Impersonating as a DJ

March 24, 2006

I manned the DJ booth for over 2 hours from ~9:45 PM to ~12:10 AM. Total number of songs played – 26 Salsa, 4 Bachata and 2 Merengue (Merengue from Vishal’s CD). Among other things, I might have set a new record at Club Salsa Friday night for number of non-Merengue songs (20) played consecutively. I tried to play as many new songs as possible while sprinkling it with a number of familiar songs to prevent a riot with the mob wanting to lynch me. As it happened, I think I did try some people’s patience couple of times. It was … fun.

There were requests for something by Gran Combo, some Salsa tune having to do with the World Cup, and Reggaeton. I couldn’t accommodate any of these requests.

Playlist in approximate order (with comments)

La 33 – Suelta el bongo (1)
La 33 – El tornillo de guillo
Frankie Ruiz – Esta cobardia
Frankie Ruiz – Desnudate mujer (2)
Willie Colon - Idillo
Tabaco y Ron – Sonero de barrio (3)
Tabaco y Ron – Acabo de llegar (4)
Luisito Rosario – Rumba del barrio
N’Klabe – I love Salsa
N’Klabe – Evitare
Domenic Marte – Ven tu (5)
Domenic Marte – Senora
La 33 – La pantera mambo (6)
Eddie Palmieri – Ritmo caliente II (7)
Eddie Palmieri – Tu tu ta ta II
Joe Cuba Sextet – El pito (8)
Sonora Carruseles – Micaela (9)
La 33 – La 33
N’Klabe – Amor de una noche (10)
Orchestra Harlow – La cartera
Merengue tune 1 from Vishal’s CD (11)
Merengue tune 2 from Vishal’s CD
Tito Puente – Hong Kong mambo (12)
Tito Puente & Eddie Palmieri – Picadillo jam
Tito Puente – Maria Cervantes (13)
Grupo Niche – Gotas de lluvia (14)
Grupo Niche – Un alto en el camino
Africando – Betece
Africando – Aicha (15)
Toque D’Keda – Debo pensar
Toque D’Keda – Lamento boliviano (16)
Luisito Rosario – 1-800-Quireme (remix) (17)

(1) I had to start somewhere. There was no need to start with a big splash, but I also wanted to set a tone for introducing new tunes. Many of the La 33 tracks had been played at least once at Club Salsa but on Thursdays only to the best of my knowledge.
(2) I also wanted to get into habit of playing familiar tunes to keep people feeling safe at least some of the time. This song is a part of regular rotation in Enrique's playlist.
(3) I was a little bored with this song, and the reaction was middling at best. I might try playing it again but I don’t think I’ll try to force this one for long.
(4) An example of playing a newer cover version of an old familiar song. Joe Davids might have played the same track recently.
(5) First time I used the DJ mixer to cut an intro off a song. This technique was used four times tonight. First non-Salsa song (Bachata) of the evening.
(6) This song has been played only twice before at Club Salsa (both Thursdays). I think most people found this instantly recognizable though. This is another song better off without the intro.
(7) One person was really impressed with this song. I think it received better response than Tu tu ta ta II – similar to last time I played these songs together.
(8) Before I put this on, I was thinking that this was the riskiest song choice up to that point. I think a few people were confused because they may not have heard the original version before.
(9) It's a punchline.
(10) No complaints about N'Klabe although none of these songs had been played before at Club Salsa (except by me once on a Sunday a while ago).
(11) Some people had been clamoring for Merengue for 10-15 minutes by this point.
(12) I was debating how long I was going to wait before I started playing Tito Puente (and how many of his material). I thought this was a safe starting point given it's also a part of Enrique's normal rotation of songs.
(13) This was a song I really wanted to see other people’s reaction for a long time. There was a big reaction from all spectrums (love it or hate it). I thought I was going to get lynched by the “hate it” crowd in the beginning of the song, but I also received very positive reactions also (both tonight and at the end of Thursday night when I was learning how to cut long intro from songs). I think I’ll wait a little longer before I start playing Cal Tjader on Fridays (or do it in very low doses). Tito Puente is surprisingly controversial and perhaps even divisive. On second thought, I’m pretty sure there are several songs by Tito Puente, which I could have chosen to play tonight with no controversy whatsoever (and I don’t mean songs that is already in the Club Salsa playlist like Hong Kong mambo and Ran kan kan). I would be perfectly willing to play this song many times down people’s throats (and plan to do so) except there are so many other Tito Puente tracks I want to play as well. Oh I forgot. I’m not a regular DJ so I won’t get very many chances – except perhaps through someone like Sally who seemed highly receptive to the idea of taking song requests from me.
(14) I decided not to play more Tito Puente for the moment. I was willing to go as much as 4 or 5 in a row, but I didn't think it likely after first 20-30 minutes of DJing tonight given the crowd.
(15) At least one person found two Africando songs in a row too much. Aicha of course is overplayed to the hilt. I don’t think I would have played it except as a reaction against some people’s reaction to Maria Cervantes. Call it pandering. Just before I started this song, Vishal came to ask if I wanted to be relieved. I think he was ready to step in pretty much right away, but I talked him into letting me stay for 4 more songs.
(16) Only three couples danced to this Bachata song, but it seemed there were quite a number of people who would have loved to have danced to this. This is another song that was asked about afterwards (described as haunting). I was curious to see how this song would do as the second of two Bachata songs in a row.
(17) I might as well end with something new again. This is the only song that I played and danced to - not very well I might add. I know the song pretty well but I also had never danced to it either.

I think it’s safe to say that quite a number of Latin CDs I have is not ready for mass consumption on Fridays. Introduction of new songs will have to be gradual. I tried to take advantage of being a new DJ in the scene to push some limits. Of course given my limited collection (just over 50 CDs), I didn’t have much choice (although I note that I only used 19 of my CDs). I could also say that a DJ with a big reputation would also get more leeway and benefit of doubt for playing something new and different. I could have pushed the boundary a little more tonight but I think it possible that many people felt they were placed far outside their comfort zone with my "compromise" playlist.

A surprising source told me that I should stick to playing certain “new” old tunes because a lot of people don’t realize that they will like these songs with more listening and an open mind. I had been thinking (and saying?) the same and did not require any convincing, but it was very nice to get such reaction from someone who might not be considered part of the progressive or radical (as opposed to conservative or reactionary) part of the Cambridge Salsa scene.

I would have been happy to go another 1/2 hour or so to play some Oscar D’Leon (definitely) and possibly more Tito Puente (what I would have considered less controversial), Eddie Palmieri or Ray Barretto along with maybe one more very different sounding artist/song.

On the whole, I think most people were pretty happy with most of the songs I played. Some people almost certainly had bones to pick about a song here or there depending on their taste. If there were people who were unhappy with the playlist in general, they didn't let me know (not sure if they would have ... although Maria Cervantes with first 20-30 seconds of empty dance floor did provoke some people - eventually 8-10 couples came down to exploit the space and enjoy what they apparently came to realize is a perfectly pleasant and danceable tune).

I managed to get 4 dances after my DJ duty was over. It seemed like many people left early or never came tonight to save energy for tomorrow night. Oh well. I knew this would happen going in. Dancing was okay - as if I had lost my mojo or muse. In all likelihood this was more because I was standing around for so long while DJing and not dancing.