DJ ?uestlove; plus Dan Alcala on the grind, and DJ Nomadik
By DAVID DAY | August 8, 2006
Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson |
Ahmir Khalib Thompson, ?UESTLOVE to his fans, is one of the most accomplished drummers in pop music – and, as the beat machine behind the Roots, he might be the only live-hip-hop drummer who matters – but he’s also a deft DJ with a selection that will take your breath away. In Miami, I was able to pick up some of his mixes in directly from the man himself, and they’re all syrupy vocals, gushy beats, and Prince, Prince, Prince. He has two official mix CDs out on the wonderful BBE label, both entitled Babies Making Babies. The local promoters at FUTURE CLASSIC have snagged the Roots percussionist and mix-CD master to play an exclusive event at Underbar on August 8, the night after the Roots play the Roxy. If you do head down to Tremont Street Tuesday, bring a clean towel, and a few extra bucks to pick up his CDRs. The DJ set is all Thompson, all night, and starts at 10. Reduced admission is available by registering at FutureClassic.net.For every DJ who’s spinning every night in town, there are hundreds of DJs on the grind, looking to play. From the streets of Dorchester to the Comm Ave. dorms, it’s hard to overstate the amount of new talent bubbling up. For example, take DAN ALCALA. Once we saw his set lists on-line (the Knife, Ewan Pearson, MFA, Superpitcher), we knew he had good taste, but he’d also played relatively few gigs. “I actually live in Melrose now,” he laughs. “I used to live in Mission Hill, but now that graduation and school is over I need to get a job.” Alcala won the Satellite Records mix competition in 2004 and again in 2005, and got a chance to open for Eli Wilkie at Avalon. “That was a huge deal ’cause I don’t know how else I would get to play at Avalon,” he laughs again. Despite this success, he has seen relatively few gigs elsewhere. “At this point, there’s so much politics behind everything it’s hard to emerge through the whole ranks, you know?”
Alcala plays a smart blend of techno and trance, with some vocals thrown in. His setlists aren’t exactly the kind that get you noticed in Boston. Most scenes in the Hub are highly genre-fied, and Alcala’s commitment to a more pop-oriented sound keeps him from playing, say, a straight house night. “I’m all over the board,” he admits. “It’s a mix of progressive, electro, a little bit of techno and trance.” For now, you can catch Alcala on MySpace, where you can glimpse his own productions; he also plays the occasional Rise gig, guests on WMFO, and, of course, keeps that bedroom in Melrose spinning.
Related:
The Roots | Rising Down, The making of the Roots-versus-Antibalas Sound Clash, Keepin' it real, More 
- The Roots | Rising Down
Def Jam
- The making of the Roots-versus-Antibalas Sound Clash
We're not previewing the Red Bull Sound Clash just because the buzz-beverage overlords supply Phoenix headquarters with enough voltage to paralyze a petting zoo.
- Keepin' it real
As I was walking up to Avalon a week ago Tuesday to see the Roots, a group of college kids crossed the street in front of me sporting backwards hats and puffy vests.
- Hip-hop history
“The thing that’s most gratifying to me is that the artists themselves like it and respect it, ’cause I’m trying to tell their story,” says Brian Coleman.
- Soul Touch army
Today’s funk and soul DJ is either an imitator or an innovator. Cosmo Baker, ".45 Caliber Funk Volume 1" (mp3)
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With Boston bursting at the seams with colleges and conservatories, music knowledge can get you quite far in this town.
- High techno
A prime place to go if you wanted to hear cutting-edge and classic techno from Germany, Detroit, and beyond has been “Make It New” every Thursday at Middlesex Lounge.
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Boston has very few outlets for dance vinyl.
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If the first quarter of '09 is an indicator of things to come for Theo Martins the Providence-based lyricist had better buckle up for what should be the biggest year in his budding hip-hop career.
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One of Boston’s favorite mixmasters and music makers, DJ C (a/k/a Jake Trussell), was invited to play New York City, sort of out of the blue, alongside Chicago ragga MC and fellow Mashit artist Zulu at the Freek Factory party.
- Fall Circuitry
Former Boston radio DJ and producer DJ Swiss Ivory has a new mixtape out called Back in Business. DJ Swiss Ivory, "Mixtape Preview" (mp3 via MySpace) Akrobatik, "Internet MCs" (mp3 via Myspace) Underline label mix (mp3)
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Topics:
New England Music News
, Celebrity News, Entertainment, Hip-Hop and Rap, More
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