Some of us missed Jazzy Jeff when he played Taipei last November in the mistaken belief that he was more a media name than a musician. It was a bad call because his gig at Luxy was said to be one of the best ever held at the club since it opened two years ago this weekend.
To help celebrate Luxy's second birthday party Jeff has added a diversion to Taipei to his current world tour and will play two nights, reprising his stellar hip-hop set tonight, with MC Skillz, and introducing his house music tomorrow. Jeff has already esta-blished his dance music credentials with last year's critically and popularly acclaimed album Jazzy Jeff In the House.
Speaking from Bangkok, Jeff said of last year's Taipei gig that, "It was like a surprise to me. We just got off on the energy and had a real party with the crowd. We got the love."
PHOTO COURTESY OF LUXY
Considering Jeff's experience and success -- he started DJing as a 10 year old in the 1970s and met up with Will Smith to produce DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's Rock the House in 1987 -- "The Vinyl Word" wanted to know what variables created a great party.
"There's stuff you control and stuff you can't control. As for a good party, maybe people ain't been out for a long time. I don't deal with un-knowables, I just work at it and try to make it a special occasion by taking the crowd on a journey," Jeff said.
"Enough people go to clubs every week and they get tired of hearing the same stuff. I want it to be the most musically exhausting night they have ever been to. You know, mix in some old ones [songs], some new, a few favorites and hit 'em with the remix live. I got a lot of tricks and tracks. I ain't gonna come 20,000 miles and play the same."
Jeff said his least favorite country to DJ in right now was the US. "It's hard to get them going. It's like people in the US are close-minded, the media is in control and people only want to listen to what they've heard before. I mean, come on, there are a trillion good records out there. I guess the cycle goes round but at the moment the mainstream US hip-hop scene is kinda dry."
Alan Hsia, formerly of 2nd Floor and a founder of Luxy, said the scene in Taipei is at a different stage and it's hip hop that has been bringing excitement over the past two years, rather than house music.
"Musically, it's gone full circle, with hip hop, and now dance music waiting to be re-invented ... Two years ago, hip hop refreshed itself somehow, it broke through with mashups, commercial stars and movie tie-ups, so hip hop began a new cycle. Now dance is waiting to begin again."
To bring back some excitement to the dancefloor Hsia held the Sweet party the previous week and has some big names on the list for next month, including Ken Ishii, Sasha, James Zabiela and Arman Van Buren.
As for the best parties over the past two years at Luxy, Hsia picked out Johnny Fiasco, Naughty by Nature, Darren Emerson, Fresh on Wednesday ("It brought a whole dimension to the scene with a successful midweek night") and Jazzy Jeff -- who gets the last word.
"People like Alan [Hsia] looked after us when we here last, and that's another variable for a good time. It makes you want to come back and party."
Tickets for the show are NT$700 before 11pm, NT$900 after. Luxy is at 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd, Sec 4, Taipei (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). Call (02) 2772 1000, or (0955) 904 600 for reservations (English service available).
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