Best soul/funk DJ?

LawrenceLawrence 125 Posts
edited January 2008 in Strut Central
i was hoping someone could point me in the direction of a top soul/funk DJ. Who is considered the best in the field / who should one look to se how it SHOULD be done?
«13456

  Comments


  • tonyphronetonyphrone 1,500 Posts
    J.Rocc

  • LeToupt

  • magpaulmagpaul 1,314 Posts
    Keb Darge plays a mean rockabilly set.

  • SnagglepusSnagglepus 1,756 Posts
    I was really impressed by John Doe's last mix. His selection was tops and I'd never heard a funk dj incorporate blends that well (not always easy with funk records).

  • to me soul/funk DJing is 100% selection, could give a shit about the other stuff and Tony Janda slays everyone, go listen to dude spin and you will realize you dont own any records....

  • SnagglepusSnagglepus 1,756 Posts
    to me soul/funk DJing is 100% selection, could give a shit about the other stuff and Tony Janda slays everyone, go listen to dude spin and you will realize you dont own any records....

    While searching around for info about dude, I came across a Downtown Soulville where he dropped by (August 11, 2006). Looks like a good show.

  • i mean when it comes to playing a funk soul set in a club who rocks it.

    and is it really more about selection than anything else.. is there any need for seamless mixing??????????????????

  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts
    Some of the best I've seen:

    Ian Wright
    Dante
    Keb Darge
    Matt Weingarden
    Scott Craig
    Josh Davis
    Tony Janda is definitely top notch
    James Trouble

  • BelsonBelson 880 Posts
    I've seen at least 3 of those DJ's kill a club dancefloor dead.

    I'd put Snowboy in the mix.

  • cpeetzcpeetz 2,112 Posts
    J.Rocc

    Style and Selection on lock!

  • to me soul/funk DJing is 100% selection, could give a shit about the other stuff and Tony Janda slays everyone, go listen to dude spin and you will realize you dont own any records....

    While searching around for info about dude, I came across a Downtown Soulville where he dropped by (August 11, 2006). Looks like a good show.

    Just listened to it... mark me down as being unimpressed...

  • J.Rocc

    Style and Selection on lock!

    Definitly top notch skill level...Plays the hits too.

  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts
    I've seen at least 3 of those DJ's kill a club dancefloor dead.

    I'd put Snowboy in the mix.

    Oh no doubt. Everybody has an off night once in a while. It's especially tough when playing to new crowds, or when trying to expand your arsenal to include new sounds.

  • BelsonBelson 880 Posts
    It's especially tough when playing to new crowds

    True to some extent. I've had DJ's ask me what they should be playing cos the crowd weren't 'feeling it' at this little out of town I had going on.

    I managed to get Scott out of his DJ'ing hiatus late last year too. Nervous for sure, but still has the tunes. Still working on getting a proper soul/funk gig for LA together.

  • knewjakknewjak 1,231 Posts


    Matt Weingarden
    Scott Craig

    super duper

  • This is a tricky question, because there are two types of soul/funk DJ's who can rock the floor. The other, J-Rocc style, plays a more crowd-friendly and mixed set, while the other relies on a dynamite obscure selection, dropping classics in the mix now and then, and usually gets more on the mic. James Trouble has performed well in the latter style, but he is a bit of a psycho otherwise.

  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts

    James Trouble

    no

    Dude dropped a pretty dope set when I saw him in 2004/5...playing New World and such before people even knew it was something to get excited about. Of course, the crowd also had to deal with his incessant rambling throughout the set which got old fast. He is also a certifiable, soulless psychopath...d'uh.


  • James Trouble

    no

    I'm speaking only of experience of course. I've never heard Ian Wright, Keb, or any of the mentioned American greats DJ. From the couple of times I've heard, I like Fryer's style too.

  • verb606verb606 2,518 Posts
    Some of the best I've seen:

    Ian Wright
    Dante
    Keb Darge
    Matt Weingarden
    Scott Craig
    Josh Davis
    Tony Janda is definitely top notch
    James Trouble


    I've gotta cosign on Dante and Keb Darge. They've both rocked me senseless (no ayo) on several occasions. I haven't heard Josh spin soul or funk, unfortunately. I know him and Ian Wright are holding heat, but to be judged properly they have to be experienced, (again, no ayo)

    I agree that soul/funk is about selection, with mixing skills serving as icing on an already delicious cake, but I think there's an aspect of home court advantage too. Put any DJ in front of the wrong crowd and he's going to fail, or at least come off as

    Keb was playing at a party at WMC in Miami a couple years ago. It was kind of a cramped hotel space, granted, but most people there were still kinda like "meh" as he was playing. By contrast, I first saw Keb at his night at Madame Jojo's in 1999 and he tore that shit the fuck down. If my first time hearing him had been the former and not the latter, I might be sitting here saying "Keb Darge is aiight."

  • on everyone mentioned.

    I'd Like To Add:
    Brian Poust
    Chad from Memphix
    Meaty
    Pickwick
    Jeff Mao

    Monkey sorry you weren't impressed with my set, I'll try to play better records in the future.

  • nzshadownzshadow 5,518 Posts


    Monkey sorry you weren't impressed with my set, I'll try to play better records in the future.


  • No disrespect at all to J.Rocc, who's one of the best to do it...

    But I'm not sure what we're discussing here: best technical DJ who happens to play soul & funk, or best soul & funk DJ?

    To me putting J.Rocc next to Keb Darge is apples and oranges.

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,902 Posts
    I like what J-Rocc brings to the table.

    I remember being at a gig back in the day where Norman Jay threw down an amazing set. But he's more on the house deal for the last while.

    I like Ian Wright, Dante, Keb Darge.

    Up hear I like dudes like Paul E Lopez & Mike Tull and when Serious throws down a set, I likey very much.

  • personal favorite of mine as far as musical selection and mixing finesse would have to be Norman Jay.

  • DJFerrariDJFerrari 2,411 Posts
    Monkey sorry you weren't impressed with my set, I'll try to play better records in the future.

    I've really been digging your podcasts lately... keep em coming!

    This comes up every once in a while and I still don't understand why some of you don't think it's even possible to have BOTH dope selection and skills. Why do these 2 aspects of DJing have to be mutually exclusive?

  • Monkey sorry you weren't impressed with my set, I'll try to play better records in the future.

    I've really been digging your podcasts lately... keep em coming!

    This comes up every once in a while and I still don't understand why some of you don't think it's even possible to have BOTH dope selection and skills. Why do these 2 aspects of DJing have to be mutually exclusive?

    There really hasnt been anyone to do both without sending things into short attention span land...shit ends up just being a minute or 2 from each record, the whole song rarely gets played with the skilled dudes, and as far as skilled dudes doing soul/funk Luke(Red Eye Jedi) from Memphix is a badass, but dude isnt into 45s and that is where the heat lays...I just like hearing whole tunes...

  • DJFerrariDJFerrari 2,411 Posts
    Monkey sorry you weren't impressed with my set, I'll try to play better records in the future.

    I've really been digging your podcasts lately... keep em coming!

    This comes up every once in a while and I still don't understand why some of you don't think it's even possible to have BOTH dope selection and skills. Why do these 2 aspects of DJing have to be mutually exclusive?

    There really hasnt been anyone to do both without sending things into short attention span land...shit ends up just being a minute or 2 from each record, the whole song rarely gets played with the skilled dudes, and as far as skilled dudes doing soul/funk Luke(Red Eye Jedi) from Memphix is a badass, but dude isnt into 45s and that is where the heat lays...I just like hearing whole tunes...

    I hear you on the short attention span tip, but one thing about playing whole songs is that there's often downtime inbetween. There'll be people dancing to a song and then they'll stop while the next one gets going... especially if there's a long intro or outro. It's nice to keep folks dancing with seamless mixing while still keeping the tracks intact. That's really what I go for... I'm not a super technical DJ nor do I even want to be one, but I do try to blend a set together so it keeps a nice energy level.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Monkey sorry you weren't impressed with my set, I'll try to play better records in the future.

    I've really been digging your podcasts lately... keep em coming!

    This comes up every once in a while and I still don't understand why some of you don't think it's even possible to have BOTH dope selection and skills. Why do these 2 aspects of DJing have to be mutually exclusive?

    There really hasnt been anyone to do both without sending things into short attention span land...shit ends up just being a minute or 2 from each record, the whole song rarely gets played with the skilled dudes, and as far as skilled dudes doing soul/funk Luke(Red Eye Jedi) from Memphix is a badass, but dude isnt into 45s and that is where the heat lays...I just like hearing whole tunes...

    Yeah, I thought that whole "one record into another" deal was for DANCE MUSIC deejays...I never thought that the soul spinners should have been a part of that. I mean, you're grooving on one tune, then it gets mixed into another song after the first chorus, WTF?

    (Although I am careful about playing anything over three minutes...I once spun Black Heat's "M&M" one night, and while everybody dug it, I could see people dropping like flies, two by two...I'm not saying I won't experiment with it again, but...)

  • BelsonBelson 880 Posts
    I still don't understand why some of you don't think it's even possible to have BOTH dope selection and skills. Why do these 2 aspects of DJing have to be mutually exclusive?

    They don't *have* to be, but I know what I'd rather hear personally. And that's a set of quality vinatage music, segued together and left pretty much as the artist intended it.

    Decknology has a place and for me, it's not at a soul or funk gig. The music's good enough to speak for itself.

  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    short attention span land

    I think alot of ( hiphop inspired) djs get fidgety behind the decks & the result is alot of un-needed blends & foreshortened tunes.

    what do I know though, I don't even like hearing songs pitched up.

    Scott Craig is a good choice, one time I saw him basically start a party just by putting on 'Soul Power' & doing a smooth blend into Pieces of Peace.

Sign In or Register to comment.