AJ Dance Legacy

OPEN AIR AND INTIMATE

Part I 

Kai Alcé

Yeah, you are at the right place.  As the car door closes, you overhear faint thumps where you are parked adjacent a curb monitored by vagrants. Walk a block pass the open air parking structure as the ontz expands in the atmosphere.  Juxtaposed against the skyline of high rises, onward forward lies the destination.  A folding table and portable fence where your mobile ticket is scanned.  Grab a smiley face wristband.  Say hi to security.  Enter. Tents. Vendors. Lounge chaises. Restrooms?  Behold the center piece of the event.  That is not the surrounding professional lighting towers, nor the arena-sized sound gear but an aerodynamic aluminum mobile trailer titled Rock The Disco Soundsystem.  Coachella eat your fucking heart out.  (more…)

OPEN AIR AND INTIMATE

Part II 

LOUIE VEGA

“You, you, you….’ The F sharp and C minor notes dot the soundscape.  When the tappings of drums dissipates leaving only emptiness to expand.  A sound of sweeping ocean waves builds and builds to a climatic fall that washes away Upper Alabama Street. A refreshing rain of vibe and rhythm drenches the tops of heads. Possessed by unspoken rhythms. All bodies dance. Bent over. Feet stomping the ground. Hands swaying on the brick.  The Thakzin and Sun-El Musician produced Afro-banger with sutlry vocals by Thandazo’s “I.C.U” provides the most cinematic scene of dance thus far.  (more…)

KING LOUIE

Be prepared to lose your $hit. 

1700

The atmosphere transforms.  A new presence is felt.  A new spirit arrives. Although he nor his fedora are visible from the rear of the dance floor adjacent the bar.  No longer Little Louie, Vega gives life when playing the Dance Ritual chart-topper from the early aughts.  “Brand New Day” never sounded more engaging.  As a tidal wave of optimism floods over the gathered faces of brown, tan, and peach.  Appreciating.  The King’s preaching an uplifting sermon; Raul Midón’s “Sunshine (I Can Fly)” (Sacred Rhythm Mix),  Elements of Life’s featuring Anané’s “You Came Into My Life” (Louie Vega NYC Mix), Lil Louis’ “Fable” (Director’s Cut Classic Club Mix) with those uplifting piano riffs that floors everyone including the woman with tatted sleeves waving her limbs uncontrollably at the classic, Barbara Tucker’s “I Get Lifted”-all songs Texans need to hear.   (more…)

PARTY I

THE TOURISTS

0100

“LOUIE VEGA COME ON!” Yells an overzealous Vega fan holding a vinyl record.
“LOUIE. I WANNA HEAR SOME OF THAT HAL-LE-LUJIAH!” He sings.
“LOUIE PLAY THAT BLACK MUSIC.” He continues. “Then watch all these kids leave the room.” (more…)

Party II

THE PURISTS
0235

“COMING THROUGH. DJ COMING THROUGH.” Security courteously yelled. There is no shock that LV has an entourage of eight that trekked through the thick mass of privilege minutes earlier. After all, Louie is the host with the most. His charm oozing through the soundtrack he curates. His ability to make any cast of characters feel inclusive. The music he plays is diverse. Journey through disco, house, gospel, classic house, deep, dark, Afro/Latin, to ancestral. All the while, his playlists embody warmth. Never cold or distant. Calculated on the fly. Ethereal in essence. Spiritual to the core. (more…)

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.”

(more…)