreto and Polyrhythm’s interpretation of “Personal Jesus” against a stark beating percussion. “Reach Out And Touch Me” is what the crowd tries to do.  With arms stretched high and hands raised in the air a spiritual pilgrimage begins.

The spiritual apex ascends.  This time Atlanta’s Donnie sings “Olmec Save Us” (Yoruba Soul Mix) produced by Atlantan Kai Alce, who is in the house.  People beg, “What is the name of this track?  “Where can I download it?”

Jazzy Jeff featuring Erro’s “Rock With You” (Yoruba Soul Dub Mix) oscillates right into the hands of yesteryear.  Chicago’s “Street Player’s” brass section dazzles dancers with dynamics, Lil Louis’ & The World’s “I Called You (But You Weren’t There) provides the wit with its tell-tale of love gone wrong, and later Candido’s “Thousand Finger Man” surprises and delights and refreshes seasoned ears.

01:00

The battle of the event occurs: Jack Son’s “Thrill Her” versus Prince’s “Controversy.”  The room explodes.  People scream.  People dance.  People sweat. 

As this is the party of sweat stains.  Perspiration accents brows, drops from foreheads, runs down bare arms and decorates T-shirts.  Be careful.  Even the slippery floor sweats.    

One word describes a world-renowned DJ/producer/songwriter/singer that can slay a room with a belt-heavy of eclectic catalog hits, produced or remixed for the likes of mainstream artist Frank Ocean featuring Earl Sweatshirt’s, “Super Rich Kid” to indie repertoire Jazztronik’s, “Dentro Mi Alma.” The word is pride.  A pride that sings so loud and so clear that it demands attention.  Live and in person, singer soulstress Nadirah Shakoor does so.  She takes the stage to sing her female fueled power anthem, “Pride.”  Surprise!  No one envisioned this moment where these two musical souls, the producer and the singer, would synergize together on Tambor’s stage.  The DJ steps back; the singer steps forward.  Osunlade digs out another cohort/producer, Andy Catana’s “Ironia,” a deep/tech house four-to-the-floor treat from his 2010, “Occult Symphonic.”  From the OS to Pyrography, “Envision,” (Ame Remix) plays but right at the break where sonic beeps collide with bombastic bass the song disappears.

“Bleep, Bop”

“Bleep, Bleep, Bop”

“Errrrr”

“Bleep, Bleep, Bop”

“Ooooo, Yeee, Ooooo”

“Bloop”

“Errrr”

“Bah, Bah, Bah, Bah”  

With every “Bleep” a Bozark knob turns clockwise.  With perfect timing between intervals of FX, the sound is tweaked with skilled precision.  The spectacle displays a master of music playing Space Invaders on an Atari gaming system. 

A drum kicks.  A four count rhythm startles.  A climatic build of dizzying bleeps and bumps clash against stark fireworks.   Galactic shrills scream “Bang.”  This is the one minute opener to one of the most amazing pieces of music ever recorded.

“Fireworks”/ “Computer Games” is the song that might have made Kraftwerk uneasy.  “Computer Games” inspired the hip hop and electronic/electro age of music.  Tokyo Japan’s most successful outfit, Yellow Magic Orchestra’s opus takes the dancers on a magic carpet ride to the Far East where sound imagery intersects Asian arts.  The song-composed of strings, steel vibes, warm keys and fluttering flutes, all played on synthesizers-plays in its entire glory for seven minutes and twenty seconds.        

The party becomes a performance.  Osunlade transforms from DJ to entertainer.  He dances.  He frolics to every count, every intricate detail of rhythmic expression via instrument.  At best, Osunlade is a showman. 

“I can’t take no more.” One dancer pants.  “I’m about to pass out.”  Osunlade slays the room.  Dancers hold one another up.  Even Tambor’s banner on stage lies on the floor.   

Next, the crowd journeys along the Nile to the Motherland.  Pyramids raid the distance and camels travel on cruise control.  Listen.  The Jones Girls sings, “Nights Over Egypt.” 

02:00

Somewhere the music goes obscure between Latin rhythms of bossa nova and samba where African drums talk into the ancestral universe. 

Osunlade returns the journey back to a safe destination, his Yoruba Soul catalog.  Self- produced, “Cantos A Ochun Et Oya” and Erro’s “Don’t Change” (Main Mix) segue into remixed classics for the likes of Tortured Soul with “I Might Do Something Wrong” (Osunlade Lonely Remix) and the pimp-slap Vivian Green’s “Emotional Rollercoaster,” (Osunlade Late Night Mix) both nods to the early aughts. 

A slight interruption by DJ Stanzeff can’t stop the music.  Osunlade is where?  He is zoned in the mix and unable to stop playing music even if he wanted too.  Sadly, Osunlade has no choice.   The room illuminates with fluorescents.  Translation: Time To Go. 

The event’s closing number a padapella of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” brings out the freaks.  Several couples grind and grope one another as if this event is one large orgy.  Pheromones fill the air.  Sex is in the future for some tonight.         

 

The Tambor Party is known for many surprises.  But this party turned performance was the surprise of all.  From a live singer to a DJ playing three instruments called two Pioneer CD players and one Bozark.  This Tambor felt authentic, not forced, organic, not processed, yet cohesive lacking definition. 

The music fit no formula, format or flow.  The mixing of songs seemed cold.  At times, one song slammed into the next that forced the music into unexpected genres.  Why was this so?  How did this work?  Better yet, it worked!  If this had been another DJ the experience would have largely failed flat.  Word to the wise: Osunlade is often imitated but never duplicated.  

03:00

DJ Stanzeff takes hold of the microphone to announce, “Tambor let’s give a round of applause to our good friend Mr…”

“I’m freaking family!”  Osunlade interrupts.  “I’m freaking family!”

Yes, Mr. Osunlade you are family. 

 

.

Words and photography by AJ Dance

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLACK COFFEE 16.03.13

March 17, 2013

 

BLACK COFFEE

 

Load. Lock.  Click. Boom.  I’ve been shot by a South African DJ.

 

Coffee is a feel-good addictive substance.  The early legend of Kaldi states, when the Ethiopian goatherd saw his goats eat coffee berries from a certain tree, the goats grew so spirited they were unable to sleep at night.  Soon after, during the 15th century-coffee seeds, yes seeds not beans-traveled from the region of southern Arabia, North Africa, Middle East, Europe and then to the Americas.  Along the journey coffee developed distinct flavors in certain regions of the world by the importers of the seed.

House music is a feel-good addictive anomaly.  When discovered in America during the late 20th century by overseas music enthusiasts, house music’s sound was handpicked, cupped, roasted, ground, brewed, and filtered into a regional dialect they could call their own.  Over time, the world would morph and shuffle the 4-to-the-floor sound to align with their regional tastes.

South Africa’s house music and Durham born Nkosinathi Maphumulo are the above examples.  As South Africa’s popularity of deep/soulful house music has eclipsed its popularity stateside or perhaps worldwide at any particular time during house music’s lifespan; artist Nkosinathi music’s styling is deep, mildly bitter yet extremely rich with robust flavors.  South Africa house music and Nkosinathi are addicting forces.  Each possesses curious fascinations; where Nkosinathi claims soulful house music, the music that mainstream Black America refuses to acknowledge, as his own and the voice of his beloved South Africa; South Africa house music has become a disputable bond to all things Africa-some kind of noir roots that binds lost heritage of self-identity discovery through black music.  The attraction lies somewhere between the two.  Bottom line: The Diaspora of Africa soul has returned full circle to its indigenous people. 

DJ BE

There is a line outdoors.  An actual line!  Native South Africans mingle with out-of-towners who mingle with local family, all are giddy with anticipation.  Sixty degree temperatures marks spring’s arrival.  Spring feels great.  Spring laughs.  Spring blows a mild breeze.  How refreshing.  In the line, various shades of brown agree. 

When “Take Me To My Love,” another Ralf Gum hit featuring Monique Bingham on vocals greets guests, the event is sure to be rewarding.  Tambor’s resident, DJ BE serves up the unreleased afro remix followed by an extreme outpouring of soul fro house that seems generous enough, if not superfluous.  

The venue’s main and largest room is shell-shocked with activity.  Afro house plays the soundtrack to a March Madness game playing on two monitors in the back of the room.  Serious dancers occupy speakers.  Several familiar faces, not seen in ages, occupy tables.  Drinks and small plates are ordered.  Staff scurries about the room waiting on tables and clearing empty glasses. Upstairs a private party packs the VIP area.  Activity aside, this party is destined to put the capital T back into Tambor.            

DJ Mike Dunn

Surprise!!!  Chicago’s famed producer/remixer/DJ Mike Dunn appears onstage wearing a black baseball cap and facial frown.  Is playing at Tambor that bad?

At Tambor, South Africa is not the only movement rising but too the dance floor.  B boys showoff tightly executed choreography of syncopated steps and triple spins.  While B girls pop and lock in robotic staccato.  The dance circle spells s-e-r-i-o-u-s.   

Mouths drop.  Digital recorders rise.  Look onstage.  All hail South Africa’s flag.  Its diplomat arrives.   Nkosinathi Maphumulo.  AKA Black Coffee. 

Radio Star

DJ Black Coffee opens with a compelling narrative of R’n’B.  The sound most fit for urban radio than club ready.  This is the material that stateside adult urban-contemporary radio should play intermingled next to R’n’B’s royalty.  Romantic vocals conquer bleeding hearts.  Slow-motion beats per minute.  Global melodies of global dance.  Detailed song writing-a craft amiss in most American house music- enough to warrant prestigious academy awards.  An afro world filled with rapturous lyrics, percolating percussions that ooze soul in all matters.  Perhaps the sound is difficult to digest for aged house purists. While newbies to the scene, short swallow the sing-alongs. 

“Take Me To My Love” sings a jazzy a capella vocal until a soft percussion strikes.  The commencement of beats begins.  The Raw Artistic Soul Vocal Dub of the Ralf Gum track sets the mood for what is to come.  Sampled drum loops, minimal instruments, dazzling dancing keys, warm strings and sporadic handclaps play in the atmosphere.  Black Coffee wastes no time.  He pounds the drums and drops the music with skilled precision.  Monique Bingham’s vocals spin “On and on and on and on and on and on and on and on,” across the room, until she commands, “I want you to lead me.” This is what the crowd anticipates Black Coffee to do.  But the cautious spectators ask, “Where to?”   

“MOVE.”  Black Coffee commands the audience on his latest import. Once again, where to?  Moving or dancing proves difficult.  Bodies are packed tight like addicts in line awaiting a caffeine fix.  Apropos, Tambor has not seen these numbers of bodies in years.  Regardless, Black Coffee featuring Soulstar is out to “Rock My World.”  Sadly the song rocks nothing.   

“Her Majesty/The Queen Is In The Booth/Come To The Dance Floor.”  Poetress Busiswa Gqulu’s command actually works.   Additional mini-shorts and stiletto spikes arrive to dance on the already packed floor.  Voices scream.  Arms fly in the air.  A dub of South African’s premier female disc jockey, DJ Zhile’s “My Name Is” brings the house down.

The Art of Mixing

Black Coffee is dark roasted.  He gives the people a taste of his original home brew.  The flavor not found on street corners at specialty baristas or copy-cat retail chains.  His brew goes deep. Dark.  Robust.  There are no floor fillers.  No sugar.  No cream.  Black Coffee gives it raw. 

The super DJ puts a fresh brew on his past; Zakes Bantwini a cappella conjures “JuJu,” Thiwe’s haunting ache sounds on “Crazy” and Bucie says, “Turn Me On.”  Dark clouds give way to light.  Dispair turns to hope.  DJ Kent arrives.  Just as vocalist Malehloka Hlalele sings the hook on, “Falling,” the music drops into a sleek sexy R’n’B slow burner that floors every mouth in the entire room.  DJ Black Coffee leaves the radio sound behind for the art of mixing.  Look out! 

Black Coffee is on fire.  And so is the room.  The room’s heat index breaks scorching records.  Feeling uncomfortable?  Honestly. This is to be expected when two-hundred plus hot mochas are dancing and sweating. 

DJ Kent turns DJ Superman.  As the Princess of House, Bucie loudly proclaims “Superman.”  The crowd approves with vocal praise.     

Out of nowhere like a speeding bullet.  Black Coffee surprises with Louie Vega & Jay “Sinister” Sealee’s golden, “Diamond Life,” starring Julie McKnight on vocal lead.    The crowd sings.  They can’t control themselves, neither can Black Coffee.  Rhythm and blues a cappellas dialogue for one hook and one verse over sonic booms of tribal tech dialect.  The mixing is just the way the audience prefers their coffee.  Black.  Hot.  Strong.  No froth.  In the midst of the action Black Coffee uses his index finger to stop the music and strike a round button aglow on the disc player.  He moves his index finger right to the mixer and then to his laptop where he drops EFX.  The music starts again.  The people dance.  The music stops.  Black Coffee nods his head to the tune of the sounding EFX.  The music starts again.  The people go mad.  The music stops again.  Black coffee nods his head to a lock and load gunshot EFX.  Black Coffee, through the music, fires a gunshot at the audience.  The music starts again.  People fall over each other.  Digital cameras and mobile devices record the entertainment.  Mouths of DJs in the room are awestruck at the spectacle.  All of Black Coffee’s mixing is executed with one arm and one hand.  He can’t be contained.  As if Coffee’s mixing brilliance could not enter the stratosphere of mixing genius, it does.  Theatric horns sound.  The tune the entire world recognizes sounds.  People catch their breaths.  Jack Son’s “Thrill Her” falls upon the crowd.  South Africa’s Black Motion treatment releases the most excited fanaticism of the party.  If weave and wigs fall off this would be the time.  The room goes ape shit.  Pandemonium is unleashed. 

If a DJ playing the same song (different remix) twice in the night is not your cup of coffee.  Too bad.  Black Coffee delivers another fresh cup of DJ Zhile’s, “My Name Is,” this version contains Busiswa Gqulu’s vocals in full, spoken in both English and indigenous tongue Xhosa, also extracted from the SA collection of the song’s many recently released remixes.  The song of the party goes to Ralf Gum’s “Take Me To My Love” that plays for the third time.  An unreleased remix keeps the song fresh, piping hot and enjoyable.  Throwing dance hall in the mix, Masters At Work featuring Puppah Nas-T’s “Work” gyrates hips as vocalist Denise commands the crowd to, “Go Down” which they do.  The room’s temperature increases a notch.  Someone might have to call the fire department to put the coffee pot out.  Actually things cool off a bit with a remix to the late Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.”  Uh oh.  DJ Stan Zeff walks onstage.  This signals the brew is about to exchange hands.  However, Black Coffee is not ready to exit without another scorcher. This time MJ’s “Billie Jean” (Rocco Deep Mix) is on tap.  The crowd goes crazy.  They are too distracted to note…“Tambor.  Give it up for the man Black Coffee.”

DJ Stan Zeff

To ease everyone off their caffeine high, DJ Stan Zeff plays Black Coffee’s “We Are One” featuring South African trumpet great Hugh Masekela.  The time reads 2 am.  Family faces stream through the door arriving from an earlier concert.  Stan Zeff is primed to serve them some brew.  Tambor Music’s debut release “Set Me Free” (Stan Zeff Vocal Mix) by Mr. Funk Daddy featuring DJ Sue sweetens the crowd.  Black Coffee’s music partner Culoe De Song shows off his remix to the South African band, Goldfish with “Call Me.”  At one point, a seafood chain’s LobsterFest commercial, playing on the room’s back monitors, proves more entertaining. Alas, DJ Stan Zeff being the professional he is places the focus back on the music with Kee Lo’s “Sad Soul.”  The Baffa Jones’ Vocal Destruction Dub destroys the dance floor with sliced vocals bouncing against chopping chords over minimalist drums.  The mighty O’Jays play closer with “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)” a 4-to-the floor number that rides into the moonlight. 

DJ Black Coffee proved why he is addictive.  In his native South Africa the beloved DJ/producer/songwriter packs out futbol stadiums.  The same ethos is what Black Coffee brought to Tambor with numbers far less than thousands.  The ability to supersede great expectations of hype and glory of DJ extraordinaire showed uncanny.  These are the ingredients of a true DJ.  No froth.  All substance.  Much like the Kaldi Legend, when you taste the potent brew of Black Coffee there is no sleeping tonight. 

Words and Photography by AJ Dance

JOSE MARQUEZ 19.01.13

January 20, 2013

JOSE MARQUEZ

A sports fanatic dream is when salty snacks, fiery hot wings and cold brews-that makes guts proudly flop over waistlines-are cast in pretentious hierarchical displays in every supermarket grocery store.  These are the flatulence, oops, festivities leading up to the big game.  The super of all bowls.  The daddy of all daddies.  The well…one gets the ruckus that captures the world’s short attention span and limited IQ every February.  Hey look.  Even, Tambor joins in on the action. 

Tambor’s 2013 season is set to kick-off with a big bang of athletic proportions.  The stage is set.  Ready. Go.  The playing field’s turf is polished smooth.  Ready for the throngs of dancing feet to run, tackle and crush rhythmic grooves.  The LED Pro performs laser light theatrics worthy of a celebrity wardrobe-malfunction half-time exposure.  The sub woofers so bombastic could host a bowl game.

It’s game time.  The players are onstage.  The starting lineup….    

DJ BE #2 Center

DJ BE wins the coin toss.  He plays first.  Jersey number two kicks off the music into the playing field.  No one catches it.  So the center drives the music hard up fifty yards on first down.  Tambor secures home field advantage.  The hype builds.  Only the stadium is completely empty.  Hush.  The silence is deafening. 

Tambor’s season opener is off to a slow start-a very slow start.  The first and second downs appear as stop and go, slow-motion resolutions.  Slowly souls trickle into the stadium.  It’s early in the game. There is no need to sweat bullets-yet.  Back to the action. 

The offensive lineman works hard.  He travels four yards deep to the twenty-five yard line.  First down-and-ten.  He assumes eye formation.  Thirty….Thirty-five….Forty.  It’s fifteen yards on the first down.  The number two jersey works Arnaud D featuring Heidi Vogel’sGreen & Yellow into the mix.  There are eight dancers in the box.  Will he gain more?  He turns sharp and makes a rough transition.  He drives the music into harder territory, increasing the beats per minute with pulsating thumps, but is tackled at thirty yards.  Man, this crowd is tough.

[And now a word from our sponsor.  The first quarter was bought to you by Bozak.]

Tambor’s season ticket holders arrive.  Some dance.  Others stand on the sidelines. Some sway from side to side.  Others converse.

On field, team Tambor appears disjointed.  The players opt to wear various primary hue Tambor tees instead of sporting their unified manly blue Tambor jerseys.  Talk about confusing.

Pre-midnight, DJ BE leaves the game and is replaced by…

Jose Marquez Guest Headliner Halfback

Jose Marques arrives in the stadium with playbook in hand (CD holders) and is pumped to score touchdowns.  The halfback’s adrenaline pulsates at full-throttle.  A bead of sweat sacks his forehead.  He is all testosterone.  The runner segues into a boisterous consumption of deepness.  Followed by, African drums bum rushing from the sound system and onto the playing field to work a snap.  The drums transform the game.  Jose runs a punt.  The music goes deeper and deeper into the trenches of the field.

Yes! Team Tambor hosts the debut performance of southern California’s, Jose Marquez.  The rookie sensation is no stranger to athletic competitions, having three solid years of playing experience, he has performed around the globe at notable events as Djoon (Paris) and Miami (WMC).  The headliner sports a black Kazukuta Recordings tee and blue denim that stands out amongst his teammates.  All eyes and ears are tuned to the player, determining his next move.  What will he play?  Where shall he take the music?  Will he score?

First Down.  Second and ten.  Jose gives eye formation.  He runs the music to the seventeen yard line.  The music fumbles.  Jose continues to play hard.  Afro house treads into progressive deep house.  It’s another fumble.  Fumble after fumble fails to win over the crowd.  But Jose uses no time-outs.  The crowd responds defensively. It’s the first-and-ten.  The music goes out of bounds. It falls on deaf ears.  Feet stop dancing.  The dancers cut the field.  Somehow they seem let down.  Conventional wisdom tells the sports minded when the fans disappear trouble is a strategizing.  The referee calls…

“INTERCEPTION.”  (The music turns over.)

DJ Stanzeff #1 Quarterback

Wait one minute.  Sounds like a bootleg, but it’s not.  It’s Elements of Life featuring Josh Milan’sChildren of The World!”  There is play action at 124 beats per minute in F minor.  Eye formation looks to the left and then right.  The QB, DJ Stanzeff, knows the game is in trouble.  So the team leader brings pressure up the middle.  There is tight coverage on every side.  It’s a twenty-nine yard punt.  Wait another minute!  What a hit!  DJ Stanzeff breaks free at the forty yard line.  Jersey number one is in the zone!!! “That guy just dropped a load of bass.”  Zone coverage is deep with beats.  This is a COMEBACK!  The game is saved.  Nice job on execution.

The dance floor sees the most action of the night thus far.  The dancers are back in the game.  They frolic at full force.

Team Tambor runs the play.  Yes, Tambor “goes for it.”  DJ Stanzeff steps up on the line of scrimmage and makes the play!  The dancers scream.  It’s a first down.  Twenty…Twenty-five…Thirty…Thirty-five…Forty!!!  The music sweeps up the south side.  First down-and-ten.  Play action.  Snap.  Spot.  It’s a throw.  DJ Stanzeff catches it!  TOUCHDOWN!!! Kem featuring Chrisette Michelle’s “If Its Love” (Frankie Estavez Fusion Club Thumpin Remix) nails the coffin shut!!! The referee confirms.  The dancers go mad displaying acrobatic stunts.  There are handstands in crop circles, speaker whores kicking a foot to the speaker, and bodies rolling around on the floor in sweeping motions.  This is the game’s money shot.

Stanzeff continues with another bootleg this time from Jill Scott.  There’s a yard to the twenty-one.  Could this be red zone play?  Stanzeff is given a thirty yard try.  Unfortunately, there is no score.  The quarterback continues the momentum moving into afro beat territory.  The beats per minute increase to 126 with The Muthafunkaz,Oh I (Miss You)” the Atjazz Love Soul Mix that runs out of steam at the thirty yard line.  The D major song couldn’t quite make it to the red zone.

[And now a word from our sponsor: Fusicology.]

It’s the fourth down.  What will Team Tambor do next?  They have two options.  Team lead Stanzeff makes a split decision.  Jose Marquez is back in the game on the line of scrimmage.   Jose comes back strong-perhaps with a bit of vengeance.  Jose kicks a field goal playing Floetry’s “I Want You” (Osunlade Remix).  For the first time, the crowd responds with vocal praise. 

Two downs later the music is turned back over to Stanzeff who resumes play mode with Japanese producer Namy’sFrom Now Onwith Josh Milan on vocals.  The crowd plays ballet and keeps two feet on the field.  Then there is the repeat play of Arnaud D featuring Heidi VogelGreen & Yellow.”  The vibe ebbs.  The remainder of the game is quiet, if uneventful.

What a tough game for team Tambor and guest.  Jose Marquez seemed unable to make the cut. The southern Californian failed to make one touchdown to win over the crowd.  Game stats reveal Jose received little playtime.  Perhaps, had the halfback secured additional play time, he might have won over tough critics.  Here is to hoping, next time, team Tambor fans will show up in droves, won’t railbird, but join in the festivities with unbridled fanaticism. 

Back in the rear corner of the arena, the air feels lonely.  In the funk of left-over hazy oxidations, a shadow is made out of the blue.  There stands the game’s would be hero texting.  Hopefully the message is of better news.        

Words and photography by AJ Dance

CELEBRATING MUJASI 29.09.12

September 30, 2012

CELEBRATING MUJASI

This Is A War Cry.

The warriors are prepared.  They have come ready to give out of sacrifice.  They come ready to give life-bearing fruit.  Too, the warriors are armed.  They are armed with their finances.  They are armed with their prayers.  They are armed with their God-given talents, skilled abilities and creative acumen.  They are armed with their dedication.  But most of all, they are armed with love.  They are equipped for battle.  But this battle is different.  This battle is not for the faint of heart, the ballerina types.  This battle is for the strong and courageous of heart, the dancers that drop beads of sweat that are gritty and free-style.

Sunset scorches the harvest sky a fiery salmon that streaks south before succumbing to the night’s outer darkness to the east.  A full moon hangs suspended in animated glory.  Its illumination provides a guiding light for the traveling troops.

The sleeping dust nesting beneath the warrior’s feet awakens and scurries into the nocturnal air at the incoming uproar.  The warrior’s feet march in sync into battle.  Their syncopated stomps are so harmonious it morphs into a life-giving heartbeat of drums thumping on rhythmic four counts.  The thumps grow louder and louder until a life-pulsating heartbeat sounds throughout the land. The healing heartbeat of restoration guides the warrior’s feet to dance.  When their feet dance, a seismic force of life-birthing tremors shakes the earth.  The dancers become a ramose of sporadic interpretations woven through the tapestry of mobile expressions.  Even rhythm-challenged white girls get down, dancing like injured robots in need of dance lessons, as experienced house dancers stomp holes into the ground, and gays J-set, drop to the ground-like it’s hot-and spring up again in a split second.  Every heart is in on the action.  Even the ministers of music deliver nothing short of sensational sermons; DJ 1derful of Sunday School lays down Reel People’s featuring Tony Momrelle, “Golden Lady”(Louie Vega Roots Mix), DJ Lynee Denise of Chitlin’ Circuit guides the dancers to an oasis of afro and deep house paradise, DJ Stanzeff of Tambor fame leads the parishioners to “The Bright Forest,”  Ramon Rawsoul, Founding Father of The Gathering, takes the people all around the world, DJ Salah Ananse of Sunday School has the dancers “Body Drummin’” as DJ Yusef of Free Ur Soul serves a heartfelt reminder that “Life Starts Today.”  Every heart dances as if to call down rain from the sky.  It’s a time of celebration.  It’s a time of life.  It’s a time of healing.  For this is Mujasi’s healing.

Who is this Mujasi that commands the hearts of the known and the unknown to give unconditionally through finances, prayer and dance?  Who is this Mujasi that causes six ministers of music, from various deep and soulful house music soirees around the city, to set aside their petty differences, uphold their common mantle, deep house music, and come together to support a benevolent cause?

 

It takes a community….It takes a village.

His name translates courageous warrior.  He is but only four years of age and yet a young man of many years.  Mujasi, the lad with a heart of steel and a heart of gold, was recently diagnosed with LCH-Unifocal (Langerhans cell histiocytosis, unifocal) a rare auto-immune disease that effects eight out of one million children.  The much-needed treatments for this rare disease are aggressive and expensive.  The treatments are so astronomically expensive that health care only covers a minute fraction of the costs.  Enter the city’s house music community and the city’s music community at large to assist with financial support and generous efforts.

Mujais’s prayer sings in the air, “There is no affliction in me.”  Although, not physically present on the battlefield his spirit dances with his mother’s heart that serves a faithful reminder when five years earlier, Mom danced with Son in womb at various house music functions across the city.

Mujasi’s mother, Theresa McGhee leads the warriors to battle.  Mother Theresa, the host of the Sunday evening gathering titled Sunday Dinner, fights for nothing less than the best.  Mother Theresa is not for show, but possesses a treasured heart of humility.  She diligently works hard “in the game” to support her son and to keep him happy.  She gives her all.  Her dance of triumph emanates from her heart.  She gracefully dances onto the battle field.  She adorns the battlegrounds.  Two dimples, worth a million dollars, dot about to and fro.  Her smile is awe-inspiring.  Although petite in frame, her spirit structures the battlefield’s strategic movements.  Every eye gazes stunned.  Her life-giving joy touches every soul she encounters.  A close stare in those bright as the moon, two-doe eyes aglow in hazel, reveals no hint of sorrow as her vibrant visage, besieged with two cheekbones that are perched as high as mountaintops, reveals no trace of doom or gloom.

She rallies the troops with a valiant heart-felt proclamation.  She is animated.  She is emotional.  She talks in cant, a sing-song pattern that practically eludes a poetess historic of spoken word.  She sways onstage and she bends over at the outpouring of generosity and support and most of all love from her brothers and sisters.  She tells of the many telephone calls that she has received, even from former-school peers that she no longer recalls.  She cries.  The troops cry.  She speaks of not only her son’s healing but the healing of the warriors through their giving.  The troops respond with valiant shouts of agreement that materialize in the warm air.

Back on the battlefield, the dancers know something.  Yes, they carry a secret.  Lend them your ear.  The secret whispers, “Already the battle is won.  Mother and Son have the victory.”  So, the warriors dance in victory.  Death will not show its face tonight, the next night or any other night thereafter.  Not even, a hint of death’s venom in slave- induced sickness will be felt.  Even the universe bares witness with a miraculous message of majestic proportions.

Look up in the night’s sky.  Yes, up in the air.  See, the harvest moon illuminated in its entire splendor.  There is something different about this moon.  The lunar creation shimmers with a blue magnetic ring that shivers around its spherical form.  The moon speaks.  It speaks truth.  Hear the words, “This is not the courageous warrior’s end but the courageous warrior’s beginning.  We celebrate you, Mujasi.”

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Healing Mujasi by Theresa McGee

Words & photography by AJ Dance/Except flyer