While I’m off DJing soft openings for newer watering holes, Houston’s ultimate tropical crew is ready to warm it up at the next installment of DUSTY CRATES with sultry ritmos Americanos.
And staying true to the night’s concept, these guys are not only bringing their extensive digital music collection to play on Serato, but they’re also dusting off their record crates to bring you more eclectic downtempo and world beats on vinyl.
Last night, the Bombón crew dropped in at KPFT‘s studios for the Son Pacifica show. We were surprised that this mostly Spanish-speaking community radio show somehow found out about our special Bombón for the Rio Arriba Tour; and were also happy that the radio hosts invited us in, eager to hear about this new Latin movement. After the hour-long show, we all walked away with a mission to share more of these ritmos Americanos–regardless of any language barriers.
Bombón Especial With a clear step in that direction, this Saturday night, April 16, Bombón is bringing you an evento muy especial with South American DJ/producer Chancha via Circuito and head honcho El G (see video/documentary above) of ZZK Records! They deliver debut performances in town at The Green Room (813 St.Emmanuel, next to Warehouse Live). And we, Bombón DJs (Gracie Chavez, Navó, OG Bobby Trill and Cashless), are sharing the stage/decks as additional musical acts for the night. Doors open at 9pm for 18 and up, and tickets are $4/$7 at the door.
Las Conexiónes You can also catch Tuesday night’s podcast with Chancha and Bombón DJs on SonPacifica.com. Or tune in to KPFT 90.1 FM on Tuesdays from 10-11pm (CST) as they will regularly host Bombón’s guest artists in the months to come.
And happy to add that Tipping Point is also on board with Bombón Houston, so we’ll be seeing a lot of support from them on special events, too! They’re co-sponsoring our first Cinco/Seis de Mayo festivities in a couple of weeks. We may even start free dance lessons!
And special thanks to We Get Famous for the post this week, DJ Sober for this fly-ass flyer, Fahrenheit-Media‘s Chris Cardenas (aka the Hub) for sound, Mariana for letting us run it at Avant Garden every month, and Tonio for video, creative direction and holding down Bombón/DIRB! on the West Coast. Don’t be hatin’!
Our next edition of Bombon tomorrow night brings in SA import Sonora of the infamous Peligrosa All-Stars. This DJ/producer has worked with a few fellow Texans, like Mexicans with Guns, and is working on an upcoming EP with Brooklyn’s baile queen, Zuzuka Poderosa.
I caught up with him just before SXSW gets 4Loco next week for a quick Dusty Crates interview. This is what’s goin on in Sonora’s world:
DustyCrates: What kind of sabor do you bring to your music? Sonora: I’ve been told by numerous people and also [a] dude from Generation Bass dubbing me ”Mr. Multi-Genre”. It really doesn’t matter what kind of track it is, it can be a disco edit, or a hip hop track I’m working on, it will always have some sort of Latin flavor or influenced sound built around [Latin].
DC: Who (or what) are you currently working with in the studio? SL: At the moment, I have a few projects im working on. I’ve been working with Zuzuka Poderosa via the Internet for this new collab/remix EP. But will be hitting the studio up with her when she gets to Texas for SXSW to record a
couple tracks with her.
I’m also doing projects with two different producers, Orquesta from Dublin, Ireland, and a local here in San Antonio who goes by LeDoom. And in the middle of all that I’m still working on a full length LP; it’s definitely
not going to be for the club, it’s leaning more towards the hip hop side of things with lots of melodys/textures layers, live instruments, and samples from old vinyl.
DC: Where do you get your inspiration? What did you grow up listening to in San Antonio? SL: My inspiration comes from a lot of things: my daughter, of course, or digging for old vinyl at the pulgas and spending hours analyzing tracks and getting ideas.
I grew up listening to a variety of things especially living in the house with three sisters. So, my mom and dad would play a lot of tradicional cumbia, bachata, salsa, and of course, tejano. My sisters had a lot of hip hop playing, like Biggie and Nas, or Michael Jackson. And later in the years, I started making beats in my bedroom and selling them at school! Haha! That led to making screwed and chopped mixtapes. I grew up appreciating so many things that, at the moment,
it plays a big roll in my production. [Check out more of Sonora's sound here.]
DC:What’s the SA music scene like? SL: The scene here as far as live shows go sometimes frustrates me. The city has so much raw talent here and great events going on that SA will sleep on it. But more recently things have been picking up, more crews establishing their names, and people actually travelling out a little further to go catch a gig that isn’t on “the strip”.
But all the producers here are really great. It was awesome to see a good friend of mine, Ernest Gonzales (aka Mexicans With Guns), plant his music seed a ways back, and to see it pretty much grow into something huge. [I'm] proud that his success happend here in this city. SA is definetly something that nobody should sleep on.
DC:Some Houstonians have been out to see you rock it at Peligrosa in Austin. But for those who haven’t, what you bringing with you to Bombon? SL: At Peligrosa’s, I always make sure to keep up with throwing in tradicional jams or blending it with a big beat, it’s always nice to sneak in some old merengue and mambo, too. But I’ll also be playing some tracks of the new Zuzuka EP, and a lot of my new productions, so Houston will get to hear it first!
Bombon Asesino en Houston
Be one of the select few to hear Sonora this Friday, March 11, at Avant Garden (411 Westheimer, 77006) with Bombon DJs Navo, OG Bobby Trill, myself (Gracie Chavez) upstairs and Cashless downstairs brining more tropical, Afro-Latin, soca, dancehall heat! No cover, 21+ from 9pm-2am.
We’re about to get it (Fiyah) Crackin’ this 4th of July. We’re starting this thing off early, so bring a lawn chair for the fireworks and an empty stomach for the FREE cookout.
The first part of the evening will take place on the patio, so you can view the fireworks from a prime location. It will also be family friendly, so bring the kidfolk! Once the fireworks end at 10pm, the grownfolk are taking the party inside.
With DIRB! DJsGracie & Tonio and guests Dayta, Jef Cashless, Elroy Boogie &Bobby Trill. Let’s get it (Fiyah) Crackin!!!
Block 21
2420 Washington Ave
Houston, TX 77007-6019
(713) 862-0200
It seems just like yesterday I met DJ Cashless at the old Aerosol Warfare warehouse. Back then, Jef was a UT student and DJ broadcasting mostly hip hop over the airwaves and on the Web. On weekends you’d see him at then local joints like Reprogram and The Waxx. This cat clearly knew what was up in the H. But then he disappeared.
Fast forward: It’s Diplo‘s first show in Houston and Cashless emerges. After flip flopping between Japan and Houston, Hater Mag‘s contributing writer is here for good–well at least for now. And he’s back at the decks, ‘cuz he ain’t playin. Cashless is now part of the much diggable NY-based DJ crew Buhbomp, which consists of Empanadamn, JD, Lil Tiger, and Elz. But most importantly, Cash is back in the mix.
Check him out on Saturday night with me at Block 21 and on Tuesday for the Estelle/Kid Cudi Afterparty at the House of Blues-Houston. And hit him up for that mini-mix he owes us on Dusty Crates!
DustyCrates.com is the blog for DIRB!, a DJ collective and movement originating from Houston, Texas. Started in 2006, DIRB! is made up of Matt Sizzle, Gracie Chavez, Antonio, El Jeffe, Squincy Jones and SDF-One who all share varying tastes in dance music: club, electro, drum & bass, dubstep, hip hop, house, world beats, etc.
