Open Format DJ - North Fork, Shelter Island, Hamptons, Greater New York
Open Format DJ - North Fork, Shelter Island, Hamptons, Greater New York
Know Your DJ
bio
Hi, I’m Henry.
If you're from the North Fork of Long Island or spend at least part of your time in its general vicinity, we may have crossed paths already - at a bar, a restaurant, a backyard party, or a special event.
If we haven't yet, nice to meet you. I have been DJing all of the above and more around the area consistently since 2016 in numerous venues and special events in the area.
I began my journey into DJing many years before this current journey, when I spent hours a day learning the art of hip hop scratch DJing and turntablist skills.
Music keeps me going and both up at night and also moving throughout the day! Drop me a message or a line if you'd like to set something up for a venue, a party, event, or anything else!
“IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON”
-William Shakespeare
While musical aesthetics have certainly changed over the 400+ years since those words were written, the proposition surely has not.
Play on, indeed. From Jazz, Funk, and Soul to Hip Hop and R&B, Disco to the newest Dance Pop, those rare remixes to niche Indie Dance tracks, I take great care and pride in preparing and organizing my library for a continuous mix that can end up in any direction.
DJing, at its core, is a combination of good preparation and timely execution. You’ll always find me actively mixing - constantly evaluating the best possible choice for the room at any given moment.
I also take great pride in having honed my turntablist and scratching skills over the years.
Whether you see me at an event setting the mood for the dance floor or on Instagram showcasing scratch techniques, I always try to bring a complete package to the table.
The opportunity to DJ professionally is both an honor and a privilege and one I am thankful for every day.
Music inspires, calms, energizes, induces flow states, and creates movement.
It’s my raison d’être.
It’s the passion project.
A Passion project in the making
My Story, My approach
Music has been a constant throughout my life, having grown up playing classical piano, playing in high school band, jazz band, and working on independent electronic music production. It was DJing, of course, that captured my imagination.
When I first began my journey into DJing, I was enamored with the wizardry of hip-hop DJs of the 90s and 2000s. Turntablism, as it came to be known, was in full force and the scratching and beat manipulation performed by the masters of the craft was a spectacle to behold and their song and sample selections that made it all possible seemed to be hand picked from a mystical realm.
This subculture of DJing left an imprint on me and continues to form the foundation of how I approach and continue to develop the craft both in concrete, hands on and philosophical ways.
Having grown up on a steady diet of hip-hop, I eventually learned that my favorite songs were in fact sampled from many of the greats of the 70s and 80s. While I knew this as a factual statement for a long time, it is only through years of actual crate digging, digital discovery, and experimentation mixing all these on turntables, that the connections between songs became evident, real, and concrete. This is the basis of where my approach to DJing begins.
Today, not only do I look at the current zeitgeist and how songs relate to each other in the moment, but also to the past, and into the future. The spirit of early and classic hip-hop was to literally take influence from anywhere and splice and meld it into something fun, fresh, and unique. I like to think of my DJ sets in the same way. Regardless of what labelled genres I am playing or the event I am at, I am always looking for the best paths through our shared musical timelines to move from one song and one set to the next.
Through the course of any given night, I am observing, pivoting, pulling back, or ramping up the energy depending on the the pacing of the night, the vibe of the room, and the chemistry with the crowd. Matching and adapting, but also leading and pushing the room into needed directions.
Understanding musical form and structure, history, and the culture behind our favorite songs allows this push and pull dynamic between the DJ and dance floor to become a smooth conversation rather than a game of tug of war. And while In some cases, my goal is to get you from Point A to Point Z without noticing the entire alphabet in between, in others it’s specifically to highlight the differences between them, depending on the situation. It’s about reading the room, but also surpising and delighting with unlikely, but compatible choices.
Sprinkling in a nice dose of the turntablism that first captivated me back into the mix, fun mashups, selections, and mix ideas, I feel lucky to be able to build great sets that both my clients and I are happy to dance and listen to.
Venues:
First and South
The Chequit
Isola Shelter Island
PORT/SALT
Green Hill Kitchen
Montauk Distilling Co
Bridge Lane Wine
Macari Vineyards / Meadowlark
RGNY
Eastern Front Brewing
Greenport Harbor Brewing
North Fork Brewing Company
The Soundview/Halyard
Lucharitos
South Shore Dive
Taps and Corks
Peconic Community School
Shelter Island School District
The Rams Head Inn
The Pridwin Shelter Island
The Church Sag Harbor
Bay Street Theatre Sag Harbor
Village Bistro East Hampton
Sagaponack Farm Distillery
Grace and Grit
Love Lane Kitchen
Barrow Food House
Greenport Skate Park
Special Events:
Prohibition Party at First and South
CAST/North Fork Comedy
CAST/Soundview Beach Ball
Peconic Community School SHARE Fundraiser
Slow Food East End Event
Greenport Skate Park Fashion/Art Show
Old Cove Yacht Club - Family Dance
Orient Yacht Club Anniversary
VENUE/EVENT resume
Summer 2024 Events schedule
JUNE
6/1 - PRIVATE EVENT - SHELTER ISLAND PROM
6/7 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
6/8 - PRIVATE EVENT - LGBT Network Fundraiser - North Fork, LI, NY
6/14 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
6/15 - PRIVATE EVENT - Pridwin
6/18 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
6/20 - First and South - Tropical Delights - North Fork Pride Kickoff/Summer Solstice/Tiki/Burlesque - 7-11pm
6/21 - Greenport Skate Park - National Go Skate Day - 5pm-7:30pm
6/21 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
6/22 - First and South - Pride Parade After Party 2-6pm (Saturday)
6/24 - Montauk Distilling w/ The Treatery After Dark - “Pretty Girls Love Techno” - 5-8pm
JULY
7/2 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
7/4 - Green Hill Kitchen - 4th of July Party - 7-11pm
7/5 - Macari Meadowlark - “4th on the 5th” - Garden/Pizza Party - 5-8pm
7/5 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
7/6 - PRIVATE EVENT - 6th of July BBQ - North Fork, LI, NY
7/9 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
7/12 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
7/13 - Bridge Lane Tasting Room - “Lounge Vibes” 2-5pm (Saturday)
7/14 - Bay Street Theatre - Sag Harbor - Tea Dance 4:30-6:30pm (Sunday)
7/16 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
7/18 - Brick Cove Marina - “Boats and Brine” - 4-8pm (Thursday)
7/19 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
7/20 - PRIVATE EVENT - Southold, NY
7/23 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island- 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
7/25 - PRIVATE EVENT - Restaurant Staff Party
7/26 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
7/27 - PA/Sound System Setup at ECSTATIC DANCE - Southold, NY - 7-10pm
7/28 - First and South - Tea Dance - 3-6pm (Sunday)
7/30 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays
AUGUST
8/2 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
8/3 - PRIVATE EVENT - Yacht Club
8/6 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
8/9 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
8/10 - Bridge Lane Tasting Room - “Lounge Vibes” 2-5pm (Saturday)
8/13 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
8/16 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
8/20 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
8/23 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
8/25 - First and South - Tea Dance - 3-6pm (Sunday)
8/27 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
8/30 - PRIVATE EVENT - Southold, NY
SEPTEMBER
9/3 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
9/6 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
9/7 - PRIVATE EVENT - Wedding After Party
9/10 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
9/13 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
9/17 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
9/20 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
9/24 - The Chequit - Industry Night - Shelter Island - 9pm-midnight (Tuesdays)
9/27 - Isola Shelter Island - Two Turntables/Two Microphones - Karaoke/DJ Night - 10pm-1am (Fridays)
9/28 — PRIVATE EVENT - Fundraiser
SERVICES / EVENT TYPES
BAR/LOUNGE
The backbone of my DJ work
Where you learn to read a room, hone your mixing craft, and stay in tune with industry trends.
Regular bar/lounge gigs keeps you on your toes and also provide irreplaceable experience for any kind of private event.
WEDDING/WEDDING AFTER PARTY
The pinnacle of special events - weddings require the utmost care, planning, and attention to detail. They also require a stylistic vision that the DJ must be able to curate and execute confidently. I work closely and directly with my clients to make sure your special day turns out just the way you envision it.
Don’t want the party to stop on your big day? Looking up to really let loose after the big event? I’m always at the ready to DJ a wedding after party to keep the fun going into the night
SPECIAL EVENTS
Whether your special event is an elaborate backyard party, a fundraiser, birthday, a street fair, or a one-off holiday/seasonal party. I am ready to fill the airwaves with the right music and a sound system that's both loud, clear, and reliable enough to meet your needs
KARAOKE - TWO TURNTABLES/TWO MICROPHONES
A play off the iconic hip-hop reference, "two turntables and a microphone"- the originators of hip hop culture used the phrase - naming the only tools needed to rock a party all night
Two Turntables, Two Microphones is a brainchild of my love for DJing and meeting the demand for Karaoke nights.
The turntables lay down the intro for the night, allow me to mix in and out of spaces in the karaoke queue, and lets guests wrap up their night in their dancing shoes post sing session. The two microphones exists, of course, for the proper duet or simple moral support from your friends also singing along.
I bring out all the stops - I connect my DJ equipment, two professional Shure mics, and an always up to date Karaoke application on a 2nd computer to another audio mixer, as well as an HDMI signal splitter so that both the singer can see the lyrics on their personal screen, while the audience can sing along with the larger house TV setup behind the performer.
DJ sets before, between, and after singing keeps the party going like no other Karaoke night.
Press/Features
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