Hello!
Photo courtesy of Sean Flanigan.
It all started when...
I was informed by VH1 that Dr. Dre had used something called "sampling" to create much of the musical soundscapes that he was quickly becoming synonymous with in the 90's. Before that moment, I wasn't as interested as I would become in the origin of sounds. Now, I wanted to know where he was getting his sounds and who influenced those performers. Through hip hop music I was informed on funk, soul, blues, disco, rock and roll, classical, afro-beat and numerous sub-genres along the way. From that spring board I was propelled into a musical journey and evolution that would first culminate with the responsibility of playing music during high school pep rallies and lunch hours. Nothing like some ancient audio equipment and no pay to make me realize that it was because of the love for sharing music that I first took on the title of Dj.
From then on, with numerous experiences at a variety of events, my passion has been sharing music with the people around me. Providing a soundtrack to an art gallery opening, a casual wine party, a birthday party or a wedding, is a privilege that I don't treat lightly. The responsibility of adding to the success of an event and not distracting any guests is of utmost importance. Music has the ability to make any memory that much more rewarding to recall years after the original event. One song can recall dozens of emotions and the opportunity to provide those songs makes this so rewarding for me.
I know that we all have our personal tastes in music, we all have different reactions to the same songs, and I take every event as an opportunity to learn about new music rooted in the types of sounds a client would like to hear. I may know more than some folks about certain genres but I'm always willing to learn, no man is an encyclopedia. Digging, or looking for new sounds that move me, is something I try to maintain in my daily routine. I see this as a way of being the best Dj that I can be. To quote the incomparable Dj Shadow, "People that don't, you don't have to. It's not going to make a bad dj good but it will make a good dj better."
Thank you for your time,
Damian Camacho