What a weekend. The night before this party I was in Paris at the Funk4Food party. Kudos to the courage of HBO to book me for this significant party despite knowing that I'd have to return from Paris on the day of the event!
Needless to say, there was no sleeping for me after hanging out with Parisians until the break of dawn...I could sleep on the plane, but while doing so, I had classic rock seeping through my ear hole as I tried to shift my musical focus from the disco funk vibes spun in Paris to the sounds that would be on the menu for this epic Sopranos cast & crew gathering.
Classic rock? Not every party needs the seemingly default musical vibe of various strains of house music and mash-ups. With the overwhelming number of mature adults in the house, and on a monster sounds system built for a rock band at Roseland - and with Bruce Springsteen's Little Steven sitting right in front of me, I was going to create a Rock & Roll and Soul vibe for the party people to enjoy, not endure.
What you hear here is the 1st couple of hours, setting the stage. The cast & crew are arriving and saying their hellos, embracing, and checking out the elaborate recreation of an Italian Street Fair. There will be speeches and Uncle Junior is going to perform in a little while, setting me up nicely to play a set that will speak to everyone in the room without pushing the dance floor vibe too soon.
Rolling Stones, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Eric Burdon & War, Stevie Wonder, Buddy Miles, Van Morrison, Curtis Mayfield, & Buddy Guy are in the mix. Everyone in the house felt right at home - you know the people of this caliber are rocking this good stuff at home and in their limos so to hear this music on this massive sound system in a state of revelry...well, when does that happen?
Before the night ended, an elegant lady came up to the booth and told me how she liked the progression of the sounds and how the flow of the music made the party feel just right. She asked me if I made CDs and I told her that I was recording the night. She was delighted and told me that her husband was impressed as well. He came up to shake my hand and echo her statements. This was David Chase, the creator of the Sopranos and his wife. I still suspect that when the final season hit the airwaves, the promo that featured a blend of Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones and Eric Burdon's version with the band War, may have been inspired by Mr. Chase hearing the Eric Burdon version at the party. Maybe, maybe not? It's all good.
Speaking of the Stones, one song that I love to play at these HBO parties is the Rolling Stones' "Gimmie Shelter." I love this song and I've always been tempted to rock it twice, although that would be kind of a strange move for a DJ, so at the end of this mix you will find an extended edit that I did that stretches this classic from it's official 4&1/2 minutes to 7&1/2 minutes...had to extended the intro and break so that folks could jam...or rock out. No additives, not a mash up with electronic drums and sound effects added, just "Gimmie Shelter" elongated.
There is a method to the magic in the way Qool DJ Marv presents and plays music. He tunes into the atmosphere of the venue and the energy of the people, and then he blends what he sees with what he hears. Intertwining many styles for many faces from many places, Qool DJ Marv captivates you with his blend. The fluid flow and continuously ascending momentum of his wide-ranging sets is inviting, hypnotic, and breathtaking. Qool DJ Marv crafts an unforgettable feel good, get down party where everyone in the room will hear something that they enjoy. It’s as if he knew you were coming.
An inventive pioneer, Qool DJ Marv deliberately defies categorization to great effect. An evening of Qool DJ Marv may include a mind boggling array of selections spanning many eras and decades of music including R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Latin, House, Jazz, Funk, Rock & Roll, Soul, and Disco classics, and Eclectic beats from around the world.
Since 1994, Marv has been producing mixed tapes/CD compilations that illuminate the many styles of music that he loves but have fallen short of major exposure and marketing. The series “Beats, Jazz, & Soul” and “Qool Classics” are adored by people from all walks of life from all over the globe. People enjoy the meticulous attention to the sequencing and the seamless continuity of the mixing. Qool DJ Marv has a way of introducing genre-defying songs to listeners who previously may have only preferred popular mainstream offerings.
It’s Qool DJ Marv’s laid-back demeanor and the playfully enchanting smile that you first notice. He is genuinely pleased to meet you and despite his even keel, he’s bubbling at the thought of what he has in store for your listening, dancing, and celebratory pleasure. There’s an exuberant idealism in Marv’s appealing mix that bridges us all – with a universal vibe, everybody gets down.
