Having been pretty all encompassing with our last few newsletters, we thought it time to divert back to our original feature format & focus on just a handful of what we have called our “Protégé Producers & Players”, a select few that are either internationally based stars that we have seen develop & progress, or fresh faced talents based here in London that we see as the new & rising stars of the scene. Now some of the inclusions will be recognised as talents as close to or at the top of their game, while others are still in that development stage, but what they all have in common is the ability to thrill us with their raw talent, along with a passion for their art. And yes, we can proudly proclaim that they are all, without question, firm friends too, we being privileged to know each & every one of them, hence why we are so proud to promote their achievements & aspirations here.

Milano Man

And we couldn’t think of a better choice to start this extended & special music feature off than Danny Verde, this magnificent Milano having had a truly yardstick year to add to the meteoric rise to the upper echelons of international D.J.’ing circuit that have made him such a draw by so many clubs & their promoters. Indeed, 2011 has seen Danny continue to forge a prolific path of performances across the globe, whether it be mixing in Mexico, spinning in Spain, or impressing in Italy, an army of adoring Latino’s not the only audiences that well & truly delight in his dextrous deliveries. The year has seen appearances for Delice Dream, those Mexican tours, trips across Europe including right here in London, regular slots at home for massive club Muccassassina, even up as far as Finland, or down to Deutschland, hardly any part of the continent untouched by his tremendous talent, while a return to The States is on the cards for next year to follow the trip this, Australia & Africa sure to come too. And such is Mr Verde’s demand, that hardly a week goes by when he is jetting off somewhere, either near to his native Milan or to distant borders. That said, there is no denying that the firm foundation behind Danny’s substantial successes across the globe is in his studio productions, a quick glance at some of his tracks speaking volumes, “Pushin To The Top”, “Let Me See Your Underwear” & “Express Yourself” three that spring to mind, while a whole raft of remixes litter his discography, for us, his re-work of the Pagano & Stewart Who creation “Trapped” right up there.

Rapturous Remix

However this year, the hallowed turf that is his Holab studio has seen the Verde remixing gear definitely hit top, first kicking off with a further re-work of “Express Yourself”, although when we realised that the “Starry Eyed” mix that Steve Pitron was treating us to in Beyond was Danny’s production, we were nothing short of speechless in just how emotionally euphoric it made us feel & how brilliant it is. But, when we enjoyed our third liaison of the year with him in Rome, we were privy to a new project involving Kelly Rowland, the result being his remix of her hit “Motivation”, although nothing could have prepared us for the news of an yet another official production, this time for Lady Gaga, one which has catapulted his name to the top of the biggest music download sites in the world, not least the US Billboard chart. And whilst we have particular affection for “Starry Eyed”, there is no denying that Danny’s version of Lady Gaga’s “You & I” is sure to attain him un-paralleled notoriety compared to the former  and one which has already seen Danny plastered across the musical press both at home & abroad. And when you take a listen to the track you will understand just why, as this is undoutably one of his most accomplished productions to date (possibly his most), it blowing our mind & leaving us breathless when we heard it play in a club last Friday, so one you should definitely seek out (along with the other three of course) by selecting his soundcloud site at http://soundcloud.com/holabstudio/. Moreover, as we did today, go get Danny’s “You & I” mix  from iTunes, stick it on your smart phone, MP3 player or iPod, and we can pretty much guarantee that, like us, you will become hooked to this heavenly house hit.

Barca Boy

To our second inclusion and very much a protégé of ours if ever there was one, the weight of our support being thrown behind Barcelona boy Javier Medina from the minute we saw his name emerge about eighteen months ago, although this belies his extensive experience in the D.J.’ing & production game which spans for many years. The son of a D.J., it was always going to be in Javier’s blood, although a pursuit of design would be his first career path, the creative skills that saw him take this direction soon translating into producing music, not least from inspirers such as Danny Teneglia & Herbie Hancock. So, it was no surprise that his insatiable desire to cut a considerable stride in among his music making peers saw Mr Medina shed his design coat & throw the full weight of his devotions into D.J.’ing & producing, his Barcelona base soon sprouting residencies at clubs like Dboy & Devotion, while European gigs would also soon follow in Germany, Italy & France, Australia also proving a prolific playing ground for him, ties still remaining from his short relocation down under. But cracking the international nut was a tough one, openings here in London for brands Lovechild & As One helping in that process, although it would be his homeland Spain & one of its biggest clubbing brands that would be the breakthrough Javier was looking for.

Matinee Man

The name Matinee is synonymous with Spain & with clubbing although it would be fair to say that at first glance, Mr Medina’s definite tribal & tech style of sounds didn’t much fit this global group’s music model, although with the advances competitors SuperMartXe & WE were making in 2010, a fresh injection at Matinee was required. So signing Javier to this Spanish giant was very much that move and one that would mark a massive step change in both his profile as a D.J. on the international stage and a slight shift in his style of sound, the vocal infusions that had been conspicuous by their absence in early productions of his, coming more to the fore within his performances & his podcasts. However, Javier’s musical roots do remain in the tribal & tech camps, although he is reported as calling his current direction as “…happy tech house…” explaining it as “…a hypnotising combination of groovy & percussive beats…”, a style that seems to have won him favour with Matinee and with audiences both at home & when he tours for the brand. And with his 2011 starting in the best possible way, playing live in New York, destinations including, Montreal, Moscow, Paris & Rome are just four among a long list, while he was an intrinsic part of The Circuit Festival back in Barcelona in August, that on top of a superb showing here in London in July. But it is to New York that we look & find Javier’s latest studio release, a podcast plucked from his live performance at the cities District 36 club and one reflective of Mr Medina’s music making & mastery, so one for the collection by going to http://soundcloud.com/javier-medina/tracks, not forgetting to pick up his Circuit compilation too.

Charming Chico

Now to another Latino although of the Venezuelan persuasion, Eduardo De La Torre a proud product of this South American country, although a large chunk of his life has been spent here in Europe, bouncing between Spain Germany & London, the capital being the place we first met a befriended our fellow Sagittarian and where his D.J’ing career took a huge leap, his exposure to big brand Matinee very much setting a course in his career that would lead him to laying his hat in Berlin. And it is in the German capital where Edu has really come into his own, the more relaxed feel of the city’s scene allowing him to flex his creative muscles much better than here in London, the firm foundation of a residency with Berlin’s Connection club the platform that allows Mr De La Torre to tour across Europe, Moscow a regular feature of his activity, while Cologne, Hamburg, Vienna &, of course, back to London feature, here being where he has played for clubs & events including A:M, As One, Beyond & Lovechild. That said, Berlin & Germany is his rock, as speaking the language fluently, having studied electronic music production in the city & also being intrinsically involved in the annual Salvation party which took place just last night and was one we were proud to be part of last year, means he feels right at home here, Edu completely in the thick of it all. But his talents behind the decks have also extended to stints on radio shows, his stay in Spain spurting his love for this medium, while beaming the Edu sounds through Radio Ibiza (via Berlin naturally).

Very Impressive Production

But much of his energy also goes into his productions and having formed a recording partnership & studio set up by the name of No-Scene, in the short space of time the duo have been working together, the accomplishments have been substantial, a huge highlight being their nomination to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision song contest, no mean feat when you consider that, despite its reputation, this is one of the biggest & richest music machines in Europe. That aside, a steady stream of track releases mark Edu’s production partnership, the latest being “VIP”, a pumping progressive, come electronic, tech & tribal combo that has the eastern European style of sound written all over it and has just been released on iTunes, remixes from the likes of Tony Jaguar & Andi Cowl on the cards, while Belgian beatmaster Elof De Neve is also associated with the track adding even more prominence to the production. However, for us, it is when Mr De La Torre creates his solo tracks &/or bootlegs that we see the Edu that we came to love & adore back in the days of his time in London, his re-work of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” probably one of our favourites, that underlying connection with Elof De Neve coming through quite strong and a track that we see finding favour across lots of European dancefloors with remix or re-work packages surely on their way. So we need say no more than thoroughly recommending that you select his Soundcloud site at http://soundcloud.com/eduy2k/ where you will find both tracks, while a pop to his podcast page will find full on compilations, the latest from his residency at Connection in his adopted home city.

Terrific Tel Aviv Talent

Right, moving from Berlin to Tel Aviv, one which some may find awkward but it is here where we find impressive Israeli Guy Scheiman, terrific talent both behind the decks & in the recording studio, yet one that only came to our attention this year, well New year’s Day to be exact, when he managed a feat few have achieved by playing for rival brands Salvation & Lovechild pretty much back-to-back. Having spent a short time with the man in the capitals clubbing events WE Party & Orange that followed, it became apparent that we would begin to track his playing & production progress, a further five day meet for Delice Dream in Barcelona in April cementing a friendship that has grown in stature & strength since, although we were gutted to miss his showing for Hustlaball here in June when we found ourselves in hospital rather than on the dancefloor. However, that connection we had cemented in Barcelona was manifested in the production of a podcast that was to represent a joint collaboration that, like all good friendships, had is rocky moments, while the central aim of this “From Tel Aviv To London” mix was to promote Guy as a D.J. & producer in the eyes of the European aspiration jewel he is undoubtedly aiming for, that taste of success that he achieved in London still fresh in his mind. So, having chosen tracks between us, but with Guy’s input invaluable to its release, the result is a compilation packed with sunshine sounds of the summer, heaps of Scheiman influences included, not least three of his own remix productions and what is fast becoming our track of the moment (more on that in a sec), so well worth checking out at http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/from-tel-aviv-to-london-disco/.

Delightful Devotion

But the Scheiman story is one that still sees his roots firmly planted at home in Israel, his daily occupation as a sports physio still very much part of his life, while he continues to hold down residencies for the city’s club Cat & Dog, appearances for massive brand FFF now also a feature and whilst many would say he probably still stands in the shadow of Israel’s biggest D.J. export, Offer Nissam, for us, Guy’s talents far outweigh his peer. So much so, we see him being our third Danny Verde in the making, a collaboration with one of the world’s most prolific club scene performance artists, Peyton, on the cards, while that goal of playing in London again is a lot closer than he realises, Guy now an international D.J. resident inclusion in Alex Erfan’s Lovechild lot with the likes of Javier Medina, Johan Khoury & Dani Toro, this neatly moving onto what is surely his best compilation to date, his devotion to Lovechild’s return to the capitals clubbing circuit at Pulse last Saturday. And in this promo mix we have a podcast that is as close to a live performance at the club that we could want, this 80 minute marvel kicking off with euphoric energy and in so doing, displaying the raw talent of this dextrous D.J., a resplendent remix of the dancefloor classic “Love On My Mind” leading onto hit after hit that finishes with that Danny Verde Lady Gaga triumph “You & I” which Guy has given his own slight re-work treatment. Now this podcast is definitely looking like being included in our top ten of the year or at least a strong contender, so it goes without saying that we recommend you add it to your collection now by going to http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/guy-scheiman-october-2011-1/ & while you’re at it, check out his sea of sounds via tons tracks & compilations to choose on his Soundcloud site.

Now for that track of the moment mention and one that is on our collaborative mix with Guy, but is one that has also recently found its way into the playlists of plenty of D.J.’s on the capitals clubbing circuit, not least Steve Pitron who treated us to it at Beyond & then Lo-Profile in the last two weekends. Geoff M’s “You Better” with the vivacious vocals of Dawn Tallman having been given the magical musical touch up by David Penn, is an absolute corker & has raced up our own 2011 chart, a top 40 that looks tougher to choose than ever before, although this should safely make it in, a link to its brilliant beats in full seven minute glory right here at http://youtube.com/watch?v=wRPk__KizOg.

Brilliant Brazilian

Right, back to the protégé job in hand and our next two come right here from London, although the first has his roots in Brazil, a country which has come to influence the capitals clubbing circuit in a pretty big way recently, with first The Week making a splash and then home grown brand Casa Latina making its mark and was where one Junior Moura made his club D.J.’ing debut, his main room showing for the superb “Super Car Wash” event back in July a huge highlight. However, the Junior story goes back a little further than that, as his very first appearance behind the decks was for Ku-Bar back in February, one we sadly missed as we were heading off to South Africa at the time, while more recent gigs for both Profile & Lo-Profile, for The Later Boat Party in July, as well as that unforgettable post London Pride play at Barcode Vauxhall are all stand-out stints for an individual whom we tip for further & future success. And his development couldn’t be in more capable hands, as he is one half of the relationship with scene superstar Steve Pitron, a better tutor Junior (better known as Celso) couldn’t ask for, not least that he has that wealth of talent & experience to draw upon, as well as Steve’s connections within the clubbing world & the wider music industry. However, while there is clearly a Pitron palate in Junior’s music making, his desire to strike his own style of sound also runs through his performances, that inescapable Brazilian influence coming into play, while he spends as much of the short amount of spare time he has away from his daytime job to search for new sounds in include in his sets, a devotion that is sure to pay dividends.

Casa Compilation

So given the tutorial direction Junior has received in his relatively short career to date, as well as given his hectic work ethic & schedule, it is remarkable to see that he has already produced three podcasts, two devoted to Casa Latina, so naturally leaning towards Brazilian beats for their make-up, while his first effort back in March also taking this delightful direction. But listening to all three it is clear how Junior’s talent is developing and how more accomplished his music choices are becoming, the latest devotion to Casa by far our favourite of his three compilations, as it seems to signal that style of sound step that we deluded to earlier, the influences from his tutor still apparent, but tempered in a way that reveals Junior’s composition capabilities. And it is a compilation that includes some colossal choices, not least that Danny Verde remix smash of Lady Gaga’s “You & I”, among a sea of other vocally infused  tracks, with Brazilian beats as blends, Junior clearly opting for the Latin influence both with the tracks & their composers, quite rightly so for this devotion to all things Casa Latina, so one for the collection by going to http://djjuniorspodcast.podomatic.com/, while you can do no wrong by picking up the other two either. As for Junior’s D.J.’ing future, well it certainly looks bright, more Profile & Lo-Profile performances surely in the pipeline, while his Casa residency is also assured which will no doubt lead onto bigger brand inclusions and we will be right there supporting his very step in true protégé style.

Gigolo Gem

Looking to London again for our penultimate inclusion in this special music newsletter, we find Zach Burns, a D.J. talent that sprung onto the scene pretty much from nowhere, but impressed from day one, an inaugural set for Room Service quickly followed by a short stint for Heaven’s Popcorn, other brands under his belt including guest appearances for Gravity & A:M, while a recent trip down to Brighton saw him play for the official Circuit Festival pre-party alongside Matinee’s new resident Javier Medina. However, it is Profile & Lo-Profile where Zach has really found his D.J.’ing legs, he part of the Profile roving residency team along with the likes of Jamie Head, Brent Nicholls, Rob Sykes & Craig Daniels, Zach perfectly placed among his more experienced peers, yet more than capably holding his own & indeed shining in the spotlight. And he did just that two weekends ago downstairs in Lo-Profile, standing in for an absent Mikey D and following a scintillating set from Steve Pitron with an equally exceptional performance that was, once again, evidence enough for us to include him here, to rate him as one to watch among a sea of hopefuls & also ran D.J.’s of which Mr Burns is definitely not, rather a star turn for future greatness.  With Gigolo boys, the Hart’s, taking him under their wing from the off, while the pressure to peform for the very first set of the clubs launch was immense, Zach pulled it off like a seasoned pro, pitching his performance perfectly and was a sparkling set that still lives vividly in our memories, not least as we have labelled one of this year’s great tracks “Stupiddisco 2011” as a Zach memory maker whenever & wherever we hear it. But with appearances for Casa Latina and now his inclusion in the resident team for new Friday night kid on the block, Le Boy, Zach is on the precipice of a huge step change in his D.J.’ing vocation which could become a career alongside the photography path he is as leading.

Outstanding October Offering

In terms of his podcast production, it is clear Zach is discernibly devoted to his art, as not a month goes by without a Burns bag of beats coming our way and not only does he set aside an immense amount of time & energy into creating the compilations, but he also takes time to post them with thoughtful explanations to their compositions, his October offering a perfect example as he is quite rightly explains that “…some people have stressed in the past that they can’t label my podcasts by the month (as he does) when I feature “some” songs that don’t fit that month of release (would be an incredible feat if each one did) but I never promote my podcasts as bursting with “fresh new music” month in, month out…” and in fairness we are glad that they don’t, as each one displays a skill that very few D.J.’s possess and that is the ability to spot a tune that befits the moment & makes plays to the audience in front of them, Zach having this skill in bountiful bundles. And this definitely translates into his live performances  as well as his monthly podcasts, each one never failing to impress us with their production quality & choice tune picks, this latest instalment getting the feet tapping and the dancing heart racing right from the off, the Burns beats trademark of rhythm & bass as its foundation, but while starting very much in this vein, it soon moves into more upfront beats including a brilliant remix of a favourite of ours, “Upside Down”, while one of his inspirers, Nacho Chapado, is featured too, “The Hit Part 1” in the thick of this 63 minute marvel, the last few minutes giving way to more vocal & uplifting tones in the form of “Live Your Life” as its core, the whole podcast representing the joyful journey that we enjoy whenever we see him play live. So, go grab your slice of Mr Burns by pressing play on his podcast page at http://djburns.podomatic.com/, or simply add his whole series of releases to your collection as we have done, plus keep an eye out for this rising star of the scene as he cuts a even more significant stride in the coming months.

Parisian Pal Player & Producer

So to our final D.J./producer and, without doubt, the most established talent in our list of inclusions here, so perhaps not so much a protégé of ours but more a main player, although we couldn’t resist including him as Leomeo is undoubtedly part of this handful of terrific talents his links to one of them most notable, as studio recordings with Javier Medina form a part of this Philippine born but now French national’s resounding repertoire. But where to start in chronicling this exceptional talent’s career behind the decks is a tricky task, as we would need to devote a whole post to his achievements, although with virtually every newsletter in the last twelve including one of his compilation or track releases, it would be fair to say we have covered plenty of ground already. Therefore, focussing on the now, the last few weeks have seen the irrepressible Mr Carandang continue his globetrotting, a mini tour of northern America kicking off with a return to Montreal & the city’s Parking club, the Canadian’s welcoming him like one of their own, while just last night he has played out to audiences in San Francisco, having stopped off in New York on the way. But his beloved Paris will be calling, although hardly a weekend goes by without Leo being elsewhere, whether it be down in Nice, across in Cologne, or even further afield, his surely exhausting schedule hardly seeming to take its toll, probably helped by his rigorous fitness regime and total devotion to his art of music making & mixing which manifests itself in the never-ending podcast productions coming out of the Leomeo factory of features.

Magnificent Matinee Mix

With a musical direction that continues to keep us on our tip toes, the clear tribal influences that have earmarked much of his career behind the decks, often give way to more progressive beats, upfront house and even the odd infusion of lounge & chill-out genres that show just how accomplished & rounded is Leo’s talent to befit the occasion perfectly, he also one of those rare breed of D.J.’s that can switch his set in an instant to match the mood or direction of his dancing devotees. So, it comes as no surprise that when we look back across the last five months podcast productions we see, lounge, electronic, club, afterhours, house & underground mixes to take our pick from, although to be honest, we have ended up choosing the lot to add to our collection, as each one reflects in their own wonderful way, the towering talent before our eyes. But, if we had to lay our hat on one particular compilation, it would probably be his “Matinee Peak Time” mix, lifted from his recent performance for the brand in his home city of Paris and one that evokes lots of memories of sets we have seen him play right here in London for Lovechild & LGDF. Mind you, having spent three unforgettable days with (as we affectionately call him) our Leo Leo in the French capital earlier this year, it is this mix that gets our vote. However, his latest “Underground” offering is equally exceptional in its own delightfully different way, both available by selecting the track page at his Soundcloud site via direct link http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/tracks, this also allowing you to dig deeper into no less than five pages of Carandang compositions to choose, meaning the sound of Leomeo is your outstanding oyster.

Right, that’s about it for this special feature length look at our “Protégé Players & Producers” and with well over 20 tracks & podcasts as perfect picks, there is plenty of magnificent music to keep you occupied for hours if not days until our next newsletter underpins what has been a labour of love in this post, one that was conceived weeks ago but has, with re-found enthusiasm, at last come to fruition, leaving us to simply say, “sit back, select those sounds and let them play, as music is the answer”. (DISCO MATT)