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Are you from
Baltimore? If not, how did you come to settle here?
Yes, I was born and raised in Joppa which is twenty
minutes east of Baltimore City.
What was your musical influences growing up?
Larry Levan, Nicky Siano, Frankie Knuckles, Joe
Clausell, F. Kavorkian, 808 State, Derrick Carter, Derrick May, Juan Atkins,
Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, E.W.F.,
Quincy Jones, Mikey Dred, King Tubby, The Clash, The Specials, Bauhaus, Joy
Division, all 4AD music, The Cure, Led Zeppelin, Run DMC, The Zulu Nation,
Eric B. & Rakim, Schooly D., Public Enemy, Rick Rubin, Johnny Cash
Tell us a little about yourself. (Your dj history,
experiences, etc.)
I ‘ve been a staple in the Baltimore/DC circuit,
dj’ing for the past fifteen years.
I have always had a great passion for all kinds of music growing up and have
been buying vinyl records since I was ten years old (1980) before I even
conceived the thought of having turntables & a mixer I collected records and
played them on my parents Hi-Fi system. When the whole break dancing/ b-boy/
hip-hop thing started in the early eighties, right when I was starting high
school. I witnessed, for the first time, Jam-Master Jay, Herbie Hancock, &
Dj. Red Alert mix records on a video my friend had.
I was hooked from that point on. I then bought me a cheap Realistic mixer
and two cheap-ass JVC turntables (the type that had the rotary pitch control
in the front and had a straight plastic tone-arm w/ cheap Audio-Tech
stylus). I perfected the art of mixing vinyl on that setup and started
playing gigs throughout high school on the weekends at basement parties.
Then, when I turned sixteen and was able to drive, I started coming down to
Baltimore City (with WEBB AM locked into my car radio). I started
experiencing a higher level of DJ’ing in the music scene by hanging out at
places like Cignels, O’Dells, Fantasies, Godfreys, Calvert Street Café, The
Depot, etc. and listening to dj’s like Dj.Bump, Wayne Davis, Tommy Davis,
Jerome Hicks, Terry Thompson, Teddy Douglass, Mookie, & Scott Henry. From
that experience I was influenced to start dj’ing professionally downtown by
starting my first parties at Club Orpheus. I started an all ages party every
Sunday night and huge after hour parties from 6am–noon every Saturday
morning back in 1992. This was the time when huge warehouse/rave type
parties started occurring here in the states and dance music had a major
resurgence and a new generation of kids were coming in swarms to here all of
us play. First, there was a party called ORBIT, that was held at the Paradox
and then Scott Henry & Charles Fields (Dj. Feelgood) started a party called
FEVER, in place of Orbit parties, every other Thursday night. This is when I
started being booked for parties other than my own, like FEVER, and it was
also the first time I had ever played on the sound system at the Paradox.
From there I began dj’ing on the same billing with national dj. talent and
traveling to different cities to play my music at raves & different clubs,
etc. The rest is history.
My passion for dj’ing & music has given me the chance to travel and be on
the same billing with heavy hitters like: King Britt, Mark Farina, Kevin
Yost, Afrika Bambaataa, The Rurals(Dj. Bazil), Chemical Brothers, Alex
Paterson, Joe Claussell, Julius Papp, Miguel Migs, Q-Burns, Dj. Karizma,
Ultra Nate´, Soul Providers, and many more…
How would you describe your dj style now as opposed to two
years ago and how did you get into House music?
II’ve been listening to house music and classic
grooves since middle school and I loved it when I was finally old enough to
come downtown to here Wayne Davis and his crew play that music.
My style has always had a soulful house / funk / disco groove to it ever
since I started dj’ing.
I can say that my style has changed a bit from what I used to play six to
seven years ago.
Even though I have always had my own house groove, my style back then was of
more banging Chicago type tracks and old-school breaks which appealed to the
masses of kids, who usually were all on drugs, and liked there music a bit
harder and psychedelic. I would always try to educate my crowd, even then,
by slipping in some classic house grooves to let the kids know were it all
started from. It all comes from house music baby, that’s the root of it all.
I started being noticed at all the big warehouse / rave parties for always
playing old school house grooves at the end of all my sets. It always seemed
to work for me, so I just stuck with that formula because every other dj. in
our circuit was only playing hard breaks, techno beats, & drum-n-bass. In
the past four to five years I have been playing more soulful / vocal /
jazz-n-groove house. I’m not really into just playing tracks anymore, unless
it’s absolutely bangin.’ Now days, I definitely appeal to a much older,
mature crowd that appreciates and loves to come out and dance to good music
without dealing with the kids or the drugs. JUST THE MUSIC! …and maybe a few
drinks.
You are one of the only white dj’s I can think of right
now that tend to play a more soulful House sound in Baltimore. Some dj’s
have a mentor dj that they learn from while they hone their skills. Did you
have one or someone that you looked to for inspiration in the creation of
your style?
Yes, I was
inspired and influenced by a handful of dj’s / producers growing up.
Dj’s like: Francious Kervorkian, Danny Krivit, Danny Taneglia, Norman Cook,
Joe Claussell, Larry Levan, Tim Regisford, Tommy Davis, Teddy Douglas, Dj.
Pope, Mark Farina, Dj. Bump, Jam Master Jay, Jazzy Jeff, Eric B., Funk
Master Flex.
Donny and dj Pope's manager "Momi" of
momiknowsbest.com @ a b-sOuL cd listening party
at Midtown Records in February(downtown Balto.)
The House scene in Baltimore hit a low period for a
longtime up until last year. Now, there is a huge resurgence in Baltimore
and somehow you have been playing all over the place. What do you attribute
your success to?
I think that my success in the past four years has to
do with the fact that I started having acid jazz, house events at smaller
venues, like the GOODLOVE BAR, that were more atmospheric and inviting to
the mature crowd. Plus, all the kids that I use to play for at the big raves
/ warehouse parties have all grown up and have grown out of that whole rave
mentality. Fortunately, they still love good music and continue to come out
and show support. From my following of people that I have generated from the
past and the resurgence of the old school & new school house heads that have
been coming out of the woodwork lately, I feel that I am one of those DJ’s
who is crossing over the two real house scenes in Baltimore. The black &
white crowd, and everything in between. It’s a beautiful thing when I see
Paradox / Fantasy heads dancing along to a good house groove with heads from
the old-school rave days that use to listen to god awful techno & noise. I
think a great thing is happening right now in the house scene and it needs
to be nurtured and molded into something huge. I feel if all of us who truly
believe in the house movement would work together, like they do in other
cities, and promote each other to blow Baltimore up as a whole without the
attitudes or the politics. It’s really all about the music and the vibe,
nothing more, nothing less. We have some of the best house producers & Dj’s
in the world right here in Baltimore and that needs to be recognized.
Were you a fan of DJ Oji & Pope’s “Underground
Experience”? If so, did you gain anything from the show being on the air?
Yes, I was a true fan of Pope & Oji’s radio show on
88.9 fm every Saturday night.
Every time that I would listen to the show I would gain something from it.
It is very unfortunate and such a disservice to the people of Baltimore who
really enjoyed the “The Underground Experience.”
The day the show ended was a sad day for house music here in Maryland.
Where have you played, and have you been featured on any
radio/internet mix shows?
I have played in cities all over the country in the
past decade and have maintained healthy residencies at clubs in Baltimore/DC
presently, and throughout the past. I have played on Morgan State - 88.9 fm
as a guest DJ. I’ve done guest spots for other various college radio
stations as well. I have also played on an Australian radio show (via CD),
broadcasting out of Sydney about two years back. That was great. I also have
played on “THE WOMB”- a successful internet radio show based out of Miami,
Florida.
What was the largest crowd you’ve had the opportunity to
play for and do you have any memorable club moments to share with us?
The largest crowd that I have ever played in front of
was 4000 - 5000 people at a few different warehouse events. Some of the best
gigs that I have ever played were:
1. Playing all night in the house tent, in DC, opening up for the Chemical
Brothers.
2. Joe Claussell and myself playing all day outside in the park on the 4th
of July, 2001.
3. Playing in San Francisco at anytime.
4. Playing the back room all night at the Paradox when FEVER was jumping.
5. Opening up for King Britt & Migual Migs.
6. The first time I was booked out of town and was jet set.
The most memorable club experiences that I have had without DJ’ing are:
1. The first time that I experienced Body & Soul on Sundays at Club Vinyl in
NYC.
2. The first time I experienced Shelter, NYC.
3. The first time I walked into Cignels & O’Dells when I was sixteen.
ALL GOOSE-BUMP MOMENTS!
What should we be expecting from you in the near future as
far as dj’ing or any House related events go?
I’ve just started re-editing my own music and playing
it out with in the past year, thanks to my trusty computer & CD burner. I
have a couple of remix projects in the works right now.
Zik Jabar (Midtown Records) & I are doing a remix for the Soul Providers new
release “No Pressure” which should be out at the end of the summer and I
should have some stuff finished for Ultra Nate’s new label.
On the art tip, I’ve been a graphic designer for the past six years and I
recently designed Ultra Nate’s logo for her new record label “BluFire
Records.” I’m excited about that. I love when someone’s talents come full
circle.
Where can people hear you play?
I have a residency every weekend in Baltimore:
* Every Friday night from 10pm – 2am / $5 admission * SOULFUL SOUNDS OF THE
UNDERGROUND *
at the Red Maple lounge located @ 930 N. Charles Street, Baltimore /
www.930redmaple.com
* * featuring special guests each month * *
* Every Saturday night from 10pm – 2am / $5 admission @ The Spy Club
Located @: 15 E. Centre Street, Baltimore
2nd & 3rd floor above Midtown Yacht Club
#410-685-ISPY
* Starting next month, THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY hosted by MAMA BASSE & CREW
Every Saturday at Club 2314 , Boston St., Baltimore
(The old Spot / old Club Fusion)
Featuring in weekly rotation: LIL' MIC
- DJ. BISKET -
DJ. KARIZMA -
DONNY BURLIN
More info to come… Keep you eyes open for the flier!
You can email me @: donny.burlin@verizon.net if you would like to be added
to the Soulful Sounds mailing list or have any questions.
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