Podcast#15 – Otto

Otto, a seriously experienced campaigner in the electronic scene for many more years than most delivers an exclusive podcast and answers a few questions for listenup.za.net.

Tell us a about your career in the industry

I’ve been dj’ing for over 20 years and delivering my own blend of lounge and deep house beats for the past 9 years, so lets just focus on this period otherwise we gonna be at this for a while

I started experimenting with downtempo styles in the early part of 2000.I was living in Joburg at the time and I got involved with the infamous D-Rail parties, hosting the chill floor. I also launched my ‘Lounge on Thursday’ nights at Cafe C in Greenside under the banner of O&R Sessions which was myself and a mate Rick.
In 2002 I started Jamjar Sessions with Adam. It was this platform that allowed me to explore my new found passion in Deep House music, which I found was a natural extension to my lounge sets, especially as a warm-up act. Jamjar became regulars on Roger Goode’s Sunday Sessions on 5fm. We hosted our own floor at Roger Goode’s first “”Saturday Surgery Live” and we played the VIP lounge for Paul van Dyk at Vodaworld.

In 2004 I open ninetysix music lounge in Fourways, with partners Dirck and Sandy. in December of that year Jamjar toured Switzerland and Germany together with Brett Jackson.
Back in Joburg in 2005, I launched Clubbed Out Sundays at ninetysix, hosting DJ’s such as Brett Jackson, Harael, Guy Herman, Clive Bean, Kid Fonque, Terence and Jon S as well as Shahrokh from Germany.

Since moving back to Europe in 2006 Jamjar has been returning to Switzerland once a year, playing at various venues and festivals including the Caprices Festival in Crans Montana. I have had a chance to play with guys like Joe90, AtJazz and Ame. Early 2008 I re-launched Lounge on Thursday at Bar Sia hosting, amongst others, Sunny G from Switzerland and Raoul Belmans of Swirl People fame at Jamjar’s first London event. Other events and venues has included the Blissed and Twisted boat party hosted by Comfortably Numbed, Zulu’s in Fulham,Gigalum in Clapham and Anam Bar in Islington together with the Deep Rooted crew.

This year I was invited to play a 5 hour set at Cafe1001 off Brick Lane. I have just returned from a short visit to South Africa having played at MINtex and Sugar on Sundays. Next week I will be playing in Geneva and Crans Montana in Switzerland before moving back to Jozi at the end of April where a few interesting plans are being plotted!

Can you describe your personal sound in a bit more detail?

Through various projects, including O&R Sessions, Jamjar Sessions and now Lounge Sound Project, I have been trying to generate exposure to lounge music. I play everything from trip hop, hip hop, nujazz, grooves, funk and nusoul to deep house. For me genre is not important, just good music! I like to keep my sets interesting and varied and don’t like to get stuck in one sound or style.

My thing is warm-up sets, building my sets from downtempo lounge into more midtempo house beats. I’m old school , when I started DJ’ing there was only one DJ for the night, so 3-5 hours suite work best for me.

What/who have been Influences in your life?

Well my love for the downtempo stuff began when I heard the K&D Sessions for the first time. I was blown away and wanted to create moods with music. Laid-back moods in environments that are conducive to chilling! As I explored the sound further I also discovered Thievery Corporation, Tosca, St Germain, Jazzanova, Truby Trio. The Supperclub series of CD’s were very influential and really summed up what I was trying to do musically although I think I have moved on quite a bit since then. I still love the combination of lounge sounds and deep house as part of a night of music.

Who are some of your favorite producers?

Hmmm I’m a shocker with names. I listen, I like, I buy. I seldom look at the names. I think you can get stuck buying the same kind of sound from the handful of producers you have added to your favourites list and it stifles the creativity. A few do however stand out: AtJazz, K&D, Thievery Corporation and the Jazzanova boys are legendary!

Others include Bonobo, Mr Scruff, Cosmic Rocker, Wouda, Kraak and Smaak, Presto and Ski Oakenfull

Who are some of your favorite DJ’s
A bit easier…….or is it……?

I like AtJazz’s sets, enjoy the eclectic nature of Gilles Peterson and I think Alex Barck from Jazzanova is brilliant! Then there are a myriad of brilliant DJ’s that blow me away weekly. check out subnav.com sometime. Not always my bag but some crazy stuff there!

Best memories as a DJ?

D-Rail will remain etched in my memory for ever but I’ve had great nights over the years including my Lounge on Thursday nights, our Jamjar Conspiracy tour across Switzerland and Germany, which was off the hook, and the sunny afternoons of Clubbed Out Sundays at ninetysix. For me a great night is not how big the crowd is but if people are getting what I am trying to do. It’s not all fidget midget doof doof at 130BPM!!! There is some amazing electronic music out there, people just need to open their minds and give it a chance!

What equipment do you use?

I use my decks, CDJ’s and my latest toy, Traktor Scratch. Since I buy everything online now, the hassle of burning half a million discs has been, thankfully, taken away from me. The real joy is the vinyl controllers, allowing to play the latest stuff old skool style without the hassle of carrying a ten ton record bag around!

What can listeners/dance floors expect from a typical set of yours?

Well a perfect set for me is a five hour affair. You can expect the mix to move seamlessly from 80BPM to 125BPM. That takes time if you gonna do it properly! You can expect an eclectic mix of sounds and styles I label ‘lounge’  and will include trip hop, hip hop, nujazz, headz, groove, funk, disco and deep house.

If I am doing a dance-floor warm-up then the style will vary depending on the crowd and the gig. As I said, genre is less important to me,as long as it’s good music. The key is to not rush into the banging stuff, leave that to your headliner. Sadly most warm-up sets are given to newbies. All they own is a bag full of floor fillers and have the subtlety of a well aimed brick. Nobody likes to start their night at a gallop. Gently ease them into it and deliver the next DJ with a full floor is what it’s all about for me.

Take us through this  podcast

1. Untold – Flynt
2. Soon- Gelka
3. Day at the Beach – J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science
The first three tracks are nice and mellow, laid-back summer afternoon type sounds, easing you into the mix.

4.Tres Bien – Jazzanova
This one turns the mix upside down, changing tempo and moving the set up several gears in one fell swoop.

5. Jazz Di Mezzaluna (club shot) – Samp Brothers

6. Levels things out a bit. Super jazzy and sexy.

7. Drop out Theme – Drop Out Orchestra
Nice Deep House track, with a driving bass and sexy little disco clap

8. Ain’t No Big Ting – Tone Scientist
A nice broken beat with dark synths. Very driving

9. Circuits (Harold Heath rerub) – Danny Stott
Back to the Deep stuff but slightly more driving track

10. Fireflies (Ben Jam’s Bumpy dub) – Ollie Brooke feat. Nica Brooke
Staying Deep with this track, but with some nice jazzy elements, including some sexy sax. The track is a nice leveller, given you a chance to breathe.

11. How Does It Feel (Timewarp Inc remix) – Afternoon’s in Stereo
Straight back into some broken beats, very driving.

12. Spacejam (feat Bobby Wellins-reworked) – One51
Great Latin flavour, guitar riffs and sax. Kinda makes you just want to shake some ass!

13. Get Closer – Ben Westbeech (Marathon men mix)
Was still feeling those broken jazz beats here. This track is a classic!

14. U Again – Siruis Mo
Just an in-your-face finish with a broken beat, some retro synths and vocals, ending frenetically and hopefully leaving you spent!!

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