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.
bio
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.