Long a favorite around these parts and identified early as someone to watch, Nicholas Ryan Gant and his soaring tenor are popping up on many more intriguing bits of nu-soul, from these shores all the way to Japan. Catch him delivering an exclusive intimate set at Refuge backed by Slimkat 78.
Wednesday, May 5
Refuge featuring Nicholas Ryan Gant
Tabaq Bistro (basement)
1336 U St NW, WDC
9pm – until
21+, no cover
We’ve got some multimedia mastery in the crew. Check the footage from the March session and let your peoples know what they’ve been missing.
Then join us this Saturday for more Afro.Latin.Brazilian.House.Disco.Funk.
With DJs Stylus, Meistro and Deep Sang and Hermon on percussion.
ALL beers are $4 (including Leffe & Redstripe)
Saturday, May 1
10pm
Dahlak
1771 U St, NW (18th & U)
21 and Over
NO COVER (that means FREE)
Meistro, Stylus, and Deep Sang Live @ SOL POWER (3.2010) Part 1 by Meistro
Meistro, Deep Sang, and DJ Stylus SOL POWER (3.2010) Part 2 by Meistro
aka THE BIG ONE…
aka DJ Stylus and the Temple of BOOM
What is U Street Music Hall?
It has the most ridiculous sound system in the city. The kind where you’re submerged in the bass without feeling assaulted by it. It is the anti-club (no dress codes, table service, velvet ropes, not even photography). It’s all about DJs and dancers. It has a cork cushioned hardwood dancefloor. It’s owned and managed by DJs and while they do bring in the big names, they give locals prime bookings.
I’m pretty amped about this.
What are Red Fridays?
In 2005, Red closed after nine years of operation. This place was little more than a small basement with giant speakers crammed into it. Awesome things happened there. It was the gravitational center of the city for people who loved their house music deep, banging and transcendent. Sam “The Man” Burns tended his flock there, as well as a fraternity of cats I learned from like Doug “95 North” Smith and Oji. The folks behind U-Hall are programming each night of the week around a theme, and Fridays are the deep house night.
So if want to lose yourself in soulful house, latin house, deep house dubs, disco classics, boogie, broken beat and various hues of uncompromising blacktronica, please join me this Friday. It will mean a lot to play to folks who will really go THERE with me in the only space in the city designed for it.
DJ Stylus at Red Fridays
Friday, April 9
10pm
FREE before 11:30pm, $10 after
U Street Music Hall
1115A U Street NW, Washington DC
The Smithsonian Francophonie festival is turning the National Postal Museum into a dance party. I’ll be opening for Make The Girl Dance. They do an electro-house-rock thing. Obviously, they’re French. I wonder if they’re bringing the jawns from the video.
Don’t know what I’ll do yet. Probably a Sol Power type set mixed with deep big room stuff. Won’t really know until I get there. Should be interesting and there will be quite a contrast. Not my target audience but I like to branch out.
There is an open bar too. And they sold out 800 tickets last year before the doors even opened.
Discothèque
Stylus: 9 – 11pm
Make The Girl Dance: 11pm – 1am
Metro: Union Station
Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave NE
Tickets: $30 instantseats.com or residentassociates.org
Samba whistles, shekeres and cowbells welcome. Sweat to the rhythms of Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico & West Africa.
With DJs Stylus, Meistro, Deep Sang and Hermon on live percussion.
Snowpocalypse knocked us off track last month but the forecast for Saturday:
Abundant sunshine. Highs in the low 50s.
January the floor was filled all night grooving to afro beat, salsa, samba and more.
ALL beers are $4 (including Leffe & Redstripe)
Saturday, March 6
Dahlak
1771 U St, NW (18th & U)
21 and Over
NO COVER
You might find these bits interesting.
For the lovers…
I went digging in the crates and pulled out a classic soundtrack for seduction.
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For the skeptics…
We’ve put together an evening for those that generally consider Valentine’s Day a day of corniness, or even worse, a source of emotional distress. The happily coupled and the comfortably single are encouraged to attend, but we’ve got some special things in store for those looking for a little help in connecting with someone new.
Suite 202 Sessions: Valentine’s Jook Joint
For the heartbroken…
Because we’ve all been there, check out my Valentine’s playlist for dumpers and dumpees on The Root. Trouble don’t last always. Cry or shout it out as needed.
Love Songs for the Lovelorn: a DJ Stylus breakup playlist – TheRoot.com
It’s almost cursory to mention it at this point because everyone already knows but we’ll be playing the new Sade album in its entirety tomorrow, after a special video message from the golden lady herself. I hope you’re on the list because we’re near capacity. There will be libations, hors d’oeuvres and chances to win prizes. We won’t be in the basement this week so check for us on the main level.
So last week, Tami sang a few of her most popular songs to her five fans (not really) then Refuge turned into a juke joint. Here are a few cuts responsible for that.
Omar – “Feeling You” feat. Stevie Wonder
These two could really do a whole album together. Has Omar ever made a less than banging joint? That was a silly question.
Paulinho Da Costa – “Love Till The End Of Time”
The Grammys got me reminiscing on the Black Eyed Peas when they were still dope. And that got me reminiscing on one of my favorite jazz fusion joints ever by one of Brazil’s most esteemed exports.
Unlimited Touch – “I Hear Music In The Streets”
CHOOON!!
Nathan Adams & Zepherin Saint – “Holding On”
I’m glad that I can officially crown this a Refuge staple after giving “Circles” a well-deserved rest. Can these cats keep making anthems every time they drop a joint? Don’t want to put that much pressure on them but if they make a full album it could be a problem (in a good way). Zepherin Saint is on FB too. Go be his friend.
No Kleeer, just another evening pulling treats from the old box o’ choons to entertain my friends. Didn’t really dig into the new-new stuff last week, but at Refuge the records tell me what to play.
I push Ty the way that Jehovah’s Witnesses push salvation. If you dig progressive, soulful, smart hip-hop and you don’t have any Ty in rotation then I feel like it’s my duty to help you see the light. This is one of my favorite cuts from his superb Closer album. Taylor McFerrin on the beatbox.
Naked Music‘s best years were just magic. The beautiful series of nudes on the album covers and the gems in the record sleeves that never left your crate after purchase. I can’t look at these records without being flooded with memories of rocking sets with or having dancefloor moments to these songs. 10 years ago the Vibe Conductor concept was just forming and these tracks helped shape that early identity.
Fertile Ground – “Take Me Higher” (Waiwan Remix)
Felt like ending the evening with drum & bass so I did. Must do that more often. Maybe tonight?
Some folks told their friends and they brought their friends. Then some old college friends showed up. Then some friends who were having a business meeting over drinks caught the boogie in their bodies. Then all the people who’ve been asking me “where do you spin?” but always forget the answer all showed up at once. Then it turned into a packed, joyous classic style house party. Then folks were doing a Soul Train line at 2 a.m. to the full 8 minutes of Earth, Wind & Fire’s live version of “Sun Goddess”.
Apparently this was all the New Year’s partying that some folks needed.
As these events were developing, I was playing out of my “make you shake your ass and sing along” repertoire. But before all that, we was chillin’ and this is how it went down. No categories on this post, just a few noteworthy joints.
Boogiemonsters – “Recognized Thresholds of Negative Stress” (Stressless Mix)
This has always been and will always be my jam. But being the contrarian that I am, I rocked the smoothed out remix last week. It definitely has its own charm.
The Sunburst Band – “Far Beyond”
This is an old staple of mine that I had to put on ice for a few years because I played it too much. Then when I bring it back out of retirement, it’s new to everyone! Another fantastic usage of Ahmad Jamal’s “Swahililand”.
Dorothy Ashby – “Cause I Need It”
Swingingest harpist I know of, and source material for some of Pete Rock’s best work.
As usual, your presence is requested.
Looking at the highlights below, I guess that’s how I was feeling last week.
Vibe Conductor Pick:
Kidkanevil – “When I Dig” featuring Kissey Asplund, Blu
It almost feels premature to be rocking this now because it’s such a spring jam. Kissey Asplund does her cutesy space kitten thing and Blu’s Dana Dane impression takes me back to happier times. Who’s Kidkanevil? I’m just finding out myself over a year after everyone else did.
Peoples’ Pick:
Eric Roberson – “Wanna Believe It Again” feat. Wayna
I got Music Fan First right before the first Refuge and been banging this tune ever since. It’s almost cursory to highlight it at this point because its jam status was instantly evident. But I love it. The dancefloor loves it. Other DJs reading this, if you like women, you should be playing it.
Nostalgia Pick:
SWV had a lot of great tracks outside of their established hits. Many solid cuts fell through the cracks in that transitional period when new jack swing was waning and R&B had yet to merge DNA with hip-hop.
Digging In The Crates Pick:
Rahsaan Patterson – “It Ain’t Love”
It feels like folks should shed clothing and inhibitions when this song drops. I’ve never seen it happen but perhaps subconsciously I wish it would.
Join us for another session tonight?
