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DJ BiogAs a professional DJ I have worked consistently on the music scene since 1989.Starting as a House DJ I worked the circuit around the UK gigging in Jersey, Merseyside, Manchester and many Outdoor Raves.In Yorkshire over the last 15 years I have been either a guest or resident DJ at the Cockpit, Funky Mule, Headz Club, Norman Bar, Po Na Na, Mint Club, Elemental, Elbow Rooms, RocBar, Leeds Metropolitan University, The Wardrobe and The Underground.However I am constantly seeking new interesting venues to play, and have played in Singapore, alongside a female soul/jazz/funk vocalist at the Heineken Music Festival.Last Summer I toured with Nightmares on Wax as Band DJ playing T in the Park, Big Chill, Fuji Rock Festival, Sonar Festival and Melt Festival among many others including a UK club tour.Now I regularly gig at venues in the north and shortly will be embarking on a tour of Australia, again with Nightmares on Wax Sound System Tour.I regularly play anything from one to six hour DJ sets specialising in a vast range of old and new Hip Hop, Break Beat, Electro, Disco, Funky House, Soul, R&B, Funk, Jazz, Latin styles, Ska/Reggae.Also, I incorporate a sampler and Serato into my sets, which gives me the freedom to manipulate tracks. I make my own remixes of tracks, or work along side another DJ, Emcee, Saxophonist, Percussionist, Vocalist.In addition I have worked with a vast range of live bands, including commercial cover bands to specialist original music.Between ’94 & ’96 I worked intensely with an Afro-Brazilian band and a Boogaloo band (Chocante and the Boogaloo Foundation respectively). These bands were twelve piece percussion units in which I contributed sampling, scratching and general playing of percussion.I have also done a great deal of work for local Yorkshire Radio stations, such as LSR (Leeds Student Radio), Genesis FM and Unity FM and more recently had a slot on Key 103fm to showcase a live disco mix.Workshops BiogI began part time tutoring back in 1995 whilst studying for my degree, instructing mixing and scratching techniques. Through word of mouth, I was kept busy and I decided to put together a course that would last for ten weeks, covering all aspects of DJing. I approached Leeds College of Music with my proposal, and was accepted. I started teaching for the CED on outreach classes, as a result of this I have taught all over Yorkshire in Schools, Colleges, Uni’s, Prisons, Festivals, Clubs/Pubs.During the years 1998 – 2000, I designed what I perceive to be the most popular technology-based Summer Schools the LCM has ever had. I organised the entire enterprise, from the sponsorship, all leading DJ equipment specialists through to day trips to Galaxy FM Leeds, I also invited guest lecturers who specialise in various fields of the multi-faceted DJ industry. I scheduled and promoted the events myself utilising my wide range of contacts to get the best possible team together for the students.The courses quickly developed and the demand rapidly took over the supply! I was soon lecturing two 3-hour classes at the LCM, one for beginners and another aimed at intermediates alongside my outreach classes and all this whilst studying for my degree! It became clear to the college that there was a gap in the music technology curriculum as far as DJing was concerned. I was asked to train three other DJ’s to a standard worthy of BTEC and the course that I had developed became a module that was the backbone for a one-year certificate in DJ technology, my syllabus was the first of it’s nature to be recognised and accepted by the BTEC body in the Yorkshire region.I have also worked as Programme Leader (Senior course coordinator) and National DJ Co-ordinator for a new and first of its kind course in the North West, Creating Music Through Technology (CMTT) for Access to Music. This was based at the Warrington Collegiate Institute and involved the day to day running of the course, with management responsibility for three specialist music technology tutors. Personally I was also responsible for the teaching of DJ Technology, Music Business, Practical Composition and Project Realisation.I now design various one day, one week, ten week, one-year DJ workshops and Hip Hop culture workshops.My primary role is teaching/guiding how to mix/scratch (beginners to advanced), also giving a thorough understanding of all the procedures/skills needed for self promotion and insider knowledge into club land i.e. PR, marketing, networking, bookings, promotions, setting up equipment etc.I can also bring in various specialists within the music industry from guest Break-dancers, Emcee’s, DJ’s, Graffiti, Promoters and Musicians.Charities, prisons, community education departments (C.E.D’s) and Festivals across the country have benefited from courses that I have delivered.