I am one of the hardest working and most recognized DJs in Arizona as proven by my nominations in Echo Magazine Best DJ 2008 and azcentral.com Best DJ 2007 / 2008 / 2009. I was an integral part of Forbidden Nightclub's success in Early 2008 when they were recognized as Best Dance Club by azcentral.com in 2008. ***I am most known for playing to the audience which can vary from mainstream dance to Top 40 Pop. I am a very versatile DJ ***I currently hold and have held residencies at every major gay nightclub in Arizona ***At this point in my career, I am more than ready to play outside of Phoenix and build my audience nationwide ***At this point in my life, I have achieved my dream of becoming a well-known DJ.It all started when I was eight years old, listening to the radio and emulating my heroes Casey Casem and Rick Dees. I began making my own DJ shows then. Through my teen years, my passion for music continued and when I was 14, I discovered "raves." The music, the sound, the lights, the entire experience swept me up ! It was AMAZING ! After attending countless rave parties after so many years, I knew what I wanted. I wanted to be up in front of people playing music, but now that I was out of high school, it was time for college. I've always LOVED music and I've ALWAYS loved movies, so thats exactly what I studied once the general classes were out of the way. I learned a lot, but I wanted to get my hands dirty. My first shot was at Blue Screen Rock, the college radio station in the late 90s. From there I launched into 103.9 Arizona's Party Station. I played roller rinks, high school dances, house parties, raves, wherever I could get booked. Eventually, I bought my own equipment so that I could mobile DJ, and then came the seduction ... ah, yes. It was my venture into the world of strip clubs as a DJ. Oh, the money was great, it was visually entertaining, but I was too caught up to realize I was really avoiding what I really wanted to do, and that was mixing live in front of a thriving audience. Along came The Biz in Phoenix, it was my first official residency at a club, no guest spots, just me playing that harder, darker techno on Wednesday nights, until something unexpected happened ... I got another night !! Friday nights at The Biz with DJ Tsunami were quite an eclectic outing. It seemed like every six weeks our theme changed, started out 80s, then 80s, 90s, and Top 40, followed by Latin. Even now, I couldn't say what really worked there for Friday nights, but in retrospect, I had a hellova time playin' 80s hits ! I LOVE the 80s !! After locking down Friday nights, and later Saturdays, my biggest pay-off was yet to come ! The Biz was looking for a hip-hop DJ for their highly successful 18 and up night on Sundays, but the funny thing was, the managers only knew me as a techno DJ. Then came a crossroads in my career, do I continue to struggle to become the next big dance DJ, or take this opportunity as a hip-hop DJ, though, at the time, I knew little about mixing hip-hop like any club DJs I had heard. I decided to scope out Sunday nights and get a feel. Eventually, I would guest DJ on Sunday nights spinning techno. Over time, I strategically mixed in some Top 40 hip-hop and the crowd responded ! I listened carefully to the resident DJ of that night at the time, who taught me a lot about spinning hip-hop that would later influence my mixing skills, song selection, and pacing. I patiently waited for my opportunity and BAM ! They approached me to do Sunday nights ! I still get people who remind me of how fun it was at The Biz on Sundays. Another shot at rising up the ranks came when a promoter for Sky Lounge invited me to be the resident DJ for a new 18 and up Thursday night weekly. Now playing two clubs, my name was gettin out there. Today, I have performed at every major gay club in the Phoenix and East Valley areas ! I currently hold residencies at three of the most well-known hotspots in Arizona, Charlies Phoenix weekly on Tuesdays, Club Mijo at Sky Lounge weekly on Thursday nights & Incognito weekly on Saturdays.*************** What people have said ... - Anton - "Years ago at the BIZ in Phoenix, I first heard about DJ Tsunami. I love DJ Tsunami's blend of music because he keeps the dance floor going with an awesome mix. He makes anything easy to listen to and has a great passion for what he spins. DJ Tsunami mixes his tracks together beautifully. He is a talented DJ as well as an amazing personality. DJ Tsunami's use of the mic is effective and fun. He uses it as it is necessary just enough to keep the crowd going; it enhances his music and never overpowers it. We all love him and always look forward to seeing him spin. I always see him spinning with a lot of my different friends. Tsunami also has a great passion for music and truely puts his heart into his sets. His talent and love for what he does shows through his sets every time he spins."
- C. Dominic - "I have heard him spin many times. He's always willing to listen to the patrons of the event(s)."
- John Sherman - "First heard DJ Tsunami four years ago at a house party. I've been a big fan ever since ! Tsunami can rock a mic, always having personality and being vivacious. He isn't like most DJs. He has his own unique style that separates him from the rest."- Brian - "My first night at The Biz I had just turned 18 and it was one of my best friend's 19th birthday. This was my first time at a real club and, no lie, I was scared. It was the thumpa thumpa from DJ Tsunami's mix that made it easier to deal, and now i go whenever he is spinning. It was an amazing mix and when he would go from track to track the boys would go crazy cause he knows how to let that intro linger and when to kick it up !!! When Tsunami gets on the mic, my favorite words are " where all my sexy people at ?" Tsunami works it out !!! My straight friends, my gay friends, they all love him cause he is a real person not some ahole in a box 10 feet above everyone. You can talk to him like a real human being. Tsunami is not a DJ, he is an entertainer. Tsunami has been a very important person in the Phoenix scene for sometime now. It's his real down to earth nature and his ability to please many different crowds and create the " thumpa thumpa" that is the pulse of our community. That makes him a great entertainer."- Gabe - "DJ Tsunami's music was very good and fit the crowd."Growing up to the sounds of disco from Dad and the likes of Barry Manillow and Barbara Streisand from Mom, it was destiny that the decks came to Tsunami. When he was eight, he produced home-made disc jockey tapes as an MC for his own radio show, and continued this into his teens. In the 80s, his father would bump Yaz, Yello, and other early electronic music pioneers in their weekly road trips. In 1992, he discovered the sounds of rave music and circuit parties, and most importantly, the people who most appreciated dance music. It wasn't long before this influenced his decision to step up to the tables, eventually making the transition to the nightclubs he maintains residencies at. Dance music has always been a passion to DJ Tsunami. His diverse music knowledge and connection to his crowd, ensures a successful event. As for the name, Tsunami came in 2001 after a discussion about how his sets sounded to his followers. They would describe his music as a wave, completely encompassing the listener who would blissfully drown in the sound of his beats.
This page was created by Akoni !
