The Rhythm Society: Away

For our fall equinox Rhythm Society event, I was asked to lead music — meaning choosing the music theme, selecting the DJs and selecting the sound system. I’ve done this many times, this was my role for our first few events when we began the RS in 1996, but I was nervous taking this on with life being full and a bit complicated. When my old friend Jordan shared his vision for the event theme, I couldn’t say no.

The theme of Away was recognizing the loss many of us have been feeling; the loss of parents, fellow community members, friends, jobs, and in some cases, the sense of self. Through acknowledging and sharing in community, the intent was to grieve together and turn our loss into joy. Musically, I felt moved to bring the music into our feet — bring grounding and depth to the night. Both the chill space and main dance space were oriented towards this intent. As the organizer of the music, I felt compelled to play last (3-4am) and bring closure to the night.

This mix combines nostalgic tribal dance music I’ve played for the past three decades with new Afro House sounds that have been a welcome trend to these ears. I followed a stellar lineup flowing seamlessly from the opening ceremony leading into an inspired set by Rrrus, followed by tribal maestro Gavin Hardkiss, then new fav DJ Lord Vishnu played before me. The icing on the cake was beautiful sound system by Waveworks and the 300 smiling attendees that filled the dance floor until the very end.

You can listen to the entire lineup on the Rhythm Society Soundcloud page.