Juan de Dios Ventura Soriano better known as Johnny Ventura or “El Caballo Johnny Ventura”, a popular Dominican singer and band leader who also served as vice mayor of Santo Domingo from 1994 to 1998, and as mayor of Santo Domingo from 1998 to 2002 was admitted to the Center for Advanced Medicine , in the Dominican Republic, after suffering a fall at his home he washospitalized, tand underwent a test of coronavirus (COVID-19) after presenting cold symptoms. The test was positive.
Ventura who is under intensive care and under observation, declared that t he is stable and is able to breathe without having to resort to supplemental oxygen.
Manu Dibango died Tuesday after contracting the Coronavirus, representatives of the artist have confirmed.
Dibango was 86 from Cameroon, and was best known to Disco fans all over the world for his 1972 hit “Soul Makossa” which can still be heard at clubs and stations here in South Florida.
It was written in Duala , a native dialect from Cameroon. ,The track is best known for the repetitive phrase “ma-mako, ma-ma-sa, mako-mako ssa”, which was adapted and used in songs by many prominent artists, such as Michael Jackson‘s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” from his album Thriller (1982) ( Dibango sued Jackson over the uncredited interpolation, winning an out of court settlement. ) and Rihanna‘s hit single “Don’t Stop the Music” from Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) (the complaint was deemed inadmissible) .
He died early this morning( tuesday March 24, 2020) in a hospital in the Paris region.
Our business depends on our interaction with people, making a positive impression is crucial and not only with our music and mixing skills. Every one wants to know the DJ. When they see us at our clubs ,at our events on the street they all want to acknowledge you as their buddy. The current climate , has many of us on edge, especially since we are constantly interacting with our public, the ones that come out and make us look good. We must now step back and evaluate every aspect of our DJ routine.
The Coronavirus,is a respiratory illness, that has infected thousands of people across the world. The outbreak began in China, but the virus has emerged in several countries, including the United States, as it has continued to spread. Fear of the spreading the virus has led many people to consider abandoning niceties and recommending against handshakes or physical contact.
Hand to hand Contact can transfer germs that can cause disease, such as respiratory infections like colds or the flu. It appears by some studies that have been conducted that “fist bumps” reduces the amount of bacteria that transfers from person to person, because of the smaller surface area and shorter amount of time the hands are in contact. A person with NO symptoms may be shedding the virus and could make others sick.
Coronavirus can remain infectious on in animate surfaces at room temperature for up to 9 days. The virus tends to live longer in colder, more humid conditions. Controllers, Headphones, Microphones, even laptop keyboards all are surfaces where the virus could potentially live, sharing those now come with an added liability, our clients use our microphones and then hand them back so we can announce ” The Buffet line is open” DJ friend forgets his Headphones , the girl that hands you their iphone. The scenarios are endless. New procedures must be implemented in our routines during set up and breakdown. We now must be aware about potential forms of transmission without appearing to over-react, Drink glasses left on our subs, must be handled differently than before. Holding purses and coats, phones for guests. Singers and musicians handling your wireless mics.
So, how do we greet our clients , our fans, fellow music industry professionals? Avoiding complete physical contact in my opinion is an option for now . Let them know you are being cautious and not rude although” Fist Bumping” can seem awkward or inappropriate in certain situations. Someone who is coughing and sneezing close to you is more likely to infect you . The standard Handshake is part of doing business, especially with older people. You can’t ( or shouldn’t ) fist bump or High Five a 75 year old lady contracting you for $7,000 gala at a prestigious hotel although the way things are going everything may change in the near future, with cases on the rise.
AJ Falcon member of the South Florida DJ Association say ” It will be business as usual , but with heightened precautions such as having hand sanitizer more available , interchangeable foam microphone windscreens. Respect personal space. I would not stop shaking hands. This form of greeting is essential, particularly in the latin community”
Because there are no specific treatments for COVID-19, many experts are focusing on prevention. Basically, clean everything ! Agents, including hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, and sodium hypochlorite (a chemical in bleach), can all inactivate corona-viruses.
A good DJ Prevention kit could contain the following;
Hand Sanitizer ( Any Brand) Some DJs are even custom labeling their own bottles to hand out
Once a Upon a Time. A Donna Summers Celebration performance by her sister Mary Gaines Bernard at the Renaissance Ballroom Miami
Jimmie Elias better know to his friends as “Jimmie E Disco” he has kept the dance Music of the 70s and early 80s alive since his first DJ job in the mid 70s at a popular Miami teen Club ” Salon Azul” . Club owner, concert promoter, radio personality everyone knows Jimmy. On Saturday February 29, 2020 Jimmy opened the doors at his luxury event venue The Renaissance Ballroom in Miami. (A Gerard Bernard, Jimmie Elias & Luis Mario #Legendsofvinyl Production.) With the participation of such groups as The Legends of Vinyl, Share Your Heart, Magic Waste Youth Foundation, Love by LOV and Havana Roasters the concert sold out within a week after being announced.
Bernard was born in Boston and her parents, Andrew and Mary Gaines, raised their 6 children as devout Christians. In 1978 Bernard, along with sister Dara, and Carlena Williams formed the group, Sunshine. They produced a song(Take It To The Zoo) featured on the soundtrack for the movie, Thank God It’s Friday, She sang background on several of Donna’s songs.Her sister LaDonna Adrian Gaines ( Donna Summer) passed om May 17, 2012
The standing room only concert opened with one of Donna’s biggest hit ” McArthur Park” as Mary stepped on the stage. In my opinion this was one of Donna’s toughest songs for any vocalist to tackle, it was impressive how Mary held the notes, sustaining them with great power, tone and control . The audience knew they were in for a treat and the rest of the night did not disappoint. The live band delivered on all levels sounding like the actually recordings, a feat many live ensembles cannot achieve. The show wrapped up with , of course ” Last Dance” which brought every one out of their seats to the dance floor. The up close and personal approach that Elias has taken in presenting Mary Gaines Bernard was applauded by all the attendees. ” This was an experience I will never forget. Donna would be proud of her sister , her performance was impeccable .” said Betty Rasse a life long Donna Summer fan who has attended many of her concerts . Immediately following the concert Jimmie and Luis Mario took to the turntables for an energetic Disco Classic set that kept the crowd dancing late into the night. ” Miami is ready for more artists in this intimate setting and we thank Jimmie Elias for providing us with such a great venue and concert” DJ Alex Gutierrez
Local Disco fans with Jimmie EliasJimmie E Disco mixing it up to a full houseLuis Mario played some great classics the crowd loved !Making things go smooth behind the scenesWho is that in the Audience?
Countless number of Freestyle artists have tried to unsuccessfully reinvent themselves with ” new” material that comes across forced and artificial , with laughable results and No support from Djs . Stevie B is that rare exception . His new track ” When Your Heart is Calling” could have been a radio hit back when he started in 1988. With this track he doesn’t attempt to re-invent, instead he reaffirms his status as the Most Influential Freestyle artist to come out of that era, hopefully setting an example for other artists who might attempt to record new material.
The track uses Cybertron’s ” 1983 hit ” Clear” as a the music bed for this single , Stevie bounces and pops lyrically just the way he did on his previous material. Fans of Freestyle music will not be disappointed as this is the ” Real Deal”. Djs will be able to feed this track to audiences slipping it in their sets with no complaints from the dance floor. I’m hoping he might release another Freestyle version but with original music, but for now this , in my opinion is one of the Best ” New” original songs released by an artist of that era. The cut can be found on his new lp ” The Best of Life”
We “ exposed” our audiences to Donny Benet at one of our shows here in Miami about a year ago. We’ve discovered that when we present new music to our audiences , it should be audio only, as videos seem to taint and influence negatively songs that otherwise would be well received. “ Konichiwa” ( 2017) from Donny Benet’s LP “ The Don ” was totally the opposite. The video sparked an immediate interest in this Sydney based solo recording artist, whose musical inspirations are obvious in his unique style , which borrows heavily from Italo Disco, and R&B from the 80s. “Konichiwa ” is an ultra-smooth track , sung in a whisper style, over a 4 on the Floor Disco/Soul beat, complete with a very sexy sax solo. A perfect video to introduce you to Donny’s cool , underdog persona. The burning sax player is my favorite aside from the suit. And No, he’s not that “porno guy”
Yacht Rock Miami is known for their classic smooth sounds of the 80s. but the station is also a launching pad for those ” Smooth” artists of today such as Vladimir Cetkar . His LP ” Coming Home” and the title track ,released by the Japanese Music Label P-Vine Records is becoming one of the most requested songs on the station. Vladimir Cetkar was greatly influenced by such jazz, funk, soul and disco bands and musicians as Change, Chic, Earth Wind and Fire, Patrice Rushen, Cameo, The Brothers Johnson, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Quincy Jones, Jamiroquai and many more and it shows. You have to check out this artist!!
Way back when I started to DJ we were content to playing the records. We admired the musicians that made the music. The skill it took to put the words and notes together to create the songs on the albums that we would play over and over. Short of learning to play an instrument we had to be satisfied with listening and enjoying these great compositions by these very talented musicians. Technology pressed ahead and slowly the studio crept into our bedrooms , but still to make the music ,we had to learn to play the music. In 1985, Apple released a music sequencer named Performer, also based on the Mac platform, for arranging and performing with synthesizers and other instruments that would recognized the -newly developed MIDI standard. Still a person would have to know how to play music in order to make music
I’m a huge James Bond fan,so you can imagine when in the opening credits of ” The Spy Who Loved Me” 007 evades several machine gun wielding adversaries while on a pair of skis to a hard pouncing, dance floor worthy Disco theme,complete with scratching wa -was.I wasn’t a big Fan of Roger Moore but the producers ,or should I say Composer Marvin Hamlisch hit it right on the head !!The soundtrack to the film was composed by Hamlisch, who filled in for veteran John Barry. Released in August of 1977 it was almost as if Albert R. Broccoli had predicted the coming of Disco.
Biddu Orchestra – James Bond Disco Theme was released in 1978 but never appeared in a James Bond film.
You are sitting in front of your computer when Kool and the Gang’s ” Summer Madness” comes on. The trans-formative power of music is evident in productions such as this. You are compelled to share these sounds with everyone in hopes to expose someone new to this experience. The track possibly more recognizable as The 1991 song “Summertime”, via a sample by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince was released in 1974 on the ” Light of the Worlds” LP.Previously Kool and The Gang had released a track with a similar feel ,1973’s Wild and Peaceful” but with ” Madness” they found the right mixture of sounds to create an instrumental submersive, relaxing, audio experience.
The Fresh Prince/Jazzy Jeff is actually a tolerable ” rap” version
Way back when I started to DJ we were content to playing the records. We admired the musicians that made the music. The skill it took to put the words and notes together to create the songs on the albums that we would play over and over. Short of learning to play an instrument we had to be satisfied with listening and enjoying these great compositions by these very talented musicians. Technology pressed ahead and slowly the studio crept into our bedrooms , but still to make the music ,we had to learn to play the music. In 1985, Apple released a music sequencer named Performer, also based on the Mac platform, for arranging and performing with synthesizers and other instruments that would recognized the -newly developed MIDI standard. Still a person would have to know how to play music in order to make music