MATERIAL POP•UP

The Chicago house community has brought greater attention to all the city’'s great djs, including the genre busting DJ Heather. Widely regarded as one of the premier selectors in the nation, this Chicagoan demonstrates her skills and sharp deck acumen for the masses throughout the Windy City and the world at large with verve and undeniable talent. Her interest in music was sparked early on by her parents’ eclectic music collection. A full spectrum of jazz, blues, rock, soul and folk was part of the Robinson household. With a foundation set, she began to discover her own tastes ranging from the Jackson 5, Chic, Blondie and Kiss. The British New Wave, Ska, Punk the burgeoning Hip Hop and Industrial movements further sparked her enthusiasm for music. “ "I felt as if I was on a mission of discovery. Vintage Vinyl and Big Daddy’s in Evanston became my haunts. I loved finding new bands and sounds such as Depeche Mode, The Specials, Black Flag, Treacherous Three and Ministry making them my own. I would then share them with friends by making tapes. “Medusa’s presented a true club experience to underage kids. I think the teens of Chi-town felt that they weren’t really missing out on what the adults were doing. That was undoubtedly our own world. If we were lucky enough to sneak into clubs like La Ray’s, Warehouse and The Music box that made our dance music experiences all the more meaningful”." Primarily known in the Chicago dance community as a “hip hop” dj, she began a shift in the material she played. “It was never a intentional choice to spin house music instead of hip hop. The demand simply seemed to intensify after each gig. Over time she moved on to specialize in house and maintains a soulful head-bobbing approach. Heather'’s track selection sends a nod of respect to the forbearers of Chicago’s signature sound. “Many things influence me, more than one sound” She fuses disco, classic house and techno. She drops tracks by producers who understand the forward curve of the electronic music scene. Commanding the crowd’s attention and keeping their feet moving. Soon her presence within the Windy City scene began to solidify and her reputation nationally began to grow. “Getting a chance to play outside Chicago definitely has been a combination of luck and timing. Friends, acquaintances and follow djs have looked out by suggesting me for gigs. Promoters, thankfully, trusted their opinions.” That kind of luck would play a big part in her first gig in Europe. By chance a tape was passed on to a promoter and lead to a trip to Paris. In 1998 she was asked by San Francisco transplant and fellow Chicagoan Mark Farina to support his Mushroom Jazz 2 cd tour. Truly the ultimate compliment.” She would later join him on the road in support of the third and fourth installments of the Mushroom Jazz series. As well as the house release San Francisco Sessions for Om Records in 1999. The cd also featured “Something Else” her first of three collaborations with 2nd Shift (JT Donaldson and Tim Shumaker) originally available on Seasons Recordings. A year later Heather released her own officially licensed mix “Tangerine” for the Chicago based Afterhours label. "“With my debut compilation I hoped to simply illustrate that I could program and mix. I think I achieved that”." With stand out reviews she hit the road on her own. That same year she returned to Chicago club staple Smartbar to begin her second residency at the venue. 2002 marked her inaugural trip to South Africa. That year Heather also began her relationship with the London club Fabric. Named after her favorite soy yogurt, Blackcherry Recordings, made its debut with the buzz worthy single “Picture of You” featuring Heather along with D.C.’s own Eastcoast Boogiemen. “ 2005 also marked Heather’s installment to the much heralded Fabric CD series, for the club of the same name. With 15 years of experienced behind her Dj Heather has grown to become one of the Windy City’s main Dj exports. She is an artist who defies conformity, defines quality and continues to nurture her solid skills for soul music of the technological generation.

From identifying a Bob James song in an elevator, performing an air guitar riff to a Led Zeppelin song, singing along with the latest Auto Zone TV commercial, to dropping the latest underground house cut, Karl Almaria is all about enjoying music. Karl loves a wide range of music, but living in Chicago almost all of his life has given him the opportunity to witness the evolution of house music over the years from its local early stages to the worldwide sound it is now. Today, Karl Almaria can be found not only enjoying house music, but living it as well. Whether its spinning alone, at a bar for 15 people or at an event for 1500 people, Karl is simply a DJ at heart that enjoys it all. 'Yeah, theres nothing like creating a vibe and connecting with a receptive crowd but there's also something special about connecting with the music alone.' In the early days Karl was content listening to mix tapes, collecting records, and spinning at home. It wasn't long before others took notice and he began playing out on a regular basis. 10+ years DJ experience, a creative mixing style, and on-point track selection have now taken him to DJ gigs in 17 states in the US and have earned him an ever-growing booking schedule including several residencies in his hometown of Chicago and beyond. In addition to DJing, Karl is also part of Epiphic, a Midwest-based deep house collective that has promoted hundreds of regular and one-off events. Karl also heads up house record label, Bunchlox Music. The imprint's consistent quality releases have quickly created an international following. Bunchlox tracks have received DJ support from house heavyweights such as Diz, DJ Heather, East Coast Boogiemen, Mark Farina, and Miles Maeda. Like DJing, Karl's great ear for music has been successful in selecting the best of both established and up-and-coming producers. Bunchlox Music has been one of the first labels to sign artists such as Avondale Music Society, Jake Childs, Jazzy Eyewear, Jonn Hawley, Sound Republic, and Southern Roots. 'If its good, its good and people will feel it, no matter whose name is on the record.' Along with DJing and running Bunchlox, Karl has recently been focusing on production. With only a few years in the studio, his original tracks and remixes are already appearing in big name DJ sets (including Derrick Carter, Diz, DJ Heather, Mark Farina, and Raoul Belmans) and have become the subject of track IDs in many underground house circles. Karl has been signed for several releases (Hudd Traxx, Guess Who?, Red Brunette) and has been working on many more. 'Never thought that I would ever say this, but I might enjoy producing just as much as I enjoy DJing.' Enjoying the music more than ever, Karl is showing no signs of slowing down. Be on the lookout, as Karl Almaria and Bunchlox Music are two names you will continue to hear much more from in the future!