About Me
I first discovered my love of electronic dance music in the deserts and warehouses of Southern California when the rave scene was still young and just started being torn apart by the mainstream media and politics. It was seeing that begin to happen, while at the same time knowing the beauty and power of electronic music culture, that inspired much of what I've done so far. In terms of music, my roots are in freestyling vocals with DJs spinning many different genres, a few of my favorites being tech house, downtempo, atmospheric or jazzy dnb, broken beat, trip-hop, and dub. Now I write and record vocals with two live/electronic groups based in NYC (Subatomic Sound System- http://www.subatomicsound.com/ and The Shift - http://dankfunk.com/shift/ ). I've also organized underground events for years in NYC, most often taking on the role of bookings and stage management. I love putting together really interesting lineups - I really see it as an art form. My other mediums include writing, shooting (pictures, not guns), mixed media visual art, and social experiments that most often take the form of free street parties and guerilla marketing projects. I was a resident vocalist and organizer with SisterNYC since it's formation and served as Music Director of TheDanger (formerly known as Complacent). I was also the Music Director of The Lunatarium, a 20,000 sq. Ft. Warehouse on the Dumbo, Brooklyn waterfront that was host to some of the most infamously insane and creative underground events in NYC (think fire spinners, projections on weather balloons, stilt walkers, martial arts, along with some of the best talent locally and abroad). We were a totally grassroots, underground crew of artists and organizers that took over the warehouse right after Sept. 11th and fought to stay alive in NYC through countless attempts by the city to shut us down, at the same time becoming recognized by the national press alongside massive commercial dance music venues (we were nominated Best US Dance Music Venue by the National Dancestar Awards at the WMC in 2003 and Best Alternative / Unusual venue by URB's massv poll in '02). When the space finally had to close its doors (after 4 incredible years), I started focusing a bit more energy on my own music, but also continue to organize & support independent artists and New York City's cultural underground. All these things reflect the same desire - to celebrate what we can create together above and below the radar.
... that inspired much of what I've done so far.
So basically my work in the music industry is shared between my passion for creating and my dedication to the culture and its survival. I am an artist at heart, but I also have a talent for organizing and management, along with the firm belief in a more humane and sustainable industry, in a culture that inspires and supports rather than simply exploiting talent and vision, that made me feel a personal responsibility to get involved on a level beyond my work as an artist. It's that drive that led me to take on the role of Music Director at The Lunatarium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatarium)- one of the most amazing and insane adventures of my life.
Currently I write and record vocals with two live/electronic groups based in NYC (Subatomic Sound System and The Shift), and sometimes you can catch me freestyling vocals with DJs playing nearly any genre of music (one of those DJs dubbed me ‘the vocal chameleon’ for just that reason). I'm always interested in working on cool new projects if the time and chemistry are right. My other mediums include writing, shooting (pictures, not guns), mixed media visual art, and social experiments that most often take the form of free street parties and guerilla marketing projects. I’ve been a resident vocalist with SisterNYC and Music Director for TheDanger. I was also the Music Director of The Lunatarium, a 20,000 sq. Ft. Warehouse on the Brooklyn waterfront that was host to some of the most infamously crazy and innovative underground events in NYC (think fire spinners, projections on weather balloons, stilt walkers, and of course music of all kinds). All these things reflect the same drive - to raise awareness about important issues, to expose people to new sights and sounds and cultures, and to celebrate what we can create together above and below the radar. And of course simply for the love of the music |]
