About Me
Dj Center speaks through the vinyl plates. His love of music drives him to expose audiences to a wide range of sounds and has lead him to tour the globe, from the U.S. to Europe, Australia and New Zealand, while spearheading the move of the popular Los Angeles-based party, The Rootdown , to New York City in 2005.
This Romanian born, Brooklyn resident's uncanny skills lie in his ability to recreate the original contexts of the tracks he spins, creating a natural atmosphere for music lovers. In a single evening he can transport the crowd from future soul sessions in Brooklyn, out to Puerto Rico in 1976, over to Chicago, down to Brazil for Batucada and back to New York in time for a 90s Hip Hop party. Center guides audiences with scratches, cuts and blends, taking party go-ers through the dips, twists and turns of each genre. Revelers find themselves passengers on a musical journey- singing the songs they have always cherished, dancing to rhythms they have forgotten and broadening their horizons with songs as yet unheard.
Looking beyond the dance floor, Center is a lover of jazz. His early musical roots can be traced back to sessions with jazz musician/mentor Daniel Carter. Years later, Center released Feel What I'm Feelin', a double mix CD featuring an all Jazz mix that ranges from Ahmad Jamal to the Descendents of Mike and Phoebe, accompanied by a Hip Hop Soul disc, which features the likes of Pharoahe Monche & the Sa-Ra Creative Partners. This double CD release received international acclaim in Japan and England among other places, and inspired a new relationship with Giant Step- a longtime staple on the global music scene.
With established long running NYC residencies at Triple Crown in Brooklyn, the Belmont Lounge in Union Square and Movida in the West Village, Center can also been found spreading his soulful palate alongside legendary DJs like Pete Rock, Grandmaster Flash, Bobbito, Spinna, ?uestlove, Rob Swift, J.ROCC, Qool Marv, J.Rawls, Numark, and Large Professor, among others.
Accompanying his new Music Lounge monthly event at Movida, a blend of a DJ night and live Soul session with guest vocalists and producers, Center has been doing bi-monthly mixes for Giant Step's Jukebox series. The Music Lounge Radio show finds a home alongside mixes from luminaries like Giles Peterson, Jazzanova, Los Amigos Invisibles, and Qool Marv.
From dance floor and radio sessions, Center resides in the studio- slow cooking original productions, remixes, and edits. This natural evolution has brought Center to rework Si*Se's " More Shine ", off their sophomore release on Fuerte records, and begin production on a solo full length release. This album prosper will only continue to bridge the musical sensibilities that Center has been known for during his sets. He does not have to travel far to get to that center.
Interests
Jan 25 2008 10:00P [Sutra, New York, New York]
Jan 29 2008 10:00P [Be Easy @ Tillman's, New York, New York]
Feb 2 2008 12:00A [Samba Soul @ SOBs, New York, New York]
Feb 9 2008 10:00P [Donuts Are Forever 2, Brooklyn, New York]