A Year in Review

Well 2012 is coming to an end and I must say it has been a super busy year on the DJ front and I am blessed to be able to be this busy doing something I really love to do!

Busy busy busy...  The year started out with several company holiday parties along with the weekly gig at the Dragon Bistro.  The summer saw several corporate functions along with a wedding for some good friends of mine.  The latter half of the year saw more corporate functions, sound gigs, more holiday parties and now for the last several months a weekly gig at Unionville hot spot Jakes on Main.  Tomorrow night gonna finish the year at The Ben Wicks Pub in TO a gig I have been doing over the last several years. 

Gear and more gear...  Along with all the gigs came the purchase of some new gear.   Earlier in the year when I started the weekly gigs at the bar I purchased the Traktor S2 DJ controller.  This made for easy set-up.  It's compact size also made it great to take up to the cottage. 

Merry Xmas to me!

Late summer Native Instruments had a deal on their Maschine Groove Production Studio controller and software so I purchased it to give a go at making my own music.  Although it has been slow going I am hoping to focus a little more on it in the new year.  It is a whole lot of fun...

On boxing day I decided to give more of my hard earned money to Native by purchasing the Traktor F1 Remix deck.  This should make Djing even more fun next year with that  hardware addition. One things for sure...there will be lots of buttons to press.

The most fun DJing...  The last several months I had the opportunity to Dj weekly at Jakes on Main in Unionville.  I really enjoy this gig.  Young crowd...great staff make for a fun night every Friday.  What I like most though is that I can pretty much get away with playing anything and with that I try and mix it up every week digging up songs old and new.  Here's hoping it continues into the new year and especially the summer.  With the patio open and all the kids back from University things get pretty crazy there.

Jake on Main!

Vinyl heaven!  In September I recieved a phone call from a family friend asking me to come over to his place and pick up all his vinyl.  You can read about it here but I am hoping to get a set going and bring the turntables to a gig next year.   A night of nastalga I guess with lots of clicks, pops and maybe a few skips!

The one thing that has been great this year though is all the experience gained working with multiple genres and mixing the old and new.  Especially with the weekly gigs I've noticed a huge improvement working the Traktor software mixing pretty much everything on the fly.  At home I am usually just mixing up house music and rarely "practice" mixing top 40 or other genres.  But with the weekly gig I am all over the map...top40, retro 80s, 90s hiphop, house, dubstep...everything.  It has been a lot of fun...especially digging up old tracks and seeing the reactions from people. 

Well, it has been a super awesome year and I am hoping to continue the trend into the new year.  More gigs...more gear...and of most importantly...more great music!

Happy New Year Everyone....see you next year!

Merry Jackson Everyone!

Last night myself and the crew from "The Michael Jackson Experience" a King of Pop Production headed up to Newmarket to perform a Christmas surprise performance for a super fan of Jackson as a gift from her spouse. 

Kevin, myself, Bishop Soul & Dean.

I've seen this show many times and it doesn't matter if this MJ impersonator is performing at Casino Rama, arena shows across the country or your private house party these guys know how to put on a show! 

What makes it so special is Bishops Soul and his dancers ability to interact with any crowd, in this case a family and a few neighbors, and just make a party out of nothing! 

Of course it helps when you are playing music from a catalogue as large as MJs countless number ones all of them which make you wanna move your feet. 

Here is the set-list from last night:

Wanna Be Starting Something
Working Day & Night
Smooth Criminal
Billie Jean
Human Nature
Beat It
PYT
Thriller

If you have to step out for a few hours from personal Xmas eve festivities might as well do it hanging out with Michael Jackson!  Watching this show is always a treat and seeing the clients blown away always makes for a fun evening.

For more information on this show contact Alan Lamothe at King of Pop Productions  416-876-8936

Merry Xmas!

A Merry TSO Christmas!

Last week the wife and I did our yearly ritual of heading down to Roy Thompson Hall for a Christmas concert featuring the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.  Last year we saw the TSO perform with the Canadian Brass which was great!  This year featured narrations by Canadian comedian Colin Mochrie for two of the numbers, "Twas the Night Before Christmas' and "The Twelve Days of Christmas".  You may remember him from the show 'Who's Line is it Anyways".

What made the Twelve Days of Christmas so special though was the play they did a long with it including young children acting out each of the 12 days and a full Scottish marching band with you guessed it... 12 drummers drumming and 11 pipers piping!! Wow did that sound fill the room.

Colin Mochrie!

 

11 Pipers Piping & 12 Drummers Drumming!

 
As always carols were sang at the end including Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithfull and Joy to the World.

This concert always makes for a great evening out!  Oh and if you are looking for some good eats before the concert...may I suggest "The Stockyards."  They serve some awesome RIBS 2-3 days a week...and they go fast!

Here is the programme:

Programme:

Tyzik: A Christmas Overture
Tyzik: Gesu Bambino (with Ji Soo Choi, violin and Daniel Hass, cello) 
Newsom/Tyzik: Winter Wonderland
Arr. Tyzik: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rag (featuring John Rudolph, xylophone)
Williams: Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Adam: O Holy Night
Arr. Fry: O Come O Come Emmanuel
Arr. Fry: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Bass: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
Anderson: Sleigh Ride
Arr. Tyzik: Chanukah Suite
Hayman: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Arr. Tyzik: Holiday Sing-along

• Jeff Tyzik, conductor
• Colin Mochrie, narrator
• Etobicoke School of the Arts Chorus

Merry Christmas everyone!

Soundspin04

Finally... a new mix!  Last mix I put together was back in March.  Geez I guess life just keeps getting in the way!  Anyhow wanted to change things up a bit.  This mix has a more dark...deep tech house feel to it.  With all the EDM hitting the airwaves I wanted to give my ears a break and do something different.

This mix features some tracks I have downloaded for a while now.  The last track on the mix is by Demuir, a producer that I know and have opened for in the past.  He runs a label called Mikita Skyy (check out www.beatport.com to see all his releases).  Most of the stuff on his label is more on the Jackin`House tip but lately he has been experimenting on the Tech House side.

This track remixed by Demuir with the original created by Murr features the voice of Rosina.  The first time I heard her voice (check out `My Best Dress`) I was instantly mesmerized. Something about her voice just draws you in....haunting at times!  Anyhow she and Murr are part of a Toronto Indie band called LAL.  Have yet to check them out but let`s just say that for this mix...def saved the best for last!

Soundspin04 (Dec 2012) by Soundspin on Mixcloud

Here is the track list:

1. Tomorrow Belongs To Us - Bookashade
2. Twisted Sister - M.A.N.D.Y
3. Unkown - Saschienne
4. Deeper - Sascha Cava, Martin Dahl
5. Wonderland - Ramon Tapia
6. Wherever (Kabale Und Liebe @ Lauhaus Remix) - Alexis Cabrera
7. They Frontin' Feat Monty Luke (Original Mix) - Catz 'n Dogz
8. Night Track (M.A.N.D.Y Remix) - Sasha, James Teej
9. Machines - Mark Reeve & Dean Demmanuel
10. Move on Me (Original Mix) - Danny Serrano, Darlyn Vlys
11. Broken Down (Demuir Mix) - Murr ft Rosina

Enjoy!