Djnyc Funk n' Soul, nyc dj

FC/Kahuna - Hayling

Let's start with the weekend with some sultry ambient electro with FC Kahuna - Hayling.

Orgone - Killion Floor

I've posted Orgone's I Get Lifted of the George McCrae classic and now we have a cover version of Beginning of the End's Funky Nassau.  I'm not sure which Orgone version I like better the Killion Floor original mix or the remix by Danny Krivit.  I think overall I like the voice on the original by Beginning of the End but the recording/ production is much better on Orgone's especially the bass and drums.  Orgone's version definitely makes the cut, and I will spin it over the original at some point.

DJ Toni Rios - From Brazil to Berlin Compilation

This is a good compilation, I like the first five tracks and one of my favorites is Rosalia de Souza's Mais which is the first track on it. Towards the middle and end of the compilation it gets a little too electronic/ abstract for my taste, although I do love the Field's album in addition to Booka Shade which many have told me is too repetitive for them. 

Ypey - great ambient/ background electro

Ypey is on a few Ibizia/ Buddha Bar compilations, remind me a little of earlier LTJ Bukem with a a jazzy, ambient feel. They play them occasionally on the KCRW Nocturna show as well. My favorite track so far which kind if fits the day today in Manhattan is Peaceful Day.

Skye - Feel Good Inc.

It's a rainy Monday in New York City and I can't help thinking how when I was younger this rain would've been many inches of snow. This is a music blog so I'll keep it that way, this a track I've heard here and there and can't decide which version I like better- the acoustic one certainly fits the mood.  Feel Good Inc is originally a Gorillaz song although a lot of their stuff feels coverish to me anyway, so this is a cover of that song. Nice design work on the cd cover as well.
Listen - Skye - Feel Good Inc.
Listen - Skye - Feel Good Inc. (acoustic)

If I Ever Feel Better

Been unable to leave apartment for 4 days with a ruthless holiday flu! So in addition to the acoustic tracks I've posted the most appropriate one for how I've been feeling is Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better.  Phoenix is a band from France that has a guitar laden electro feel, if you were into 80s synth pop and like Jamiroquai you'll probably like this tune. 

There are some great acoustic tracks here

Found some nice cover tracks on this blog.  Saw Into The Wild last week, a beautiful soundtrack by Eddie Vedder, standout tracks are "Rise" and "Society", which I think is the best one. 

Trinidadian Calypso in London 1950-1956

Always on the hunt to find great calypso music, the collection is excellent and a choice track is Lord Kitchener's London is The Place For Me

Bobb Deep - Queensbridge Meets Kingston

There are endless covers and remixes of Bob Marley tracks and it's rare that I find one worth spinning, the most recent was Fort Knox Five's remix of Duppy Conquerer. Bobb Deep's Queensbridge Meets Kingston album is good and I like the mixes of these tracks (not the lyrics though) and feel they have potential as remixes of remixes! Anyway, you can hear a sample of his Stir It Up remix and Could You Be Loved which is aptly titled Got It Twisted because the words are not really about love.

Cafe Del Mar - Best Of

We always joke that after djing an event the last thing you want to hear is music of any kind, either talk radio or silence. Especially if it's the type of night where you're mixing together all different kinds of music, there's really not much you want to hear afterwarrds.  When I'm going to work on the train I often listen to more mellow loungy electronica or background music like The Field's stellar last release which I'm a big fan of.  Cafe del Mar is quite nice too, especially The Best Of and my favorite track off all the compilations I've heard is by far is Jose Padilla's Adios Ayer, turn it up and lie in bed, it's a beautiful track.
 

Gotham Hall NYC

Our next event is at Gotham Hall which is an awesome space at Broadway and 36th. We'll be up in the balcony which you can see on the back wall. The 2007 holiday season is busier than usual this year, again people are planning earlier because the venues are being booked earlier.

Music recommendation - Booka Shade / DJ Kicks

If you've never heard of Booka Shade I highly recommend picking up their album Movements. DJ Kicks has remixed everyone from Thievery Corporation to Bjork and on this album DJ Kicks and Booka Shade produced some great tracks. My favorites are the remix of The Streets It's Too Late, Quarion - Karasu and Booka Shade's Numbers which you can play a sample of here.

A few more photos from Metropolitan Building

Metropolitan Building LIC Photos (cont'd)

Photos from Metrpolitan Building - Long Island City

We were at the Metropolitan Building in Long Island City last weekend. Some of the photos came out a little too dark, you can see Sean below with the Queensboro Bridge/ Manhattan backdrop from the building. They are in chronological order sort of, so the next posts will be a bit later in the evening.   Excellent space and they let everyone stay late. We were there until 3 am and ended spinning so many different kinds of music including some classic ska, hardcore and punk like Operation Ivy, Rancid and Minor Threat, which took me back to the high school days of  going to the Building in New York City to see those shows. After some stabbing at a Ministry concert they shut it down though.

Events being booked earlier for 2008

For some reason this year companies and people are booking us earlier for events in late 2008 than in previous fall seasons. I talked to a couple of event planners and photographers who are experiencing the same thing.  Last year the average booking would be between 5 and 9 months in advance, this year it's leaning towards 8-12 months in advance.  I looked around on the web and couldn't find any event planner type article to corrobate this however it does seem to be a trend.  I know that the best places like Bryant Park Grill and The New York Botanical Gardens are getting reserved earlier so perhaps all the vendors fall in line with that.  Personally I think there can be too much advance time to book someone and also too little.

  6-8 months is good however now if you want someone solid with experience you may have a tougher time finding them.  With that said our schedule is definitely filling up quickly for 2008 and since we only dj a limited number of events please call us today at (212) 717-5091 to check for availability. 

Looking for New York City Djs

Fan of KCRW, Garth Trinidad, Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay? We're currently looking for djs in New York who are interested in one of these two positions:

1) An MC/ assistant with basic mixing skills to help with events. We're looking for someone who is a great MC who has a refined, upbeat (yet not over the top) style and can help with carrying equipment (50lbs).

2) A dj with experience djing fashion shows, private parties and events who has their own equipment and can MC as well. We're interested in people who have a passion for music and have a unique style. If you like some of the music on our site and on the music selections page we'd love to hear from you. Please email us your website, experience, some music you are spinning these days, your rates and which position you're interested in. Please call us at (212) 717-5091.

Our next event is at the Metropolitan Building - Long Island City

The metropolitan building is a really cool space, unique in many ways. You feel like you are in New York City from 150 years ago when you go in, it'd be the perfect place for a film wrap party with all the funky antique furniture, gargoyles, buddhas and beautiful views of Manhattan.  Each floor is about 3000 square feet and parking is a cinch in the area. Basically get off at the 23rd St Ely on the E or V train, take a right on 44th dr and then take a right on 11th St, go to blocks and it's there on your right. I'm going to try to get a bunch of photos when we're there since I couldn't many online.

Photos from Ad Tech 2007 pre-party last weekend

Not really much to see here, it was more of a mixer/ cocktail hour than party. Figured I would post them anyway. The event was an opener for the Ad Tech 2007 convention in New York City which completes today. 

A few more photos from Scopello party

Photos from Scopello - Fort Greene

As promised and a little late I'm posting some photos from our event at Scopello last week.
We loved a lot of their choice music selections  and wound up having an excellent time especially for a Sunday evening at a restaurant.  The cleared the middles so people could dance and the staff was great. I'll post a few more tomorrow.

Orgone's cover of George McCrae's I Get Lifted

Orgone'sI Get Lifted is a great cover of the George McCrae classic. I was considering adding it into a soul set and heard it on loudspeakers by a dj last night in Tribeca and am sold. It's rare that a cover of a song like this is either better or a different enough take on it to make it worth playing over the original, but this one fits the bil.

Roots funk, soul, rock steady and trip hop at Hilton

We'll be at the Hilton this weekend in Manhattan spinning a set of raw Philly and Detroit soul, some Irma Thomas, Nicole Willis, Sharon Davis, Les McCann, Labi Siffre, Houston Outlaws, Thivery Corporation, Thunderball etc.  Should be an excellent time, will post photos from this and last week's event on Monday.

Parov Stelar - Wanna Get

Parov Stelar's Wanna Get is what's in the Ipod this morning. It's kind of in the St. Germain/ Nu Jazz vain, pretty good. Pulver Records is a great label for finding Trip Hop and Downtempo tracks.