DJ Stylus – The Vibe Conductor

We’ve devised a night of fun for all the single folks to enjoy, especially the ones that cringe at Valentine’s Day. If you’ve got someone already, you’re just as welcome. Bring your single friends along with you and throw them in the singles pool. We’ll provide the space, music, desserts and the vibe. The rest is up to you.

-Complimentary Desserts
-Drink specials
-Get to Know You Scavenger Hunt (win deeper drink discounts that night or come back to Tabaq for brunch and get a discount)

Featuring:

Basement: “90 Below”: DJ Stylus makes it sexy with a “slow drag” set featuring music that’s no faster than 90bpms (beats per minute). DJ Phaze will guest with a special lover’s rock reggae set.

Art Room: “Suite Spot”: DJ Jahsonic makes it funky for the people who prefer a faster pace. Funk, disco, house, soul and everything else that gets the party going, with DJ Phaze sitting in.

RSVPs will be required for entry. No Cover.

Saturday, February 13
10pm
Tabaq Bistro
1336 U Street, NW WDC

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Black President’s Day 2009, Sat. 10/17

Gigs October 15th, 2009

Once again celebrating Fela Anikulapo Kuti, this time with special emphasis on the First Ladies of Afrobeat. Dedicated, loyal and innovative, these women often relegated to the sidelines, were at the center of Fela’s movement, sound and presentation.

Complimentary buffet (while it lasts):
Jollof rice, Plantain & Chicken

FREE HEINEKEN (while supplies last)

Live Music:
Union Street Band w/special guests Tosin Aribisala and Tokunbo Aderele

DJ Sets in Two Rooms!

THE CHAMBER
DJ Shoboy
DJ Don-X
i:Wah The Beat Priest

THE SHRINE
DJ Jahsonic (Soul Controllers)
DJ Stylus – The Vibe Conductor (Soul Controllers)
DJ Sabine (Oyasound/Brooklyn Mecca/Rhythm&Roots)
w/Jabari Exum on Djembe

Live Art by Aniekan Udofia

411 New York Ave NE (3rd floor)
Washington, DC 20002
entrance is from parking lot at crossing of Penn & 4th. (map)

Saturday, October 17
9pm – ?
$15 advance / $20 door
RSVP at beyou@lilsoso.com and reserve the advanced sale price ($15). RSVPs will be honored until 11PM.

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WMC 2009

News April 11th, 2009

For everyone who didn’t follow my Twitter feed or check out Fusicology’s breakdown, here’s a much delayed final word on that one thing that happens after SXSW.

This was definitely the recession WMC, but the actual effect was less severe than I anticipated. Attendance was lower all around but the folks that did come were there to hustle hard and have fun. Lots of connections were made and parties got smashed off properly. It was kind of bugged out to see places like The Marlin and Specs Music shuttered that were the sites of landmark memories of WMC’s past (Jump-N-Funk and the debut performance of Elements of Life respectively) but SoBe isn’t immune to the downturn.

This was also the year where I actually had a couple of high(er) profile gigs. I’m still trying to graduate out of 12th grade but the Vibe Conductor brand isn’t yet a household name. The grind continues.

The first jam I played was one for the record books. Daz-I-Kue’s 3rd annual James Brown tribute had a power packed lineup of everybody who is somebody and many of whom made me want to be the somebody I’m still trying to be. Jahsonic and I knocked out a quick and energetic set of fast rap with all James Brown samples. Then everyone else continued to merk it, building up the energy level until Spinna, DJ Cash Money, 3D and Scratch executed a four-man weave on the decks. Jeremy Ellis had already stunned the crowd with his unbelievable James Brown routine and came back out to spark a little freestyle cipher. I happened to grab some footage.

The other gig I had was with an old friend who recently got nominated for a Grammy, but met up with some hard times on her way out of Texas. We worked it out though. Keep pushing, Wayna!

After sets from young B-more club sensation Rye Rye, Canadian chanteuse Anjulie and future funk diva Joy Jones I finally got a live dose of the much talked about K’Naan. I’m definitely glad I stuck around until the end.

So outside of handling that bidness, it’s always good to hear my favorite jocks kill it, and hear cats for the first time that I’ve only heard of before. In that first group, there was the beat down that Benji B delivered at the Delano. Starting out with progressive hip-hop and nu soul bits, Benji worked it up through some latin funk into house into a roaring 2-step garage finish. Ian Friday levitated the situation at the Brooklyn Mecca/Libation jam with deep spiritual afro-house goodness. Karizma assaulted the Objektivity party with big-room bombs. There was literally no space to move in there, much less breathe.

In the group of folks I got to hear for the first time, Sabine impressed with her trance inducing, deeply black and raw set preceding Ian Friday. Young Miami local Mr. Brown is one of those crate digging cats who have actually combined their obsession with rare records with the ability to rock the spot. Every time I saw him he was playing out of massive soft-sided bag full of originals that have never passed through my hands. ‘Nuff respect to him and partners DJ Wasabi and DJ Le Spam for the fly balcony afro roots session they set off. Mad Mats has a huge rep and I’ve long been an admirer of what him and his crew have done with Raw Fusion. His turntable game is no joke. Quick, nimble and funky cuts combined with a buoyant, soulful selection is how he gets down. “Mad” mental notes taken of course.

Speaking of Raw Fusion, it was bananas like it is every year. And truthfully, the slightly lower turnout made it better, because there was actually room to dance. Big ups to OP!, Karl Injex, Phil Asher, Rich Medina, Freddie Cruger (Red Astaire), Simbad and of course Daz-I-Kue. If you can’t get across the water to Sweden, it’s definitely worth visiting the offshoot in NYC.

The main takeaway point from this week of sun, dancing and furious hustling is that we’re all fortunate to be sharing this time as peers, artists and fans invested in the music we love. This blog could run multiple pages if I bigged everyone up but I’m more motivated than ever to build the connections to you all this year.

Records to watch out for:

- Cecilia Stalin – Afro Blue
- Nathan Adams & Zepherin Saint – Circles
- Joy Jones – Supanova
- Salah Ananse feat. Zynzelay – Wonder
- Flood of hot joints pumping out of Exchange Bureau Music right now

Record that I desperately need a track ID for:

- Whatever it is that uses the Future Rage drums with those mental reversed synth stabs over the top. I think Simbad dropped it at Jazzanova vs. Bugz, and I heard it a few other places too. I NEED THIS SONG.

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Washington City Paper endorses The Main Ingredient

News March 30th, 2009

A.K.A. The Second-Best Way to Spend a Responsible Monday Night

We’re back from WMC and ready to rock. Did you miss us?

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New Year’s Eve 2008: The Lost Tapes

Mixes February 14th, 2009

Finally liberated an important SD card from Jamil’s clutches. Now we can reminisce on the first minutes of 2009.

Part 1

The warm-up.

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Part 2

The clock striking midnight with maximum room capacity then busting the lightweights upside the head for about an hour.

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Part 3

Going deep and hitting a few peaks.

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Part 4

A little more head crack and then dénouement.

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Chocolate City Cultural Alliance Inaugural Celebration, Fri. 1/16

Gigs January 12th, 2009

The Chocolate City Cultural Alliance (CCCA) is proud to present a soulcialist inauguration event. Come and celebrate the 44th president and his Platform for the Arts.

Featuring Music By:

DJs JahSonic and Stylus (The Soul Controllers WPFW 89.3 FM)

Daz-I-Kue (Bugz In the Attic, UK)

Live PAs from:

Ne’a Posey
Taylor McFerrin
Head-Roc, “The Mayor of DC Hip-Hop”
Bassey Ikpi

Art Installation By:

Aniekan Udofia

First drink and light breakfast buffet included!

$25 presale tickets:
http://cccainaugural.eventbrite.com/

Friday, January 16, 2009
10:00pm
903 U St. NW
Washington, DC

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