-How long have you been DJing?
I’ve been DJing for eight years. I started my senior year of college. It kind of came as a fluke. I was attending UC Davis at the time and I was giving music to a local salsa DJ. He was playing old stuff from the ‘90s, just really dated salsa music, and people were just fed-up with it.
I burned him some CDs (that was the thing back then). Then one day he’s like, “Hey man do you want to give DJing a shot, I need someone to take over.” Sure enough, I took my opportunity and started DJing using my laptop with virtual DJ.
When I started DJing my sets were horrible. It was a very rough experience, but you know, you progress and get better. My older brother had been DJing as well, and today he’s been doing it for over twenty years. He taught me a lot of what I know today.
-What has been one of the biggest challenges as a D.J over the past eight years of your career?
I’d say the biggest challenge has been growing and adapting with the changes that have been happening. Specifically, because one of the first things I was taught was you can’t please everybody when it comes to playing music at an event, and particularly the type of music that I DJ - Salsa and Bachata music.
People are so damn particular about the songs they want to hear. You’ll go to an event and you’ll play like traditional Bachata and people would be like, “No I’m not dancing to that” and then you play the sensual stuff or the remixes and people just jump on it having the time of their life. But other people are just looking at you like, “Is this going to be hump fest all night?” I say that’s been the biggest challenge as it relates to club events and festivals.
Sometimes it’s even balancing your personal life and DJ life because at some point or another it does get a little old. You are out every night till two or three in the morning. I also have a day job, so I need to make sure I’m able to balance both.
-Tell me about your day job.
I’m a counselor by day, I work at Community Colleges as an academic counsellor. I work under a speciality trio program, a federally funded program, and the populations we serve are low-income, first generation, and students with disabilities.
I work with a lot of kids from Silicon Valley that are dealing with homelessness, food scarcity, and just day-to-day struggles.
-How would you describe your style or your sound when DJing?
It’s been something I’ve really tried to figure out. My style doesn’t fall into one category. Particularly if I think about Bachata/Salsa you know I play everything. I play traditional Bachata, sensual, modern, remixes, salsa, Mambo, timba, Romantic, Modern Salsa, I play it all. To me, it’s a good mixture, a blend of everything. That is what I really appreciate about music, is just having the flexibility to play so many different things and not necessarily be typecasted to be known as “Oh this person is on, expect this type of music the entire night.”
-Tell me about your local scene dance scene.
I run my own event. I oversee Hot Bachata Nights which is one of the biggest Bay area and longest running bachata socials in San Francisco. Also, I’m currently working with Kathy Reyes, and we’ve been doing Bachata Nights which is a once a month event on Thursdays, and that’s been going on for three years.
As far as the community and the scene goes, the Bay area and Sacramento are home for me.
The Bay area and the Sacramento scene are so big now, and I’m fortunate enough where I’m recognized when I go out. There’s a certain level of appreciation, and I can’t help but appreciate that community for the love I receive from them.
-I’ve never been to Sacramento but I can imagine there’s a huge scene there.
-What I appreciate about Sacramento and the Davis area is that there is a huge student potential that you can tap into. Those colleges and universities have students orgs which basically produce the next generation of dancers. They keep us old folks(if you will), wanting to continue to do better and keep creating.
-What is your favorite song right now?
I think it’s a tie right now between JR’s La Estrella, it still hits me but Kewin Cosmos Como Las Noventas bachata remix by D.J. York and DJ Manuel Citro is some next-level shit. I appreciate the time and the craft that went into that but with JR’s new album, the whole thing was just phenomenal, but La Estrella hit a special place for me. The album dropped when I was on honeymoon in the Philippines and it was really special for me.
-What is your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is Hitch with Will Smith. I was a big sucker for that rom-com, it was a great movie, I loved it. But right now, my favorite movie has to be Parasite.
-What is your favorite country?
Japan, but the Philippines is up there right now. I’ve always had an appreciation, love, and admiration for Japanese culture. Me and my wife really love anime. My wedding was a Dragon Ball Z themed wedding!
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