Why vinyl and not digital? Are you some sort of purist?

Not a purist at all. In fact, I’d describe myself as a Spotify power user (I have about 1200 playlists).

I started collecting vinyl as an 8-year-old kid. I’d listen to Casey Kasem’s Top 40 on Sunday mornings, write down every song from 40 down to 1, then ride my bike over to Tower Records to buy the 45s of the songs I liked the best. Genre didn’t matter (it still doesn’t).

My tastes have evolved (and I’d love to know what I did with most of those 45’s), but my appreciation for the physical aspect that is vinyl has remained all these years later. And, yes, it does sound better.

Also, as a vinyl DJ, I have to curate my selections more carefully—I can’t afford to buy every track that I’d love so spin live.

Which leads to the next question. . .

Do you take requests?

Not really. You see, I only have so many records. And I can only bring so many records to a space to spin. So I only have access to what I have on me at the moment.

I always talk to you about what kind of vibe you’re going for and make my selections accordingly. But as far as individual requests for songs, artists, genre (before or at an event), it doesn’t really happen.

I have the utmost trust that you will like what you hear—and you’ll be turned on to new stuff you never even knew existed.

Like, what kind of music do you play?

Oh, geez, try to restrain yourself, Tony.

Where to begin? Let’s start with this: if you’re looking for “stuff you know” or “bands everybody’s heard of” or “that one song from. . .” I’m most likely not your guy.

You know when you were in middle school and it was cool to be into bands/genres that other people weren’t? Well, that’s kind of how it is all these years later, except I’m not a jerk about it, and I now have decades of listening and exploring and discovering to support my taste and aesthetic.

I’m just not drawn to pop music. If it’s on the radio (or was on the radio), I’m probably not gonna gravitate toward it. It’s not a hard rule, but I’m more interested in what’s new (to me) and different (to me), and devouring it until it’s no longer new (to me) and presenting it to you to discover and enjoy and appreciate. “That track you just played was fire; what was it?” is possibly my favorite statement/question in the world.

I love the idea that on a Monday I can never have heard of an artist/track/genre, and by end of day Tuesday it’s my new favorite artist/track/genre. I don’t need to be familiar with it to dig it; the newness is what I dig. If the music is good and fresh (even if it’s old) and new (even if it’s old), then I’m interested. If the music is trite, pop-y, cliché, been-there-done-that, than I’ll pass.

If it grooves, if it’s got a beat, if it makes you nod your head, if it makes you pause your conversation, if it makes you want to stop what you’re doing and just embody the energy of the track, then I’ll be spinning it.

Okay, thanks for the backstory, but I still don’t know what you play. (Sigh.)

Reggae and dub, hip hop, instrumental hip hop, jazz hop, downtempo, deep house, disco house, global fusion, cumbia, Malian blues, Afrobeat, high life, benga, soukous, Ethiopian jazz, hard bop jazz. . .but don’t fence me in!

That’s nowhere close to a comprehensive list, but you get the idea.

Do we have to supply the decks and the sound system?

If you have the equipment, that’s awesome—it makes my job easier. But if not, as long as you’ve got a power source, I’ve got everything I need.

How far will you travel?

I live in Oakland and can get pretty much anywhere in the wider Bay Area with my decks and speakers. Beyond that, I’m totally willing to travel to you wherever you are—as long as you pay the travel expenses. I’d hate to limit my services to the Bay Area only. Live somewhere else? Let’s talk.

What are your fees?

There are a lot of variables involved—type of event, what service you want from me, set length, etc.—but I’ve been around long enough in the DJ and live music scene to know that my fees are very reasonable. Have a limited budget? Let’s get creative and make it happen.

Tell me more about this “Let’s wax community” thing.

To me, music is all about community. Community can be more intentionally cultivated with thoughtful facilitation that creates an inclusive environment where everyone feels heard, seen, and valued.

Music and facilitation are my two biggest jams. Why not combine them?

Whatever community building goals you have (team building, workplace culture, morale boosting, onboarding, personal development—the possibilities are only limited by our imagination), having music as a backdrop will help you achieve them more easily.

So, whether you want me to just to spin vinyl while you facilitate, co-design and/or co-facilitate the experience with you, or take the whole thing on my own, I got you covered.

My taste is limited; can you turn me on to good music?

Absolutely. I’m all about spreading the musical love. Approach me (I’m very approachable) after an event and I’m always happy to share what I’ve played, what inspires me, and what artists/genres/records I think you should check out.

I also post all my set lists on my website to share the love far and wide beyond the people who were lucky enough to hear them live. And, in addition to spinning vinyl live, I can turn you on to good music by curating customized playlists for you. . .

Tell me more about this customized playlist idea.

You might not be in a position to bring me in to spin live. Or maybe you attended an event and liked what you heard. Either way, you want to have consistent access to the good shit.

Maybe you’re hosting a dinner party, or maybe you own a cafe, or maybe you’re going on a long roadtrip, or maybe you want better music to listen to while you work.

Whatever your situation is, let me know the general vibe of what you’re looking for (e.g., upbeat, downtempo, jazzy, hip hop, African, etc.) and I’ll hook you up with a customized playlist of any length. Learn more here.