Another gem from the vault...
Listen to "The Next Level" on dSound
This DJ mix was put together probably somewhere around 2003 or 2004. Exactly when, I can't even quite recall - though upon throwing it on the headphones for a relisten, I was quickly taken back to the timeframe where I was holding down a residency at Balthazar in Vancouver...
An upscale restaurant/bar/lounge next to the beach, there was a certain prestige to playing there. A classier joint known for hosting movie stars, financial rockstars, and even some gangster-ish types, there was an allure to the venue that served nicely to accentuate the vibe. Smooth, clean, sexy... some great times were had playing there for sure.
As with most of my lounge gigs, the style was very eclectic - bouncing back and forth between R&B, soul, funk, hip hop, deep house, and various world flavors. While there was a smaller room, "the bordello," that went off with parties on the weekends - which I played a few - my sets were thrown down in the main room. From dinner time to midnight, there was a certain magic to that space - perhaps accentuated with the historic leftovers, as it had been a rich heritage building (apparently, at one time it had also been a brothel, complete with underground tunnels - as well as a beauty school).
It's been a long time since I listened to this one. Yet, the jazzy, soulful feel takes me back nicely to the warmth of that era.
Good times, those were.
Eventually, the place went through a change of ownership. A banker bought the place for his wife, who was doing cabaret/burlesque style shows. Don't think that lasted too long, as by the time I left and returned back to Vancouver, it had been gutted and turned into a coffee shop.
Nonetheless, the memories live on.
As does this mix.
May your listening experience fill your day with love and light. (And your booty with a little shake).
Enjoy!
Listen to "The Next Level" on dSound
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