Some of the more Latin-inspired dance rhythms with spicier bass lines swarming around lately have reawakened a new-found interest in my conquistadora roots. As a first-gen Chicana growing up in Houston’s Northside, I explored Papi’s concept albums and his 45 record collection of cumbia, boleros and traditional Mexican folk music along with his more modern disco, pop music, movie soundtracks and the newer “hip hop” sounds on KYOK radio in the early ’80s.

Fast forward. Today, I get to hear that familiar cultural blend in acts like Mexicans with Guns, a San Antonio producer that’s muy libre with his musical genres and always lucha for more bass. MWG’s recent well-received release, “Me Gusto,” featuring Chico Mann is an explosion of dubby, electro, 8-bit goodies all stuffed into one colorful piñata.

The lively track is part of the similarly titled five-track EP,  Me Gusto (Innovative Leisure/FoF Music), below:

Track List

1. Me Gusto ft. Chico Mann
2. Dame Lo
3. Los Perritos
4. Me Gusto ft. Chico Mann (Ghosts on Tape Remix)
5. Me Gusto (Instrumental)

Get the Mexicans with Guns Me Gusto EP on 12-inch vinyl at Stones Throw. 

Mexicans With Guns – “Me Gustó” ft. Chico MannbyFunny Ha Ha

Download: Mexicans With Guns – “Me Gustó” ft. Chico Mann (mp3)

With music like this, there was a good reason to revive Movida, a close-knit monthly party that featured soul, funk, 80s, 90s, plus other remixes and rarities to make you move. Instigated in 2007 by DJs Witnes (who’s holding down The Lot this Saturday night) & Antonio, the reoccurring night found a loyal niche audience for a good run at The Flat.

This Saturday, May 15, we’re bringing back Movida Remixed with special guest DJ Criminal V and hostesses Las Chiquitas at Dean’s Montrose (315 Fairview @ Morgan, 77006).

Join us for la Movida! RSVP now.

Our dude is back!

This Saturday, DJ Mel is gonna DIRB! with us again at The Lot on Washington. We’ve had a lot of fun each time he’s been down and something tells me we’re cued up for a ginormous summer in the H!

Here’s Mel’s latest edits to get you warmed up for summertime! The Goodmen’s is an edit of the original samba club jam, “Give It Up“.

>> Give It Up (DJ Mel edit) – The Goodmen (mediafire)

>> When I Think of You (Summertime remix) – Janet Jackson (mediafire)

DIRB! in TX and FB RSVP for more event details and updates.

Can you spell FEBRUARY?

It’s playtime again!

After playing musical chairs with the lineup, DIRB! welcomes special guest DJ/remixer Panchitron. Along the same veins as Toy Selectah and Uproot Andy, Houston’s Panchitron mixes up tropical bass, cumbia, house and ghetto to get you to the floor. !Puro fuego! [Spanish lesson: straight fire!]

He’s starting things off for the Recess crew including that bad boy Squincy Jones who’s finally out of Time Out and ready to play nice!

Finally, thanks to Oahn (www.soundslike1.com) for the dope-ass flyer. If we would have have animated it, we could have played on it like this: SPEAK & SPELL.

GOODBYE,
D-I-R-B!

FRIDAY 9/25

We look fly! We feel GOOD!…Come out and play with us!

FB RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131841798479

SATURDAY 9/26

11am-3pm – GRACIE CHAVEZ DJs DANA DAVIS Fall ‘09 Trunk Show
at Nordstrom – Galleria, Houston.

THEN…

10pm-2am – Nacional Records, Fahrenheit-Media & Lunaface Promotions combine forces to present PACHA MASSIVE listening party & KINKY after party with DJ GIL CEREZO (Kinky, MEX) at DEAN’s Montrose.

The Pacha listening party is followed by the official Kinky after party with none other than Kinky lead vocalist DJing Gil Cerezo on the 1s and 2s. Check out the interview with Gil and more info at Lunaface’s blog.

Be the first to hear their NEW sophomore album, If You Want It, and get FREE CDs. Their music is a funky bilingual fusion of traditional Latin rhythms, like Colombian cumbia, Dominican palo, reggae, dancehall, sexy dub and electronica.

Then, DJ Gil joins Gracie & G.Wizz as we spin new sounds of Latin music (bajo tropical, cumbia bounce, dance rock, disco, electro and beyond) for the night.

FB RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131405053068

See you on the dance floor!

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve written here. What, maybe two weeks? Well, that’s way too long. Since then we experienced Oktoberfest in August, the start/end of a *ahem* new monthly (it had potential–just sayin), and the close of a high-flying venue (it went three months strong, yay! *applause*). Here’s the long-overdue recap:

Lasting longer than the requisite 16-day beer fest, Sista Stroke’s tour through Texas evidently still has some of us in an intoxicating honeymoon phase. The newlywed popped into the H for special “homecoming” performance at The Flat’s Sideways Tuesday with DJ Pooks & Drew and then played along with Eddie Spettro in her original hometown, San Antonio. Who knows how long she’ll be in the Lone Star State or if she’ll make another cameo behind the decks before jumping the pond back to London. But if you happen to somehow miss her Freaking Freely here, you can always tune into Mr. and Mrs. Hun’s Brick City House podcast sponsored by ChicagoHouseFM.com on Wednesdays.

Meanwhile, the DIRBY! came out of the starting gates at a slow trot. I’ll admit, we enjoyed the pageantry and newish spot; who cares if there wasn’t much participation–we still had fun. We did manage to declare a DIRBY! mustache winner at the end of the night. Thanks to TABC’s late entry, we thought G.Wizz had it in the bag until said agent and pahtnah swaggered in at 1:45 a.m. He won, hand(lebar)s down!

Speaking of going down, let’s all pause for a moment of silence for the untimely demise of the indirigible airship-themed venue. In it’s heyday it was a mecca for Rich’s over-spill; in its most recent short-lived rendering, it was a ragbag of music and misfits. And although it didn’t amass the notable acts and acclaim that Walter’s on Washington did, it goes to show that throngs of d-bags don’t always ruin it for everyone.

So now that we’re moving on, I should note that DIRB! Block Party is on an indefinite hiatus from Washington Ave. Last Saturday’s performance with Jessica Lozano at the Boo Williams show at Block was certainly memorable enough that I recorded our Les Femmes reunion. G.Wizz capped it off on the decks after 3 a.m. Click below for a listen.

On short notice, however, I’m closing out the HMNS Mixer & Elixirs summer series tonight before the lively Latin act Grupo Ka-Che takes over the Dino Exhibit Hall. It’s been a fun gig all summer long, thanks to the open-minded museum curators!

And tomorrow, Saturday, 8/29, Antonio & I are DIRH! (Doin It Real House) again at the swanky Zimm’s wine bar while LBO Takes 5. And heed this: no socks for shoes people! RSVP pronto on Facebook >>

Meanwhile, I’ve updated DustyCrates’ sideline events widget with upcoming event flyers. Peep it. iCal it. Twitter it.

And as promised, more music mixes:

DIRB! Live on KTRU (May 2009) (mp3)
Listen to the 3-hour long live mix with Squincy Jones, Gracie Chavez, Tonio, G.Wizz & Jep in it’s entirety.

Les Femmes Gracie Chavez & Jessica Lozano Live at Boo (August 2009) (Zshare)
Thanks to HMH’s Jep, I’m learning to record on the iKey-Audio. Here’s the raw, 3-hour live set from last Saturday.

Thanks for reading this extended DustyCrates Blog-a-thon of the Month. You’re now exempt from the pop quiz.

Family Photo

Squincy Jones joins the DIRB! fam live on KTRU tonight…

DIRB! DJs Gracie Chavez & Antonio team up with G.Wizz (Neon Nites) & Jep for 3 hours of non-stop live mixing on KTRU 91.7 FM (ktru.org).

From 9 pm-12 am on KTRU’s MK Ultra DJ show, we’ll journey through an eclectic soundscape of music genres–downtempo, cumbia, dub, breaks, hip hop, world beats, classics, house, disco, electro, dance rock, etc…

Tune in locally >> 91.7 FM in Houston area
Listen here globally >> http://www.mkultra.us/
Download here futuristically >> http://mkultra.us/audio
Call in >> 713.348.KTRU

About MK Ultra
For years, the MK Ultra show has been one of the main driving forces behind Houston’s electronic dance music scene. Indeed, it is where many of Houston’s finest DJs got their start, and has even led some to world fame, including the likes of Jake Childs, Andrei Morant, Chris Anderson, and Henry Chow to name a few…So sit back, and take a look around – there’s lots of goodies here from sentimental photos to slamming DJ Mixes! http://mkultra.us/audio

Updates and info at www.dustycrates.com at www.fahrenheit-media.com.

DIRB! with Witnes

Does this man really need an introduction?

If you don’t catch Witnes at CAM’s Steel Lounge Underground on Friday, Do It Real BIG with us at Block Party (2420 Washington) this Saturday for his birthday and homecoming!

You won’t be sorry…

RSVP here and see event e-flyer in sideline –>

Rocks Off: Rock Box’s Final Night, 2008

SLFEMP mixtape – Witnes & Squincy Jones (mp3)

Doin' it real BIG Saturdays at Block 21

DIRB! BLOCK PARTY

SAT. JAN. 31, 2009
BLOCK 21 (2420 Washington, H-Town)

GRACIE CHAVEZ
ANTONIO
SQUINCY JONES

with guest DJs

EL JEFFE (DIRB!, F the Scene)

CASHLESS (Hater Mag, Buhbomp.com)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LIL’ SIS, JULIETA! LOPEZ NEGRETE REPRAZENT!

No cover. No dress code. No sweat.

Starting in February, we’ll be DOIN IT REAL BIG each AND every SATURDAY…

www.dustycrates.com
www.awwready.blogspot.com
www.buhbomp.com
www.haterhouston.com
www.frank151.com

There’s a first time for everything. In fact this is our first DustyCrates post for the year on our first anniversary. And although we’ve been operating as a “DJ collective” for about 3 years, DIRB! has never come together to play under one roof. Thanks to a holiday visit from Matt (a.k.a. Sizzle), who is holding up the DIRB! Seattle chapter, we were able to make it happen on Saturday night at Block 21 (2420 Washington, Houston).

Matt, Antonio, El Jeff and I Did It Real Big [DIRB!] at our bi-monthly, BLOCK PARTY, with Squincy Jones (dood, you’re pretty much DIRB! now) and all our friends plus more. We may not have another opportunity like this, so it couldn’t have been any more special.

The band photos are up; shit’s way too white bread now! Whut!!?

Thanks to Midge and Amish for snapping some pics throughout the night.

BLOCK PARTY PHOTOS HERE >>

Midge took amazing photos you can peep here: www.flickr.com/idyora

You can check out her new blog, too: www.growingupbackwards.com

Thanks, Midge!

When deep/tech house stronghold (and one half of the Dedicated duo) got married and left for Boston, there was a sizable void left to fill in Houston’s dance music scene. Tonight, Ben Clark comes back like a champ. He makes a much anticipated return for Heavy at The Backroom (3718 Main, Houston).

This time around, however, he’s left his vinyl arsenal at home (and traveling lighter, thanks to the FAA). Not compromising his signature smooth sets, he’s upped his game and is going digital. Tonight he’s poppin’ his Serato cherry and playing from a wider selection off his laptop. Get there early because, as rumor has it, he may team up with Mike W., the other half of Dedicated, for this special event.

And lastly, I’m teaming up with Antonio to DIRB at Heavy tonight, followed by sdfone playing his brand of “fidget” house. Heavy is veering from its usual d&b format, in case you haven’t figured.

Matt Sizzle will make up some dates with me at Gritsy’s NYE party and DIRB at Block 21 on Saturday, January 3rd. You won’t wanna miss it!