Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with DJ Sesqui

His go-to records, his craziest gig and the music you should never ask him to play.

IMAGE: Courtesy of DJ Sesqui.
By Matthew Singer

Years DJing: Crate digging and mixing since 1991.

Genres: Rare funk, spiritual jazz, Afro-Latin, global electronica, modern soul/boogie and hip-hop.

Where you can catch me regularly: I have co-hosted a weekly radio show called Astral Traveling every Sunday for the past six years on KBOO 90.7 FM.

Craziest gig: Well, after months of getting my mixes right, I threw a house party in '93 at my residence in Redondo Beach, Calif. I was involved in this little scene called the Goodlife. My mentor, Cut Chemist, brought his crew, Rebels of Rhythm, as well as Unity Committee, Dark Leaf, members of Freestyle Fellowship and a bass player named Wil-Dog (from Ozomatli), who brought a singer named Macy Grey. We had instruments, turntables, mics—and tons of mushrooms. Also, one of my roommates was into the punk scene, so our backyard was filled with black-clad folks who peered through our windows to witness the multicultural musical chaos that was happening inside. Forever changed!

My go-to records: "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz & NTU Troop; "Everybody" by e.live; "Bass-meant" by Chase; "Bailame Como Quiras" by the Latin Brothers; "What U Waiting 4? (Jungle Fever Mix)" by Jungle Brothers.

Don't ever ask me to play…: I picked my poison of searching for more obscure and deeper cuts, so if you're asking me for present-day top 40 stuff then it's more likely I won't have it.

SEE IT: DJ Sesqui spins at Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta St., with Los Estupidos, on Friday, May 27. 8:30 pm. $5. 21+.

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