AJ Dance Legacy

Lend me your ear. To be told of what makes legends. Organic rhythm meets ancestral royalty. Playing for the divinities.

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The House of Kerri Chandler

7 hour set

“BAR-A-THYM”

Handclap,

Bop, bop

Bop, bop,

Bop, bop,

Handclap,

Thump.

Then a lo-fi hum swaggers over shuffling four-counts of claps. Dancers breakout the farmer and the chase. When the DJ drops “Useless,” he means business.

Playtime is over when “Coro” plays. The Kaoz 6:23 Dark Mix delivers a beat down. Feet respond with crisscross steps and jazz shuffles.

From there the playlist meanders into hard garage with amped thumps and techie twisted elegance. AKA, bro music. Those wearing sunglasses, khakis and loafers steadily stream in and out of glass doors.

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Thommy “Turn It Out” Davis

1600

His shirtless majesty showcasing chiseled pectorals is in beast mode. Playing heavy four-count thumps that erupts from giant black cabinets. And dancing in front of those speakers will cause hearing loss for days to come. “You’ve waited all week to dance,” proclaims a diva loudly rapping over a beat that slaps. Standing on the pavilion’s ledge is one man who leans into the ear of another and speaks, “More like [we waited] a year.”

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All Hail, the King.

1650

Interlude

The music comes to a silence. There is an interlude of talking into a microphone from the founder of Indigenous House and the master of ceremonies. Yasss chyle! Most people are aware that Indigenous House is LGBTQIA affiliated, sadly most people are unaware the event is not called house music in the park.  More words are spoken about acceptance and monetary donations. But more entertaining is reading the statement tees over here and over there, the best reads: “The dance floor is my happy place.”

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BLACK COFFEE

“What’s Happening to Orlando?”

2335

Already a random guy wearing black shades, his armed pinned behind lower back is being escorted by security from the premises. That’s sad. Cause the Enoo Napa Remix of Matto Cole’s “Nabay” that is playing is fire!  WTTW, if you decide to be kicked out of a club, choose to leave on one of the plethora of horrible tracks played. Otherwise, welcome to the Celine.

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Carl Craig

The Realest Muthafucka Alive

0030

“Tonight, there are no chairs.

No tables.

This is not that night.

Tonight, is for the dancers.

Hmmm. What’s the music [called]?”

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The GREEN VELVET Show

2330

Located in Amour Yards across from a commercial brewery, there stands an insipid warehouse. A long winding ramp leads to the front door where bodies are patted head-to-toe, ID’s are checked, before smartphones are scanned for admittance. Entering the nearly 12,000 square-foot premises and finding an all black male security staff proves Black Employment Matters. A walk into the oval shaped interior of copper columns and wood grain floors with highlights of turquoise, emerald and amber promises this experience might be money well spent. (more…)

The Gathering’s 15 Year Anniversary Celebration

The “D”

2400

The highs sound before the bass kicks. Spaced out whumps wobble from the soundscape. Jazzy synth chords play before being hushed. The heart beat of the pulse-the drums-pound at 124 beats per minute. The track plays like a walk through a park on a breezy day. “Play dat shit! Kai.” The accolades continue. “Work it. Work it. Work it.” (more…)

John Ciafone

2240

Over looking the sparkling lights sweeping upward Juarez Mountain, Mexico from the Durango Street overpass vicinal the ballpark stadium, the ear catches pulsating thumps from the distance. In Las Plazaz, the Union Plaza district of downtown, sneakers trek along the community painted mural sidewalk. Ah, within sight, sits the destination, a brick and mortar painted with neon pink letters that reads, Club Here I Love You <3. (more…)

ADULT SKATE-MLK EDITION

Starring: KAI ALCE, RON PULLMAN & CULLEN COLE

19.01

No roller skates are rented.

No roller skates are permitted.

No in-line skates are rented.

No roller blades are permitted.

Adult Skate is not a roller rink.

Adult Skate is an annual event where various tribes gather to dance to the hottest disco and house music south of the Mason-Dixon in the wee morning hours of the Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Holiday at MJQ Concourse on perhaps the coldest night of the year thus far. Listed is the top 14 defining moments & music played at Adult Skate-MLK Edition.    

14.  Warming up to the First Lady of Paradise Garage. The late Gwen Guthrie’s “It Should Have Been You” meanders into talking guitars and finger snaps provided by The Steve Silk Hurley Mix of

13.  Yolanda Adam’s prayerful anthem that has arms elevated and voices belting “Open My Heart.”

12.  Next, riding the disco thumper via heart-pounding four counts courtesy, DJ Kemit presents The Lounge Lizards featuring Jill Rock Jones’ “Wake Up & Stand Up” (Kai Alcé KZR Dubstrumental) as the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Junior proclaims “Let Freedom Ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia” from his beloved “I Have A Dream” speech that scorches dancing feet and heats up the party.

11.  Is that Cinthie’s “Everything I Say?”

10.  Hearing the galactic sounds of Sandman & Riverside featuring Jeremy Ellis’ “Into Your Story.” The Kai Alcé Distinctive Remix, enough said.

09.  Boom!!! Detroit Techno steps into the room. Kevin Saunderson presents Inner City’s “Good Life,” causes ears to bleed, not from the content, but the volume that is pitched to screeching decibels. 

08.  Experiencing the jazz ambience of Gregory Porter’s “On My Way To Harlem” (Kai Alcé Interpretation Radio Edit) that closes Kai’s musical selection. 

07.  Watch out! Onstage, don’t get stabbed by the spikes of stilettos from the woman wearing big hair. 

06.  Sharing hearty hugs with familiar faces from yesteryear; the King, the 2-stepper, and the Tambourine Man.   

05.  Ron Pullman taking the decks and surprises playing Tamia’s “Still” (D.F.A Mix). 

04.  Smiling as Mrs. Nightingale with eyes closed mouths every lyric to Shaun Escoffery’s “Space Rider” (Spinna & Ticklah Mix). 

03.  Behold, standing, surrounded in a zombie apocalypse of mouths lipping, “If I lose my woman.” The sight is uncanny. Even Mr. Kai Alcé is entranced, 2 stepping, spinning around and singing on cue to the classic Kenny Lattimore (Masters At Work Remix). 

02.  Experiencing the peak hour rush of being raptured by Peven Everett’s “Burning Hot.” The Timmy Regisford & Adam Rios Mix ignites the room in flames. Sending dancers to the floor and bodies capsizing midair. 

01.  The AS-MLK Edition’s brainchild Cullen Cole getting on the decks and delivering spaced-out sounds.

wrds: aj dance

grphcs: aj art