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-- Jason Jollins interview on NCC

Jason Jollins interview on NCC

makes alot of excellent points

http://nightclubcity.com/article.php?s_id=16

quote:

NCC How old were you when you first got into house music and how did it happen? Jason Jollins I started listening to house music when I was about 14 years old and I was introduced to it through some good friends of mine. In the early 1980's I was really into break dancing and rap music culture (hip hop). I was very young at the time but I worked for a dance studio and often traveled with them as a break dancer putting on shows. Through break dancing I was exposed to dj'ing and turntablism and it fascinated me how dj's would scratch and mix songs and sounds together. When I was introduced to house music I absolutely loved it. I bought my first pair of turntables in 1989 and the art of dj'ing has been a part of me ever since. NCC How would you describe your sound? JJ I would classify myself as a progressive house dj, but not in the traditional form. I tend to play many different styles within my sets, but do so in a progressive way. I think it is extremely important for a dj to be diverse when it comes to track selection. I play Minimal, House, Progressive House, Electro, Tribal, Techno, Trance, etc... But tend to concentrate more on what sounds good to myself and my fans rather than on what style it is. I prefer to play diverse genre bending danceable dj sets that last at least 5 hours. A great dj in my opinion has the ability to weave in and out of many different subgenres in a way that creates a seamless soundscape. Sort of like telling a story and bringing the crowd for a ride. I love bass lines, vocal dubs, great melodies, tracks that have a unique edge to them, tracks that move the soul, lots of teasing, feeling, and emotion... I am very detail oriented when it comes to mixes & transitions. I come from a time when dj's would create a journey within there dj sets. I don't like to just play tracks, I like to tell a story with every set. NCC While you have been recognized and have built a steady following over the years through your headlining sets, many also talk highly of your opening sets. JJ Thank you, that truly means a lot to me ) Opening a big room in the proper fashion is a skill which takes a lot of experience. It's not about showing up the headliner and it's certainly not an opportunity to shine. It's very easy for an opening Dj to just bang it out and play the monster tracks. But opening a room in this manner can ruin the energy flow of the entire night on a musical level and effect the clubbers overall experience. Within my opening sets I like to create a warm and welcoming environment for those who enter the club early. Throughout the set I strive to keep those who are at the venue involved and interested through a slow and steady but danceable build; teasing and creating anticipation for what is to come. It's important when opening a room to have patience and respect for the headliner, there is a very fine balance between creating excitement and keeping the energy level in a place where the headliner feels comfortable to start his or her set. I personally enjoy my clubbing experience the most when the music increases in energy throughout the night (a constant incline) rather than for there to be just a constant high energy with no build from opening to close. NCC The term progressive house has been seen by some as a "dirty word" within the industry. What are your thoughts on the term progressive house and some of the negative press it has received over the past few years? JJ Just recently there was an amazing new track by Eric Prydz called Armed. It was the number 1 track on Beatport.com and was/is being played by dj's crossing along many genres throughout the world. In Beatport the track is being sold in the techno section and is listed as a techno track. While Pryda - Armed does have techno elements, it is essentially a progressive house track. When I am music shopping I shop in the minimal, house, progressive house, electro, tribal, trance and techno section. One reason is because I like to play many different styles within my sets. However, it's also because there is so much mislabeling of tracks throughout the industry, especially in the past few years as new sub-genres are being created so often. You can find great house tracks in the progressive house section as well as great progressive house tracks in the minimal or techno section, etc...The problem in my opinion is that there are so many crossover tracks that have different elements of different sub-genres that they are very hard to nail down to just one style. People do their best to label tracks in a proper way, but sometimes genre associations are not so cut and dry. People for years have been saying progressive house is dead (just as they have said with trance, tech house, house, etc...) and they will soon be saying the same thing about minimal and electro (many already are). If you go to a Sasha or a John Digweed show anywhere around the world you will see that progressive house is far from dead. Progressive house djs draw some of the biggest crowds in the world. Genre bashing is mainly done by certain media outlets who want to appear to be on top of the next big thing. The genre war keeps it interesting I guess, creates chatter and controversy. However... Great music is great music, each sub genre of house, trance, electro and techno have great tracks. Progressive house is far from dead and never was. One of the great things about this sub-genre is that it is always changing and evolving. It appeals to the music heads while at the same time appeals to the commercial crowd. NCC What do you hope to accomplish this year? JJ My goal for 2007 is to focus a lot on my own production work, while at the same time touring the way I have been. My track "Rosario Sun" sold very well and had a lot of exposure. I would like to release at least 5 solid productions within this year. I'm also in the process of putting out my first cd compilation which will become an ongoing series. I have over 30 dj mixes on my website available for free download. One of my favorite things to do is to make dj mixes so actually having compilations in cd shops throughout the world will enable me to share my passion with a market for whom I have not reached out to yet. NCC Looking at your biography you seem to have played with basically every top dj in the world. Are there any specific dj's that you haven't played with but would like to? JJ I've been very fortunate and it has been an absolute honor to have played with so many dj's who have been an inspiration to me throughout the years. Danny Tenaglia is a living legend and a pioneer throughout the world and among the NYC EDM scene. I remember going to see him back when he was at the Tunnel in the mid 1990's, he was brilliant. He puts on such a great show and you would be hard pressed to find a dj who can captivate an audience and create the vibe that he does so well. I will be blessed when the day comes that I am in some way or another able to share the decks with Danny. Another dj who I absolutely love is John Digweed. It will truly be an honor when he and I play together. Digweed is an artist and a magician when it comes to programming sets. He also has such a great ear for music and has been a huge inspiration to me for several years. When he is on, there is no other dj in the world that I would prefer to listen to. Danny Howells is another DJ that I would love to share the decks with. Aside from being a great dj, his stage presence is amazing. I enjoy watching him perform just as much as I love to hear his dj sets. Brilliant dj, again, would be an honor. NCC Which artists and dj's have been an inspiration to you? JJ There have been so many artists who have inspired me over the years. To narrow my selection down I would have to say Sasha, John Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo, Anthony Pappa, Danny Tenaglia and Danny Howells have been the most inspirational dj's to me. Like John Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo is absolutely brilliant behind the decks. Track selection, mixing, and programming always seem to be flawless. Every time Hernan is in NYC he puts on an amazing show. He is the Godfather of the Argentina EDM Scene and the biggest name in South America. My inspiration and respect for Anthony Pappa is due to his well mixed and programmed sets along with his track selection. These are three things that are very important to me when listening to a dj. When it comes to stage presence, Danny Howells is phenomenal. I love to watch him behind the decks as he interacts with the crowd. People in NYC love Danny Howells but this love doesn�t entirely come from his excellent track selection and skills. His personality and stage presence has earned him a lot of respect. He�s a true entertainer. Nothing really needs to be said about Danny Tenaglia, especially being that this is an NYC based interview. As stated above, he's a living legend and pioneer among the NYC EDM movement. DT is and always will be an inspiration. NCC Aside from Danny Tenaglia, are there any other dj's from New York City who have inspired you? JJ There are so many great dj's here in NYC. I could easily make a long list off the top of my head of great NYC dj's covering all sub genre's of EDM. I love Tedd Patterson. If you haven't heard him dj, he is a must see. Hector Romero is a favorite of mine as well. I look up to Satoshi Tommie and Eric Morillo for there Global accomplishments. And while the style of music that they play (for the most part) and the way that they play it is different from mine, Dj Boris and Jonathan Peters are NYC Legends as well as inspirational. The numbers that they pull on a consistent basis for the years that they have is something that I truly respect and look up to. They are great in there craft and to have such a large number of loyal fans the way they do is something that I dream of having one day here in NYC. NCC What is the biggest difference between spinning in the U.S. and abroad? JJ I think that the United States is just starting to grasp EDM whereas it is very well accepted throughout the world. I like to compare House music to Soccer. Soccer is one of the most popular global sports, but in the USA it is just starting earn recognition. If you walk into any restaurant or a pub in most other countries there is always a soccer game playing. I was in Argentina during the last world cup and it was absolutely amazing. Basically the whole country had an Argentina Shirt on, there were parades in the streets, and about 10 minutes before each game the streets would completely clear of people and cars (aside from taxi's). Stores would shut down, Buenos Aires would basically become a ghost town. I was in Argentina for 2 World Cup games. The first game they won and at the end of the game people were running in the streets, cheering, it was as if everyone won the lottery. The 2nd game they lost and right at the end of the game no one was talking to each other, everyone had there head down and tears in there eyes. It was amazing to see the contrast in emotions as well as such a strong unity among the country. Soccer is taken very seriously throughout the world, it's a part of the culture. Just like Soccer, I feel that house music just doesn't have enough exposure and just isn't accepted here the way that it is throughout the rest of the world. With that said, I love to play in the United States. While house music isn't accepted on a mass level, the country definitely still has its loyal fans. I have played so many great venues in many different states and the crowds are great to play for. NCC What are the biggest changes in NYC club land that you�ve noticed? JJ Well in NYC the biggest changes that I can think of is the whole concept of �Bottle Service� as well as the no smoking in clubs law. I think that both are great changes and I welcome both with open arms. However, I personally wouldn't like to perform in a big bottle service only venue. I think that having a section for bottle service while still preserving the underground element of a venue (such as how pacha does it) is the best overall clubbing environment. In regards to not being able to smoke in clubs, I think this is a great law for non smokers. For smokers, it is always annoying to have to go to the smoking section when you are out with your friends or listening to your favorite dj. But if someone wants to smoke, it's better that they go out of there way to do so rather than putting non smokers in a situation that they don't want to be in. NCC What are you working on right now? JJ Right now I have a lot of gigs lined up that I am getting ready for. I have gigs coming up in Brazil, Argentina, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal, Spain, France, Bulgaria, Serbia, Kosovo, Australia, Korea and Japan. Aside from the gigs, production and my record label take up a lot of my time. NCC What do you like to do when you are not touring, working with your label, and working on production? JJ When I'm not working with music I love to spend time with family and friends, play soccer, play video games / board games, go mountain biking, snow boarding, catch up on my favorite tv shows, spend time on the internet, I love mixed martial arts, and I love to watch movies. NCC What is the best part about your job? JJ I love traveling, seeing new places and cultures, meeting new people. But the best part of my job is the art of dj'ing. I feel very fortunate to be in a position where I am able to share my love and passion with others on a global level. There is no greater feeling for me than when I am performing and my fans are enjoying themselves. The adrenaline and emotional rush is amazing. NCC What are the pros and cons of Digital vs. Vinyl in your eyes and how do you feel about this change that has taken place? JJ I remember about 3 years ago the whole scene was up in arms. Vinyl shops and distributors were closing left and right. To those in the industry, it was as if it was the end of world. Vinyl was dying and there was no solution. When Digital stores such as EdmDigital and Beatport came along it was like a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately most of the vinyl pressing plants, label groups, distributors, and stores had to close shop. But on the bright side of things, many of the companies and people who were working in the vinyl market embraced the new digital era and were able to make a somewhat easy transition. From the perspective of a dj, I absolutely love the digital era. A few years ago it would cost $10 for one piece of vinyl that usually had 2 tracks on it (and usually only one of those tracks being something that you would play). Aside from the cost, if you wanted to go music shopping you would have to leave your house and go to your favorite vinyl store. Once at the vinyl store, there was a good chance that the store didn't order all of the new releases, and even if they did, the chances are that the really good ones would be sold out. Vinyl was also very heavy. You would have to carry a very heavy crate or record bag that would usually only hold 50 vinyls and would give you one heck of a sore shoulder by the time you got to where you were going. Digital is amazing and I fully embrace it in every aspect. Now dj's can buy single tracks rather than being forced to pay for the B-Side. Individual digital tracks only cost about $1.99 (a little more if you want to buy the high quality wav version). With digital you don't have to leave your home. You can just log into any online digital store from anywhere in the world and shop at any hour, for as long as you like. Tracks never sell out! And once downloaded, you can fit hundreds of tracks in 1 cd book and thousands on your computer if you are a laptop dj. But another great thing about digital is that once you have the tracks, you can make your own personal edits of the tracks to fit your needs within your dj set and / or performance. NCC Now that digital is so dominant, what do you feel is the next step in the evolution of dj'ing? JJ Well most dj's are now digital and are using cd's during there sets. This is great as it opens up a lot of options in regards to adding effects to tracks and mixing in ways that just weren't possible with vinyl. As time goes on, I see the future dj being a laptop dj. Programs such as Ableton live are absolutely amazing. It's just a very easy way to dj and opens endless possibilities during a set when it comes to making edits on the fly, creating mashups of tracks, precision in technique, using audio effects, etc...However, while this technology is a huge breakthrough, I feel that it is continuing to hurt those who focus primarily on the art of dj'ing and don't want to move into production. NCC How so? JJ It's almost impossible (especially in today's age) to break through as a dj alone. Unless one of the top dj's take you under there wing and bring you up, the only real option to become globally known is through producing (making) great tracks. In turn, what you have are the worlds best producers touring the world as dj's, while the worlds best dj's are playing in there bedroom or in there local pub. Of course in some cases an artist comes along who is a great Dj as well as a great producer, or is at least a great dj with a great production partner / engineer. Either way, it's much easier and much more accessible for someone to listen to a 7 minute track than it is for someone to listen to an 80 minute dj mix from a dj they never heard of before. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion amongst EDM music fans worldwide who think that dj'ing and production is one in the same. And there is a very big difference between a person who produces music and one who actually dj's. If you look at many of the top dj's in the world (Especially the dj's who became big after the year 2000), you will see that they "initially" became known not because of dj'ing, but through there production work. Before Ableton live came out, producers would get known through there productions but many of them would remain in the studio producing music rather than touring the world as a dj. The reason for this was because they were professional producers and aside from just playing tracks, they didn't have the experience or skills to be a professional dj. Now with programs like Ableton live, you see a lot of great producers who have never toured as dj's before now touring. This of course could be looked at as a good thing and in some ways it is. However, Ableton allows artists to put together a pre-programmed set (if they choose to). Because of this, you have "some" producers showing up to there shows with a laptop and a preprogrammed set where they just press the play button in ableton and pretend that they are actually doing something. Abelton live is an excellent program. I use it for making some of my mixes for my radio shows when I am traveling and I also use it for production work. When used properly by an artist in a live environment (such as Dj Sasha) it is truly amazing and I see this type of dj'ing as the future of the art. But it is also very discouraging when an artist shows up to a show and is jumping around pretending they are doing something when they are in fact just playing a pre-mixed set in ableton live. Everyone is being cheated in my opinion. It's equivalent to a singer who lip-syncs at a concert. I feel that the art of just being a dj is dying because there is no real way to compare dj's on a global scale. In sports, you can clearly see who is the best in a particular sport. There is no denying that Tiger Woods is presently one of the best golfers. Michael Jordan was without a doubt one of the best basketball players of his time. You could clearly see this by watching any basketball game for which he played. Unfortunately, there is no real way to compare dj's. You can pick your favorite dj among the dj's that are touring to your city, but those are generally the same dj's that are touring every city in the world, and have been doing so for years. Many of the top dj's that are touring have in one way or another been a huge inspiration to me. They without a doubt deserve to be where they are and deserve the recognition that they have. Most of them are great dj's and they in one way or another helped to create, build, and contribute to the scene that we all have and love today. But there are also so many great dj's in the world that are completely unknown, and unfortunately will never be known. And the reason why they will never be known is because they either aren't connected to the right people, they didn't make a big impact through dj'ing when being a great dj is all that was needed to become known, or they simply don't produce music. Looking to the future, and without going more in depth on how the program ableton works, Laptop dj'ing might be just what is needed to create the perfect fusion of Dj/Producer. NCC On your website you have some excellent live dj mixes and cd projects available for free download. How often do you upload mixes to your website and are you planning on uploading a new mix soon? JJ The initial reason for me to build a website in the late 1990's was so that I would have a means to share my mixes with others on a mass level. I love the positive feedback that I receive and the popularity of my website has been astounding. I try to upload a new mix about every four months but it�s not always an easy task. I have to be very careful when putting up a mix because a lot of the music that I play is promo and / or unsigned / unreleased material. I also have radio shows on Proton Radio, Digitally Imported Radio, DanceRadio.GR in Greece, and on Dance Latino America Radio. My mixes are also available on Itunes accessible by searching for Jason Jollins. I am hoping to have a new 4 hour live mix uploaded to my website and to Itunes on the last Tuesday in July ) NCC When will you be coming home to play for us here in NYC? JJ I'll be touring for the whole summer but I will be making it back to New York for one exclusive NYC summer appearance on Friday, July 20th at Pacha New York. I will be starting my set at about 1 or 1 30am and playing until close. I'm currently in Argentina on a South American tour and it's winter here right now, absolutely freezing. I'm very excited to return to New York to enjoy some of that summer warmth, visit my friends, and of course play for my fans at my favorite big room in NYC - Pacha New York. NCC It was great talking to you and having you for this interview. Is there anything else that you would like to say to the readers? JJ I would like to take this time to thank you and everyone involved with NightClubCity.com . I have been a big fan and a frequent visitor to the website and it�s a pleasure to now be a part of it. I also want to take this time to thank everyone who has been supporting me through my website as well as at my live events

Thanks so much for posting this Scoops!



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quote:

Originally posted by Jason Jollins Thanks so much for posting this Scoops! -

Nice interview Jason but it would be nice if you could drop a few names of up and coming talent in NYC...

jollins makes some solid points here

nice interview

i can't believe john cusack used to be a breakdancer! that's awesome

*half way done reading, going to continue now kthxbai*

ok just got done reading, really nice interview


jj: when and where are you going to be in germany? any gigs in italy? i'm moving to milan in october and i'll be hopping all over europe but mainly to berlin where my bf lives so i'd love to see you spin somewhere around there!

quote:

Originally posted by steven-neil Nice interview Jason but it would be nice if you could drop a few names of up and coming talent in NYC...

Steven, in all honesty, there would be to many to list. there are so many great up and coming dj's, as well as great dj's who are not even known in nyc. if i named some, then i would be leaving out others, which I wouldn't feel comfortable doing.

However, there were about 6 questions that I answered that didn't make it to the finalized interview. In one of them I talked about up and coming local nyc talent.

I also talked about how there is a lot of unknown and undiscovered talent out there, amazing dj's who will never get known because they don't have the connections or they don't produce. It's in the part of the interview that talks about the vast difference between a production and dj'ing, and that artists get known due to there production of tracks, not because of there dj skills. In turn, we have the worlds best producers touring the world as dj's while the worlds best dj's are dj'ing in there homes or local pubs.



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quote:

Originally posted by Jason Jollins Steven, in all honesty, there would be to many to list. there are so many great up and coming dj's, as well as great dj's who are not even known in nyc. if i named some, then i would be leaving out others, which I wouldn't feel comfortable doing. However, there were about 6 questions that I answered that didn't make it to the finalized interview. In one of them I talked about up and coming local nyc talent. I also talked about how there is a lot of unknown and undiscovered talent out there, amazing dj's who will never get known because they don't have the connections or they don't produce. It's in the part of the interview that talks about the vast difference between a production and dj'ing, and that artists get known due to there production of tracks, not because of there dj skills. In turn, we have the worlds best producers touring the world as dj's while the worlds best dj's are dj'ing in there homes or local pubs. -

I understand..It was worth a try though...Good Interview....

Cool interview! Can't expect anything less from Jason's sets

quote:

Originally posted by steven-neil I understand..It was worth a try though...Good Interview....

Thanks Steven. Below is the full interview with no cut questions. I don't think they intended to cut any questions btw, I think it happened by mistake. All of the questions and answers are below.



http://www.nightclubcity.com/article.php?s_id=16

Touring internationally on a weekly basis while running one of the United States top Progressive House record labels (Acute Recordings), Jason Jollins has over the years held high profile residencies at many of NYC's top venues and currently plays on a regular basis for Made Event at Pacha New York.

Jason will be taking a break from his busy touring schedule to make his only NYC summer appearance at Pacha New York on Friday, July 20th.




NCC How old were you when you first got into house music and how did it happen?

Jason Jollins I started listening to house music when I was about 14 years old and I was introduced to it through some good friends of mine. In the early 1980's I was really into break dancing and rap music culture (hip hop). I was very young at the time but I worked for a dance studio and often traveled with them as a break dancer putting on shows. Through break dancing I was exposed to dj'ing and turntablism and it fascinated me how dj's would scratch and mix songs and sounds together. When I was introduced to house music I absolutely loved it. I bought my first pair of turntables in 1989 and the art of dj'ing has been a part of me ever since.



NCC How would you describe your sound?

JJ I would classify myself as a progressive house dj, but not in the traditional form. I tend to play many different styles within my sets, but do so in a progressive way. I think it is extremely important for a dj to be diverse when it comes to track selection. I play Minimal, House, Progressive House, Electro, Tribal, Techno, Trance, etc... But tend to concentrate more on what sounds good to myself and my fans rather than on what style it is. I prefer to play diverse genre bending danceable dj sets that last at least 5 hours. A great dj in my opinion has the ability to weave in and out of many different subgenres in a way that creates a seamless soundscape. Sort of like telling a story and bringing the crowd for a ride. I love bass lines, vocal dubs, great melodies, tracks that have a unique edge to them, tracks that move the soul, lots of teasing, feeling, and emotion...

I am very detail oriented when it comes to mixes & transitions. I come from a time when dj's would create a journey within there dj sets. I don't like to just play tracks, I like to tell a story with every set.



NCC You are constantly touring the world as a dj. What country is your favorite to play in?

JJ There are so many great countries that I have had the pleasure of playing. There are great crowds and great venues all over the world with people who truly appreciate and understand what I do.

I love to play in the United States of course and New York City is and always will be one of my favorite places to play.

I remember taking the bus into Manhattan when I was very young. I would visit all of the record stores each weekend, spending hours digging through crates of records. It was always a dream of mine back then to play in the big New York City clubs. New York City venues have some of the best sound systems in the world and there is a lot of culture and history here.

I have a lot of fans who have been coming to my shows and supporting me for years while there are people in NYC who are just discovering me now. It's always a pleasure for me to perform in my hometown in front of people who truly appreciate my work. Every time I play in NYC it is a dream come true.

Another favorite place of mine to play is Argentina.

The Argentine population are extremely well educated when it comes to Electronic Dance Music. EDM is a very big part of the Argentine culture and even your average person knows all of the big dj's, knows the differences in EDM sub-genres and they are very knowledgeable when it comes to the technical aspects of a dj set.

The crowds really like to interact with the dj and they love to party. It's always great playing for a crowd that is not only knowledgeable about the music, but knowledgeable about the art of dj'ing as well.

I have played about 7 different cities in Argentina including performances at Crobar Buenos Aires two times and Pacha Buenos Aires one time. The night that I played Pacha Buenos Aires it had been raining for days and was raining really hard all night, a complete downpour with flooding in the streets and everything. The venue holds about 3000 people and was filled to capacity until they closed at 8am. Every night is a party night in Buenos Aires.

With that said, there are so many great countries to play and I feel very fortunate to be a part of each one.




NCC While you have been recognized and have built a steady following over the years through your headlining sets, many also talk highly of your opening sets.

JJ Thank you, that truly means a lot to me ) Opening a big room in the proper fashion is a skill which takes a lot of experience. It's not about showing up the headliner and it's certainly not an opportunity to shine. It's very easy for an opening Dj to just bang it out and play the monster tracks. But opening a room in this manner can ruin the energy flow of the entire night on a musical level and effect the clubbers overall experience.

Within my opening sets I like to create a warm and welcoming environment for those who enter the club early. Throughout the set I strive to keep those who are at the venue involved and interested through a slow and steady but danceable build; teasing and creating anticipation for what is to come. It's important when opening a room to have patience and respect for the headliner, there is a very fine balance between creating excitement and keeping the energy level in a place where the headliner feels comfortable to start his or her set.

I personally enjoy my clubbing experience the most when the music increases in energy throughout the night (a constant incline) rather than for there to be just a constant high energy with no build from opening to close.



NCC The term progressive house has been seen by some as a "dirty word" within the industry. What are your thoughts on the term progressive house and some of the negative press it has received over the past few years?

JJ Just recently there was an amazing new track by Eric Prydz called Armed. It was the number 1 track on Beatport.com and was/is being played by dj's crossing along many genres throughout the world. In Beatport the track is being sold in the techno section and is listed as a techno track. While Pryda - Armed does have techno elements, it is essentially a progressive house track.

When I am music shopping I shop in the minimal, house, progressive house, electro, tribal, trance and techno section. One reason is because I like to play many different styles within my sets. However, it's also because there is so much mislabeling of tracks throughout the industry, especially in the past few years as new sub-genres are being created so often. You can find great house tracks in the progressive house section as well as great progressive house tracks in the minimal or techno section, etc...The problem in my opinion is that there are so many crossover tracks that have different elements of different sub-genres that they are very hard to nail down to just one style. People do their best to label tracks in a proper way, but sometimes genre associations are not so cut and dry. People for years have been saying progressive house is dead (just as they have said with trance, tech house, house, etc...) and they will soon be saying the same thing about minimal and electro (many already are). If you go to a Sasha or a John Digweed show anywhere around the world you will see that progressive house is far from dead. Progressive house djs draw some of the biggest crowds in the world. Genre bashing is mainly done by certain media outlets who want to appear to be on top of the next big thing. The genre war keeps it interesting I guess, creates chatter and controversy.

However... Great music is great music, each sub genre of house, trance, electro and techno have great tracks. Progressive house is far from dead and never was. One of the great things about this sub-genre is that it is always changing and evolving. It appeals to the music heads while at the same time appeals to the commercial crowd.



NCC In your opinion, what is the current state of house music and in what direction do you see it going?

JJ House music was really big in the united states in the late 1980's especially with the subgenre called Freestyle. EDM (Electronic Dance Music) exploded again in the late 1990's but I think that it was also very misunderstood. There was a big anti EDM movement in the United States and I think that we are just starting to recover from that today.

I'm touring different countries all the time and in a lot of these countries you hear EDM wherever you go (taxi's, mcdonalds, the radio, tv, tv commercials, etc...).

I think the biggest problem with Edm in the United States is that the mainstream audience doesn't understand it. The reason for this is because there are not enough outlets for people in the mainstream to hear it.

A lot of producers now adays are focusing on the more commercial aspect of house music which has vocals and a somewhat pop element. Once the mainstream understands the more commercial aspect of house music, it's then that they start to dig deeper and are more open to the underground sound (brilliant music).

Internet radio is also very popular now which supplies people with a choice to listen to whatever they want, whenever they want to. This will of course create a lot of exposure for different types of music, including house music.

People in general love music, dance, entertainment, and they love to have fun. There will always be dance clubs and dance music. The future of house music looks very bright. I think it will only continue to evolve and become more popular over time.



NCC What do you hope to accomplish this year?

JJ My goal for 2007 is to focus a lot on my own production work, while at the same time touring the way I have been. My track "Rosario Sun" sold very well and had a lot of exposure. I would like to release at least 5 solid productions within this year. I'm also in the process of putting out my first cd compilation which will become an ongoing series.

I have over 30 dj mixes on my website available for free download. One of my favorite things to do is to make dj mixes so actually having compilations in cd shops throughout the world will enable me to share my passion with a market for whom I have not reached out to yet.



NCC Looking at your biography you seem to have played with basically every top dj in the world. Are there any specific dj's that you haven't played with but would like to?

JJ I've been very fortunate and it has been an absolute honor to have played with so many dj's who have been an inspiration to me throughout the years.
Danny Tenaglia is a living legend and a pioneer throughout the world and among the NYC EDM scene. I remember going to see him back when he was at the Tunnel in the mid 1990's, he was brilliant. He puts on such a great show and you would be hard pressed to find a dj who can captivate an audience and create the vibe that he does so well. I will be blessed when the day comes that I am in some way or another able to share the decks with Danny.

Another dj who I absolutely love is John Digweed. It will truly be an honor when he and I play together. Digweed is an artist and a magician when it comes to programming sets. He also has such a great ear for music and has been a huge inspiration to me for several years. When he is on, there is no other dj in the world that I would prefer to listen to.

Danny Howells is another DJ that I would love to share the decks with. Aside from being a great dj, his stage presence is amazing. I enjoy watching him perform just as much as I love to hear his dj sets. Brilliant dj, again, would be an honor.



NCC Which artists and dj's have been an inspiration to you?

JJ There have been so many artists who have inspired me over the years. To narrow my selection down I would have to say Sasha, John Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo, Anthony Pappa, Danny Tenaglia and Danny Howells have been the most inspirational dj's to me.

Like John Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo is absolutely brilliant behind the decks. Track selection, mixing, and programming always seem to be flawless. Every time Hernan is in NYC he puts on an amazing show. He is the Godfather of the Argentina EDM Scene and the biggest name in South America.
My inspiration and respect for Anthony Pappa is due to his well mixed and programmed sets along with his track selection. These are three things that are very important to me when listening to a dj.

When it comes to stage presence, Danny Howells is phenomenal. I love to watch him behind the decks as he interacts with the crowd. People in NYC love Danny Howells but this love doesn�t entirely come from his excellent track selection and skills. His personality and stage presence has earned him a lot of respect. He�s a true entertainer.

Nothing really needs to be said about Danny Tenaglia, especially being that this is an NYC based interview. As stated above, he's a living legend and pioneer among the NYC EDM movement. DT is and always will be an inspiration.



NCC Aside from Danny Tenaglia, are there any other dj's from New York City who have inspired you?

JJ There are so many great dj's here in NYC. I could easily make a long list off the top of my head of great NYC dj's covering all sub genre's of EDM. I love Tedd Patterson. If you haven't heard him dj, he is a must see. Hector Romero is a favorite of mine as well. I look up to Satoshi Tommie and Eric Morillo for there Global accomplishments.

And while the style of music that they play (for the most part) and the way that they play it is different from mine, Dj Boris and Jonathan Peters are NYC Legends as well as inspirational. The numbers that they pull on a consistent basis for the years that they have is something that I truly respect and look up to. They are great in there craft and to have such a large number of loyal fans the way they do is something that I dream of having one day here in NYC.



NCC You have held residencies at many of NYC's top venues such as Crobar, Filter 14, Love, Avalon, Centro-Fly, Godskitchen @ Ikon, and you are currently playing regularly for Made Event at Pacha New York. Which of these clubs did you like the best and why?

JJ Each venue for separate reasons has had something unique about them that have made them special. I cherish my times at each of the venues listed above and will always have a place in my heart for all of them.

Pacha New York is a great venue which has rightfully earned global recognition as being the top dance club in New York City, and one of the top dance venues in the world. It's a quality venue that provides great sound, great staff, and an overall great clubbing environment. They are consistently supplying clubbers and music fans with the best international and local talent. Every time I have played there has been a great experience and it is truly a privilege to be a part of it.



NCC Which Dance club in NYC would you say was your favorite?

JJ There have been so many, I loved going to the Tunnel back in the day. Limelight was also always an experience. But I would have to say my favorite of all time was Twilo.

I started going to the legendary Twilo night club in 1997 and it was my home away from home for years. Twilo was more than just a club, it was an era which has played such an important role in the history of New York City clubbing.

Twilo had a huge impact on the New York scene, especially in regards to introducing as well as spreading the popularity of progressive house music. The venue�s frequent introduction of overseas dj�s and the progressive sound that they were bringing over was something that a majority of NYC clubbers had never heard or seen before. Sasha and Digweed are pretty much synonymous with the word Twilo as they played there on the last Friday of every month. I rarely missed one of there events and to this day I still miss what many NYC clubbers called there 2nd home.

But Twilo�s success wasn�t solely based on the dj talent it was bringing in, Twilo itself was an amazing venue on many levels. Weather it was there phazon sound system, there light shows including lasers, there giant disco ball hanging from the ceiling, the unique personalities wondering through the club, or the amazing vibe; Twilo was very influential to me.



NCC Made Event is considered to be one of the top nightclub event organizers in New York City. How long have you been playing for them and what do you like most about playing with them?

JJ Made Event is run by Mike Bindra & Laura de Palma, Mike Bindra being the former General Manager of Twilo. Made Event books just about every kind of electronic music in just about every club in New York, one of them being Pacha New York. They are committed to excellence in the promotion, production, and execution of electronic dance music events.

I've been playing for Made Event for about 2 and a half years now and I have nothing but great things to say about them. Mike and Laura are great people and they are very detail oriented when it comes to throwing quality events. They treat there artists very well and I know that every time I play for them it will be a great experience. Playing for them is like being a part of history in the making and it's always a pleasure.



NCC What is the biggest difference between spinning in the U.S. and abroad?

JJ I think that the United States is just starting to grasp EDM whereas it is very well accepted throughout the world. I like to compare House music to Soccer. Soccer is one of the most popular global sports, but in the USA it is just starting earn recognition. If you walk into any restaurant or a pub in most other countries there is always a soccer game playing. I was in Argentina during the last world cup and it was absolutely amazing. Basically the whole country had an Argentina Shirt on, there were parades in the streets, and about 10 minutes before each game the streets would completely clear of people and cars (aside from taxi's). Stores would shut down, Buenos Aires would basically become a ghost town. I was in Argentina for 2 World Cup games. The first game they won and at the end of the game people were running in the streets, cheering, it was as if everyone won the lottery. The 2nd game they lost and right at the end of the game no one was talking to each other, everyone had there head down and tears in there eyes. It was amazing to see the contrast in emotions as well as such a strong unity among the country. Soccer is taken very seriously throughout the world, it's a part of the culture.

Just like Soccer, I feel that house music just doesn't have enough exposure and just isn't accepted here the way that it is throughout the rest of the world.
With that said, I love to play in the United States. While house music isn't accepted on a mass level, the country definitely still has its loyal fans. I have played so many great venues in many different states and the crowds are great to play for.








NCC What are the biggest changes in NYC club land that you�ve noticed?

JJ Well in NYC the biggest changes that I can think of is the whole concept of �Bottle Service� as well as the no smoking in clubs law. I think that both are great changes and I welcome both with open arms. However, I personally wouldn't like to perform in a big bottle service only venue. I think that having a section for bottle service while still preserving the underground element of a venue (such as how pacha does it) is the best overall clubbing environment. In regards to not being able to smoke in clubs, I think this is a great law for non smokers. For smokers, it is always annoying to have to go to the smoking section when you are out with your friends or listening to your favorite dj. But if someone wants to smoke, it's better that they go out of there way to do so rather than putting non smokers in a situation that they don't want to be in.



NCC What are you working on right now?

JJ Right now I have a lot of gigs lined up that I am getting ready for. I have gigs coming up in Brazil, Argentina, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Uruguay, Germany, Portugal, Spain, France, Bulgaria, Serbia, Kosovo, Australia, Korea and Japan. Aside from the gigs, production and my record label take up a lot of my time.



NCC What do you like to do when you are not touring, working with your label, and working on production?

JJ When I'm not working with music I love to spend time with family and friends, play soccer, play video games / board games, go mountain biking, snow boarding, catch up on my favorite tv shows, spend time on the internet, I love mixed martial arts, and I love to watch movies.



NCC What is the best part about your job?

JJ I love traveling, seeing new places and cultures, meeting new people. But the best part of my job is the art of dj'ing. I feel very fortunate to be in a position where I am able to share my love and passion with others on a global level. There is no greater feeling for me than when I am performing and my fans are enjoying themselves. The adrenaline and emotional rush is amazing.



NCC How long have you been running Acute Recordings?

JJ Acute Recordings celebrated its 5th year anniversary in May of 2007. It's amazing really, the years since I have started the label have gone by so fast and it has been very exciting.



NCC What gave you the idea to start the label and how did you go about getting it started?

JJ It all started when I received a couple tracks from a San Francisco based producer named Nacca (a.k.a. Digital Jake). I absolutely loved the tracks that he sent me. I asked him to send me some more of his productions and each track he sent me was better than the previous. We eventually starting talking and he told me that he had never previously released any material before. I loved the tracks so much that I looked into starting a label.



NCC Was it hard getting the label off the ground or was it an easy process?

JJ Starting a label today is a lot easier than it was 5 years ago due to the fact that everything is digital now and tracks are sold online. Five years ago the concept of digital was for the most part unheard of, everything was sold in the vinyl format in specialty stores throughout the world. It was a lot of work getting Acute up and running but it was fun work. I also had a lot of help from Chris Fortier (Fade Records), Hector Romero (Saw Recordings), and Agent Orange (Gotham Grooves), as well as many others.

Once the legal aspects of the label were taken care of, I showed the first few promo's to Intergroove US (a.k.a. Rhythmic NYC). I was very fortunate as my label was welcomed with open arms by one of the worlds strongest EDM record label groups of that time.

Once accepted into Rhythmic, I promo'd the first Acute release which charted in the top of the prestigious Balance Record Pool charts and was played and charted by a lot of the worlds top dj's. This of course gave Acute Recordings a great start and a lot of exposure on a global level.



NCC So now that 5 years have passed, what can we expect from Acute Recordings?

JJ Acute recordings was started on the foundation of helping unknown but extremely talented producers who have never had a release before. In turn, I give these artists there first release which serves as a platform to build from while also giving these artists global exposure. This format has been very successful as well as very fulfilling on a personal level. I currently have over 65 artists with tracks released on Acute and many of these artists have moved on to become well established producers within the industry. Every once in a while I will release something from a well established producer but the label will always serve the purpose of its initial intention.



NCC What are the pros and cons of Digital vs. Vinyl in your eyes and how do you feel about this change that has taken place?

JJ I remember about 3 years ago the whole scene was up in arms. Vinyl shops and distributors were closing left and right. To those in the industry, it was as if it was the end of world. Vinyl was dying and there was no solution. When Digital stores such as EdmDigital and Beatport came along it was like a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately most of the vinyl pressing plants, label groups, distributors, and stores had to close shop. But on the bright side of things, many of the companies and people who were working in the vinyl market embraced the new digital era and were able to make a somewhat easy transition. From the perspective of a dj, I absolutely love the digital era. A few years ago it would cost $10 for one piece of vinyl that usually had 2 tracks on it (and usually only one of those tracks being something that you would play). Aside from the cost, if you wanted to go music shopping you would have to leave your house and go to your favorite vinyl store. Once at the vinyl store, there was a good chance that the store didn't order all of the new releases, and even if they did, the chances are that the really good ones would be sold out. Vinyl was also very heavy. You would have to carry a very heavy crate or record bag that would usually only hold 50 vinyls and would give you one heck of a sore shoulder by the time you got to where you were going. Digital is amazing and I fully embrace it in every aspect. Now dj's can buy single tracks rather than being forced to pay for the B-Side. Individual digital tracks only cost about $1.99 (a little more if you want to buy the high quality wav version). With digital you don't have to leave your home. You can just log into any online digital store from anywhere in the world and shop at any hour, for as long as you like. Tracks never sell out! And once downloaded, you can fit hundreds of tracks in 1 cd book and thousands on your computer if you are a laptop dj.

But another great thing about digital is that once you have the tracks, you can make your own personal edits of the tracks to fit your needs within your dj set and / or performance.



NCC Now that digital is so dominant, what do you feel is the next step in the evolution of dj'ing?

JJ Well most dj's are now digital and are using cd's during there sets. This is great as it opens up a lot of options in regards to adding effects to tracks and mixing in ways that just weren't possible with vinyl. As time goes on, I see the future dj being a laptop dj. Programs such as Ableton live are absolutely amazing. It's just a very easy way to dj and opens endless possibilities during a set when it comes to making edits on the fly, creating mashups of tracks, precision in technique, using audio effects, etc...However, while this technology is a huge breakthrough, I feel that it is continuing to hurt those who focus primarily on the art of dj'ing and don't want to move into production.



NCC How so?

JJ It's almost impossible (especially in today's age) to break through as a dj alone. Unless one of the top dj's take you under there wing and bring you up, the only real option to become globally known is through producing (making) great tracks. In turn, what you have are the worlds best producers touring the world as dj's, while the worlds best dj's are playing in there bedroom or in there local pub. Of course in some cases an artist comes along who is a great Dj as well as a great producer, or is at least a great dj with a great production partner / engineer. Either way, it's much easier and much more accessible for someone to listen to a 7 minute track than it is for someone to listen to an 80 minute dj mix from a dj they never heard of before. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion amongst EDM music fans worldwide who think that dj'ing and production is one in the same. And there is a very big difference between a person who produces music and one who actually dj's. If you look at many of the top dj's in the world (Especially the dj's who became big after the year 2000), you will see that they "initially" became known not because of dj'ing, but through there production work. Before Ableton live came out, producers would get known through there productions but many of them would remain in the studio producing music rather than touring the world as a dj. The reason for this was because they were professional producers and aside from just playing tracks, they didn't have the experience or skills to be a professional dj. Now with programs like Ableton live, you see a lot of great producers who have never toured as dj's before now touring. This of course could be looked at as a good thing and in some ways it is. However, Ableton allows artists to put together a pre-programmed set (if they choose to). Because of this, you have "some" producers showing up to there shows with a laptop and a preprogrammed set where they just press the play button in ableton and pretend that they are actually doing something.

Abelton live is an excellent program. I use it for making some of my mixes for my radio shows when I am traveling and I also use it for production work. When used properly by an artist in a live environment (such as Dj Sasha) it is truly amazing and I see this type of dj'ing as the future of the art. But it is also very discouraging when an artist shows up to a show and is jumping around pretending they are doing something when they are in fact just playing a pre-mixed set in ableton live. Everyone is being cheated in my opinion. It's equivalent to a singer who lip-syncs at a concert. I feel that the art of just being a dj is dying because there is no real way to compare dj's on a global scale. In sports, you can clearly see who is the best in a particular sport. There is no denying that Tiger Woods is presently one of the best golfers. Michael Jordan was without a doubt one of the best basketball players of his time. You could clearly see this by watching any basketball game for which he played. Unfortunately, there is no real way to compare dj's. You can pick your favorite dj among the dj's that are touring to your city, but those are generally the same dj's that are touring every city in the world, and have been doing so for years. Many of the top dj's that are touring have in one way or another been a huge inspiration to me. They without a doubt deserve to be where they are and deserve the recognition that they have. Most of them are great dj's and they in one way or another helped to create, build, and contribute to the scene that we all have and love today. But there are also so many great dj's in the world that are completely unknown, and unfortunately will never be known. And the reason why they will never be known is because they either aren't connected to the right people, they didn't make a big impact through dj'ing when being a great dj is all that was needed to become known, or they simply don't produce music. Looking to the future, and without going more in depth on how the program ableton works, Laptop dj'ing might be just what is needed to create the perfect fusion of Dj/Producer.



NCC On your website you have some excellent live dj mixes and cd projects available for free download. How often do you upload mixes to your website and are you planning on uploading a new mix soon?

JJ The initial reason for me to build a website in the late 1990's was so that I would have a means to share my mixes with others on a mass level. I love the positive feedback that I receive and the popularity of my website has been astounding. I try to upload a new mix about every four months but it�s not always an easy task. I have to be very careful when putting up a mix because a lot of the music that I play is promo and / or unsigned / unreleased material. I also have radio shows on Proton Radio, Digitally Imported Radio, DanceRadio.GR in Greece, and on Dance Latino America Radio. My mixes are also available on Itunes accessible by searching for Jason Jollins. I am hoping to have a new 4 hour live mix uploaded to my website and to Itunes on the last Tuesday in July )



NCC Do you have any advice for people who are just starting to dj or for local dj's who want to spread there wings?

JJ On a local level, a bedroom dj can gain a lot of exposure by throwing there own events. The best way to be a part of the scene is to be involved with it and to contribute to it. Rather than a Dj running around handing out hundreds of cd's, a bedroom dj is better off trying to find a venue to throw a weekly or monthly party where they invite other local dj's to play as guests. By doing so, they will not only be able to meet other local djs, but they will also be in a position where other people will hear them perform in a live environment. They will also be contributing to the local scene by providing a place for other dj's who are in a similar situation to display there talents and share there passion.

On a global level, production is key. If you look at a lot of the artists who are touring internationally, many of these artists are doing so because of the tracks that they are making. Especially in today�s market, it's very hard for a dj to make it on dj'ing alone. It's much easier for someone to listen to a 7 minute track than it is for someone to listen to an 80 minute dj mix from a dj they have never heard of before. Production creates a lot of free marketing due to other dj's charting and tracklisting your music.



NCC When will you be coming home to play for us here in NYC?

JJ I'll be touring for the whole summer but I will be making it back to New York for one exclusive NYC summer appearance on Friday, July 20th at Pacha New York. I will be starting my set at about 1 or 1 30am and playing until close. I'm currently in Argentina on a South American tour and it's winter here right now, absolutely freezing. I'm very excited to return to New York to enjoy some of that summer warmth, visit my friends, and of course play for my fans at my favorite big room in NYC - Pacha New York.



NCC It was great talking to you and having you for this interview. Is there anything else that you would like to say to the readers?

JJ I would like to take this time to thank you and everyone involved with NightClubCity.com . I have been a big fan and a frequent visitor to the website and it�s a pleasure to now be a part of it. I also want to take this time to thank everyone who has been supporting me through my website as well as at my live events.




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