Arguably the most important and influential DJ to emerge from Kansas City, Ray Velasquez is a professional club, radio, and events, Billboard Magazine "tastemaker" DJ now based in New York City.
More accurately, by exercising an enhanced sense of empathy, Ray functions as a catalyst between music, his clients, and the audiences they intend to impact.
He is well versed in a variety of formats, but is mainly known for performing a style which he refers to as "Modern Urban Lounge", a lush and sophisticated blend of jazz, Brazilian, and Latin flavored deep house, downtempo, and electronic groove conducive to cocktails, dining, dancing, and conversation. Think Cafe Del Mar meets the Groove from Ipanema.
Ray is signed to Nettwerk records, and has a compilation CD released called "Samba Sunset":
"...flirty Brazilian beats and coo-cooing jazz flavor. Perfect for balmy summer nights." Entertainment Weekly
"Sublime...one of the year's most seductive chill-out CDs..." Eye Weekly
"*** (4 stars)...a wonderful break from the norm...tailored for a more sophisticated ear...highly recommended..." ABOUT.COM
"...downright beautiful...a marvelous listen...sure to inspire beachy fantasies." All Music Guide
On the cultural flipside, He's also known for generating a killer 80's inspired post punk, new wave, and contemporary electro house/rock party vibe featuring everything from Cabaret Voltaire, New Order, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Gang of Four to Goldfrapp, Bloc Party, Digitalism, Black Strobe, The Knife, Cut Copy, and LCD Sound System. Classic NYC Lower East Side, edgy musical decadence.
As a Billboard magazine "tastemaker" DJ, Ray has had the opportunity to perform and establish DJ residencies at some of the finest clubs, lounges, and listening rooms in New York City including Cielo, Hiro Ballroom, Club 205, Kush, Shelter, Joe's Pub, Lot 61, Bungalow 8, Galapagos Art Space, Union Square Lounge, Bed New York, The Cabanas, Hudson Hotel, the Soho and Tribeca Grand, Label Lounge, and Naima, and has performed in association with such prominent club promotions entities as Giant Step and GBH.
He's had the opportunity to play sets in support of a variety of artists including Bebel Gilberto, Gotan Project, Jazzanova, Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister (Kruder & Dorfmeister), Fila Brazillia, Chari Chari, Nuspirit Helsinki, Yukihiro Fukutomi, Nouvelle Vague, and Ben Watt.
Ray has also had the honor of being invited to perform at a number of prestigious events including the closing party for the Premiere Brazil Film Festival, a New York Film Festival event hosted by famed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar in celebration of his critically acclaimed film "Talk To Her", and Expresso 2222 in Salvador, Bahia-Brazil, a private annual Carnaval event hosted by Brazil Culture Minister and father of Tropicália, Gilberto Gil.
Commercial clients include Hugo Boss, L'Oreal, Bloomberg, Studio Dror, Porsche Design, American Outfitters, Club Monaco, and Sprint.
Ray's musical experience and expertise programming 80's post punk, new wave, and alternative and 80's inspired contemporary electro house and electro rock, allows him to lead a bit of an artistic double life having also played in support of New Order, Public Image Limited, Killing Joke, Suicide, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Moev, Nine Inch Nails, Die Warzau, David Holmes, Moby, Primal Scream, The B-52's and Paul Weller (The Jam, Style Council) to name a few.
But perhaps the most unique music programming commission came at the request of the estate of William S. Burroughs. The Burroughs Communications office was located next to Ray's apartment in Downtown Lawrence Kansas. When William passed, James Grauerhotz asked DJ Ray Velasquez to program the music for the wake. Ray actually DJ'd behind the open casket of the legendary beat poet on the stage of a 19th century opera house in Lawrence, Kansas.
In 1983 Ray created Nocturnal Transmission, the groundbreaking chill-out electronica radio program broadcast on KJHK at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, a good 5-6 years before the advent of chill out culture. After a couple years on community radio station KKFI in Kansas City in 1990-92, Nocturnal Transmission began broadcasting on KLZR, a 100,000 watt commercial radio station in Lawrence KS from 1993-2003 to much acclaim.
As a member of the elite Billboard Magazine DJ panel since 1990, Ray's had the opportunity to help introduce the various forms of electronic music to the mainstream public, and nurture its evolution from underground experiment to mainstream pop accessibility.
Whether it's playing the more ethereal tunes by New Order, Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Joy Division, Ultravox, Brian Eno, Kraftwerk, Cocteau Twins... on Nocturnal Transmission circa 1983 or introducing acid house, techno, rave culture, drum and bass, and ambient electronica to Kansas City club life in the 80's and 90's, Ray's musical interests and expertise transcend the confines of genre in order to generate and communicate desired emotional content.
Today, at the top of his game, Ray's desire is to break into the music supervision field for advertising, television, and film.
