Qool DJ Marv Aural Memoirs & Buttamilk Archives // MusiQuarium Of Wonder // Instruments Of Mass Construction // Music4Winners // Chapters & Verses // Traversing Borders // Definite Measures // Infinite Inspirations // Unleashed Lions // Notes to Self //
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. ______________________________ THURSDAYS Qool DJ Marv @ Red Rooster, Harlem 310 Lenox Ave a/k/a Malcolm X Boulevard between 125th & 126th Street May 2nd May 9th May 23rd May 30th June 6th June 13th June 20th June 27th July 4th (TBC) July 11th August 1st August 8th August 15th August 22nd August 29th Time 8:00pm-12:30am ______________________________ FRIDAYS Qool DJ Marv spins his only vinyl only gig on Fridays at Bar Six in Manhattan's West Village. 502 6th Avenue between 12th & 13th streets. May 3rd May 10th May 17th May 24th May 31st June 7th June 14th June 21st June 28th July 5th July 12th August 2nd August 9th August 16th August 23rd August 30th Time: 10:30pm-2:00am ______________________________ Q&A Curious: All at the same time you've seamlessly built a worldwide underground following, you are considered one of New York’s best eclectic vibe lounge DJs, and you’re the DJ that HBO hires when they want their special events to have a special themed sound. Without being overtly mainstream or particularly well connected, how have you managed to maintain and extend your career? MARV: My idealistic drive to share music that I’ve discovered has become a vehicle to earn more opportunities to keep playing or working with music. I first DJ’ed at Emory University in 1989 but in the mid-90s I began producing cassette mixtapes of off-the-radar music for my friends (mainstream music listeners who heard most new music on the radio). I interned at a commercial radio station in Philadelphia and learned that carefully calibrated radio formats were less about music and more about ads. Realizing that a lot of radio-worthy music that I was buying wasn’t making it to the airwaves, I made tapes to fill the gap amongst my peers. Encouraged by positive feedback and a want for more of my way to mix, I kept going…I keep going. I went out to hear the best in Philly and in New York City and never forgot the way they did what they did and how the crowds responded. Honing in on subtlety and skillful application of mixing techniques, I simply wanted to be on their level by way of earnest listening and practice. In 23 years I have recorded more than 400 mixes including live sets and home studio concepts and from day one, my way to play and my sound has been travelling. In other words, to answer your question succinctly: I’m sincerely gifted with an ear for the all time, bandwagon cash-in trend adverse, and tirelessly committed to opening ears and minds while moving butts. No worries, I do enjoy playing pop too, but I always wanted to have a chance to play all music because I truly do love all music and the truth is that the ‘hot’ DJ of those pop scenes, always gets cold.