“Music takes you higher
Than you may desire
Especially when your souls on fire
So get down
Till the music makes you move
When you're movin'
When you're grooving
When you really got your body
Do it
All that's shaking
You're not baking
So move your body right on cue
Ooooo do it to the music”
- Raw Silk

We do it do it every Sunday. 
Libation Live 
7-10pm EST 
Twitch.com/IanFriday

Libation Live with Ian Friday 7-11-21

Consultant in social development (cultural, community & event planning)

 
House of Rhumba
 
New York City loves rhythm.  It is fitting, then, that a spontaneous meeting on her beaches birthed the vibrant sounds of House of Rhumba.  The three-man, Afro-Caribbean percussion ensemble fuses a deep soul sensibility with traditional Afro-Latin rhythms such as rumba, bomba, and plena to create a unique and dynamic sound which has invigorated dance music since its birth.  Founded in New York City in 2000 by house music DJ “Papo Swing” (née Norberto Alicea) with percussionists Nicholas “Niko” Laboy and Obanilu Ire Allende Solana, House of Rhumba has distinguished itself as an innovative voice within the dance music scene, fusing a street rumba style with supple soul and electrifying beats.  This versatility has earned House of Rhumba a central place among dance music aficionados and secured appearances on numerous dance hits, including: “Steel Congo” and “Summer Night in Spanish Harlem” tracks with Grammy winning DJ Louie Vega (released on Vega’s solo album “Elements of Life”); “Irinajo” with Soul Channel Music (Mr. V and Alix Alvarez); and "Confession" with Malena Perez, among others.
 
Papo Swing
Papo Swing is a staple percussionist among highly regarded house DJs and performance groups, such as Cirque de Soleil, Louie Vega, Masters at Work (MAW), John Cutler, Soul Channel Music (Mr. V), Soul Creation, Alix Alvarez, Dennis Ferrer, Funk La Planet, and Alain Vinet, among others.  He has performed at Club Cielo, Club Deep, Club Shelter, Ageha (Japan) and Club Show in NYC, as well as other internationally recognized dance clubs around the world. Inspired by famous conga players like Giovanni Hidalgo, Mongo Santa Maria, Carlos Patato Valdez, Kevin Jones, Pedro Martinez from Yerba Buena (Fun Machine), and Luisito Quintero whom he counts among his teachers.  Papo Swing’s love for hard-hitting rhythm inspires his improvised conga beats and innovative technique within the Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Rumba and ‘bomba and plena’ genres, making him a leading musician among his dance music peers and fans alike.
 
Niko Laboy
Niko is a current member of several notable Afro-Caribbean popular and sacred performance ensembles, including Puerto Rican roots band, Yerbabuena. Niko is also a founding member of Ilu- Aye, an Afro-Caribbean music collective dedicated to preserving the rich African musical influences in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Among his many noted contributions to these ensembles, is his superb ability to arrange and direct the groups, adding his own innovative touches and musical flavor. His talents have placed him among the most sought after young percussionists and stimulated the interest of numerous bands in including him in their recording projects. Among several bands and artists that he has collaborated with are: Latin Sensation directed by Jose Mangual Jr.; the internationally acclaimed dance music producer and DJ, Louie Vega (M.A.W Inc.) for whom he recorded the highly praised percussion on "Steel Congo"; Lou Gorbea; Ashe Productions; and Yerbabuena, on whose debut album he appears.
 

BEEN PLAYING MUSIC FOR OVER 30 YEARS, I STICK TO MY ROOTS.... YOU CAN ALSO CHECK FOR MY AUDIO'S ON MIXCLOUD https://www.mixcloud.com/dee-jay-xcel/

While searching the radio dial for music that moved my friends and me, in the late '80's we discovered 98.7 Kiss FM, home of DJs like Tony Humphries, and telecasts from Tunnel and Zanzibar.

Inspired by the greats, I spent many an afternoon riding my 10-speed to the local record stores, flipping through stacks of vinyl, hoping to match titles to sounds I'd heard on the radio or the dance floor, and then add to my crates. Though formats have changed many times since, I've held onto some favorites and still treasure an autographed Adeva record, "WARNING!" from back in the day.

Countless forays into NYC found us at Tunnel, of course, and at Limelight, The Building, Red Zone, Palladium, Danceteria, Love, and Club Shelter, likely the most influential venues for experiencing music that spoke to my soul.

Since those days, I have continued to follow my favorite producers and DJs and have dabbled into music production myself, some of which I hope to share soon!

All the best to my followers and visitors alike,
Brett