How would you describe your DJ style?

I play various styles, all tied together by soul & percussion: from disco to funk to r&b to house to hip-hop to reggae to African music to Brazilian and Latin music. The challenge is to tailor the sound to fit the crowd you're playing for while maintaining your identity at the same time. It's not always easy to find that balance but it can be very gratifying when things fall in place.

How do you connect to the masses?

I market my events via email or Facebook to about 1500-2000 people in the NYC area: mostly friends, folks I grew up with, nightlife / music industry folks or people who have attended the events in the past. And then I let the word-of-mouth do its thing. It's a niche approach that can lead to some pretty cool events when executed properly. Check it out --> http://vimeo.com/33776451

Where in the world has Djing taken you?

New York, DC, San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Las Vegas. I have yet to DJ overseas but I'm hoping to make it happen in 2012. I'm due for a trip to London!

On what aspect of NYC nightlife are you the savviest?

I wouldn't say that I've mastered any specific aspect of the nightlife. Rather, I think my strengths lie in having an adequate knowledge of the multiple aspects of nightlife, from the music to the promotions, venues, deal making, staffing, door politics and the general hospitality of it all. Seeing the big picture is really helpful.

It's 9pm on a Monday and you are with friend from out of town. Where are you and why?

We would probably be having dinner at Macao in Tribeca. Always a chill vibe, my buddy is the manager there and sometimes they have DJs playing very decent music.

What sets Macao apart from the crowd?

The mushroom croquettes!

Finally, what venue playlist are you sharing with our Citiologists?

If I HAD to go out every night of the week I would probably hit up the following:

Monday:

Stanton Social for high-energy hip-hop & pop courtesy of Omari Toomer. However, if it's the third Monday of the month then it's all about the Good Spot at Red Egg with music courtesy of Stimulus and I. Here is a sample of what we play soundcloud.com/djmoma

Tuesday:

Savior El Mundo hosts a Latin/soul/afro-beat night at Diva with DJ Tahleim on the helm. Tahleim is one of those "DJs' favorite DJ" kind of guys; incredibly deep crates and amazing soul texture to everything he plays, one of my favorites. However, if it's the second Tuesday of the month (or the third sometimes) then it's all about Redirekt at Cielo with Vikter Duplaix and yours truly. http://www.giantstep.net/events/1425

Wednesday:

I usually check out Rich Medina and Akalepse's party "Props" at Le Poisson Rouge then breeze through DJ Kiss & M.O.S's party "Baby I'm A Star" at Gold Bar. Props is an extension of Rich and Ak's legendary Wednesday night residency at APT, it's classic funk & breaks, deep soul, vintage beat-heady hip-hop + some afrobeat and a loose jazz joint thrown in every now and then for good measure. The music is inspiring and I always walk out of there having discovered a dozen new tunes. Baby I'm A Star on the other hand is just the hippest sexiest party in town right now. I've had the pleasure of DJing there about once a month and it's Prince meets Kelis meets Michael Jackson meets Kanye which generally describes the sounds of DJ Kiss and DJ M.O.S as well as the look of their host, The Legendary (and extravagant) Damon.

Thursday:

Toro in the Smyth Tribeca hotel is where I’m at. It's my weekly soiree thrown in conjunction with my cohorts Mark, Maine and Arthur Rutledge. Everything from current House to classics, pop music, Brazilian tunes and hip-hop bangers. If you want something more focused musically then my good friend DJ Eleven throws it down at Von w/ his rotating residents Sure Shot, Lindsey & Myles. It's unadulterated fun, a lot of 90s music, old and new reggae, some choice new hip-hop cuts and 80s R&B for everybody to sing along to. Even more focused musically is Eli Escobar & LLoydski's "Work" party at the subMercer. If you're into seamlessly blended disco-house and classic house then this is the night for you, every tune sounds timeless and you would be hard pressed to figure out if it's old or new or somewhere in between.

Friday:

Every first Friday of the month is "Hot Music" at the subMercer with Jennifly, Rok One and myself. Disco, classics and house music all night long. This party will save your soul! On the weekly tip, there's always the Freedom Party at Le Poisson Rouge. DJs Herbert Holler, Cosi and Marc Smooth launched this party 8 or 9 years ago and it's become a true staple in the NY nightlife.

Saturday:

Dirty Cash @ Bamboo. This is a new party I've recently started in the basement of Lucky Cheng's in the East Village. The space is totally unpretentious - it's truly a basement - but we hooked it up with some sound, lights and a smoke machine and the response has been amazing. We're playing classics, house, 90s music and 90s reggae to a packed house every Saturday and I couldn't be happier. This party saved my soul. Other noteworthy events include The Rub at Southpaw every first Saturday with DJs Eleven, Ayres & Cosmo Baker. This party has been going on for over 9 years and is generally regarded as the best party in New York.

Sunday:

Le Bain at the Standard Hotel. DJ Neil Aline plays host to some of the most in-demand house and indie dance DJs of the moment. The party is called Ete D'Amour in the summer - with full access to the rooftop and the hot tub / swimming pool thing - and is rechristened Nouveau York in the winter time to align with the grittier roof-less / pool-less cold season.