DJ Pari | |
|---|---|
 DJ Pari in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Braunschweig, Germany |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | DJ, journalist, producer, artist manager |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Website | www.mixcloud.com/DJPariSoulpower/ |
DJ Pari, born Markus Schmidt, [1] is a German-American DJ, producer and journalist. He is mostly known for his collaborations with Soul legends like Marva Whitney, Gwen McCrae, Lyn Collins, The Impressions and James Brown amongst others.
DJ Pari is the son of former professional footballer Walter Schmidt. [1] Born in Braunschweig, Germany, he began DJing at age 15. In 1994, he moved to the United States, first to Phoenix, Arizona, where he spent two years running the club night The Hip Joint. In 1995 he relocated to Los Angeles, California, where he played the club circuit and worked with artists like the Solsonics, Mandrill (band), The Black Eyed Peas, Big Black, Roy Porter (drummer) and many others. Around the same time he opened for the Godfather of Soul James Brown and toured with him. [2]
In 1998, DJ Pari moved back to Germany and launched his Soulpower organization at the Palo Palo club in Hannover, Germany. Originally a monthly soul party, Soulpower evolved into a global project and booking agency, producing more than 400 shows and parties in more than 20 countries and 50 cities on four continents. Artists that DJ Pari has worked with under the Soulpower banner include Marva Whitney, Gwen McCrae, Lyn Collins, Bobby Byrd, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Vicki Anderson, Pee Wee Ellis, Roy Ayers, Bootsy Collins, Clyde Stubblefield, John "Jabo" Starks, Sharon Jones, Sweet Charles Sherrell, Karl Denson, and RAMP. [3]
As a producer, DJ Pari signs responsible for I am what I am, the 2006 album by Marva Whitney, and her singles "I am what I am" and "Soulsisters (of the world unite)" as well as Mama Feelgood by Lyn Collins and Live in Paris by Gwen McCrae. Pari has also worked with the Japanese funk group Osaka Monaurail, co-writing for and co-producing several albums.
Since his move to Richmond, Virginia in 2007, DJ Pari has collaborated with funk pioneer Sir Joe Quarterman and Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson, managing the singer's 2010 European tour. Around the same time he assumed management duties for The Impressions of Curtis Mayfield fame, producing several tours in the United States, Europe and Japan for the group. [4] In July 2012, he DJed with the Impressions at the Curtis Mayfield 70th Birthday Tribute at Lincoln Center in New York, a show that also featured Mavis Staples, William Bell, the Roots and other soul legends. [5] DJ Pari also introduced the Impressions to Binky Griptite, guitarist and MC of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, a relationship that produced the group's first single in more than 30 years. [6] In 2016, he arranged a meeting of the Impressions with President Barack Obama at the White House. [7]
In Richmond, DJ Pari was the co-host of the Soulpower party series and of the weekly radio show Midnight Soulstice on WRIR-LP. [8]
In 2013, the film documentary Power of Soul, produced by DJ Pari, screened at the Cannes Film Festival and at several festivals and theaters in Germany. The documentary features original footage and Pari's interviews with artists like James Brown, Bobby Byrd, Vicki Anderson, Marva Whitney, The Pharcyde, Kurtis Blow, George McCrae among others. [9]
In 2017, Marva Whitney's "I am what I am," co-written and produced by DJ Pari, was licensed by Ford for the TV commercial promoting the 2017 Ford Explorer titled "For Those With Their Own Path." [10] Also in 2017, DJ Pari co-produced the album Tribute to my Soul Sisters by former James Brown backing vocalist Martha High with Osaka Monaurail. [11]
DJ Pari is currently working as a journalist, under his real name, and editor in Richmond.
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the "Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians of soul and socially conscious African-American music. Mayfield first achieved success and recognition with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted vocal group The Impressions during the civil rights movement of the late 1950s and the 1960s, and later worked as a solo artist.
Rare groove is music that is very hard to source or relatively obscure. Rare groove is primarily associated with funk, R&B and jazz funk, but is also connected to subgenres including jazz rock, reggae, Latin jazz, soul, rock music, northern soul, and disco. Vinyl records that fall into this category generally have high re-sale prices. Rare groove records have been sought by not only collectors and lovers of this type of music, but also by hip hop artists and producers.
Fred Wesley is an American trombonist who worked with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s, and Parliament-Funkadelic in the second half of the 1970s.
The J.B.'s was James Brown's band from 1970 through the early 1980s. On records, the band was sometimes billed under alternate names such as Fred Wesley and the JBs, The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks, A.A.B.B., Fred Wesley and the New JBs, The First Family, and The Last Word. In addition to backing Brown, the J.B.'s played behind Bobby Byrd, Lyn Collins, and other singers associated with the James Brown Revue, and performed and recorded as a self-contained group. In 2015, they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but failed to be inducted and can be considered for Musical Excellence in the future. They have been eligible since 1995.
The Impressions were an American music group originally formed in 1958. Their repertoire includes gospel, R&B, doo-wop, and soul.
Gloria Lavern Collins, better known as Lyn Collins, was an American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s and for the influential 1972 funk single, "Think ".
Marva Whitney was an American funk singer commonly referred to by her honorary title, Soul Sister #1. Whitney was considered by many funk enthusiasts to be one of the "rawest" and "brassiest" music divas.
Curtis is the debut studio album by American soul musician Curtis Mayfield, released in September 1970. Produced by Mayfield, it was released on his own label Curtom Records. The musical styles of Curtis moved further away from the pop-soul sounds of Mayfield's previous group The Impressions and featured more of a funk and psychedelic-influenced sound. The album's subject matter incorporates political and social concerns of the time.
Take a Look Around is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Masta Ace. It was released on July 24, 1990, through Cold Chillin' Records with distribution via Reprise Records. The recording sessions took place at House of Hits in Chestnut Ridge, New York and at Libra Digital Sound in Long Island City. The album was produced by Marley Marl and Mister Cee.
Charles Emanuel Sherrell was an American bassist known for recording and performing with James Brown. He was a member of The J.B.'s from 1973 to 1996.
Strictly Breaks is the name of a series of compilation records of songs that are widely admired as break beats. The first volume was released in 1997. Some of the songs featured contain "open breaks" which are solo drum passages which enable DJs to easily transition into them, as well as attractive to producers who loop or rearrange them to create new compositions. Following in the tradition of the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, the Strictly Breaks records contain an eclectic range of musical styles: mainly funk and jazz, but also including soul, rock, disco and pop. Some of the offerings are well-known but most are relatively obscure tracks treasured by music connoisseurs and DJs. The common, but hard to define thread in all of these songs is that they are "funky". Many of the songs in the Strictly Breaks series have been sampled into new musical compositions, mainly by hip hop producers.
Gwen McCrae is an American singer, best known for her 1975 hit "Rockin' Chair".
"Master" Henry Gibson was an American percussionist with an extensive career and discography spanning four decades, best known for his work with Curtis Mayfield.
"Think (About It)" is a funk song recorded by Lyn Collins and released as a single on James Brown's People Records in 1972. The recording was produced by Brown (who also wrote the song) and features instrumental backing from his band The J.B.'s. It was the title track of Collins' 1972 debut album. The song is very popular for its raw drumbeat dressed with tambourine and multiple background vocals, which suggest the song was recorded altogether in one take, with Jabo Starks playing drums. It peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles chart and No. 66 on the Hot 100. Owing to the composition, it became a fan favourite and has been featured on various compilation albums posthumously. In the closing lyrics, Collins sings lines from "Think".
Vicki Anderson was an American soul singer best known for her performances with the James Brown Revue. She recorded a number of singles under both her birth and stage names. She was the widow of Bobby Byrd and mother of musician Carleen Anderson.
The Think break is a drum break that has been widely sampled in popular music. It comes from the 1972 song "Think " by the American soul singer Lyn Collins, written and produced by James Brown. The drum break was performed by John "Jabo" Starks.
Martha High is an American vocalist.
Osaka Monaurail is a Japanese funk band, formed in Osaka, Japan. It has been active since 1992. The band is now based in Tokyo, Japan.
Expansion Records is a British record label founded by Northern Soul DJ Richard Searling and Soul Bowl owner John Anderson. In 1989, DJ, author, and journalist Ralph Tee joined the label, and both he and Searling have been running Expansion Records.