In alphabetical order, because they are all so good, we just can't decide who to list first...
Charlie Fuller (Cincinnati OH, nee St. Louis, MO)
Charlie Fuller is known worldwide for his "Ass & Sorbet" theory of
blues music and dance. You want something up-tempo, thick and beat-y,
with a grinding gutbucket backbone? Charlie's got just the thing for
you! You want a song that wrings you out and throws you back into the
deep end where you lose your senses in the confusion between the drums
and your cheating heart? Comin' right up! You want a sultry slow
drag with a melody that gently stretches the reach of your muscles and
slaps your brain into stillness? He can serve that up too. There is
the "ass" and then there is the "sorbet," and
then the space between where they mingle together. It is a dangerous continuum, indeed,
but Charlie is a skilled navigator and will serve you up the only the
tastiest bits from its
darkest nooks and crannies.
Cid Galicia (Chico, CA)
Cid Galicia has been DJing for 3 years now; beginning with house parties and then, under the tutelage of Scott Kaufman and Ron Thompson, DJing Lindy nights at Midtown Stomp in Sacramento, CA. Cid DJs blues, specializing and spending time in the study of its music, artists, and history. Cid is always searching for new versions of classic songs. He has DJed such events as the Utah Lindy Exchange, Reno Dance Sensation, and Friday Night Blues. Cid is currently DJing "Up in the Kitchen," a Tuesday Night Lindy and Blues night at Studio One in Chico, CA.
Devona Cartier (New York, NY)
Mme. Cartier hails from NYC, where her secret identity works as a pilates teacher and movement practitioner. As a superhero, she flys around the country bringing awesome music to the masses. She began DJing several years ago because she wasn't hearing the blues music she grew up with, the music she wanted to dance to. Seems others wanted to hear it too; she quickly became a vibrant staple in the music and dance scene nationwide. For Blues she might play anything from Robert Johnson and Victoria Spivey to Chris Thomas King and Kenny Neal.
Keith Shapiro (Austin, TX)
Keith was one of the driving forces in the effort to establish a Blues dance culture in the Orlando, Florida area. He was the house DJ at Orlando Blues' Second Saturday Dance and was also the sole organizer of the Orlando Blues Dance Extravaganza in June 2006. In November 2006, Keith moved with his family to Austin and is a founding member of the Blues Association of Austin and is currently one of the house DJs at Kick Butt Blues, the Austin Swing Syndicate, and Tina Davis's "The Back Room." You may also have seen him at ALX, ATLX, MezzJelly Soul, Soul Jam!, and Austin Blues Party. Dubbed "DJ Big Papa," Keith guarantees you'll want to get up and shake it all night long to the hottest Blues tunes out there.
Linda Maxwell (Santa Cruz mountains, CA)
Linda currently DJs at Friday Night Blues and the 9:20 Special in San
Francisco and in the past has DJ'd Blues slots at various exchanges in
the U.S. and in Europe. She lives about half the year in Buenos Aires
and half the year in Boulder Creek. Along with blues and jazz, she loves
gospel and soul music, and she greatly enjoys the search for new music
that will inspire and delight dancers. She enjoys creating an evening
of Blues music for dancers that may wind its way from New Orleans to the
Mississippi Delta to Chicago. She'll include plenty of well knows artists
like John Lee Hooker and bring in some
surprises such as Olu Dara and
Michael Powers. And she loves female Blues singers:
Carrie Smith, Mavis
Staples, Dinah Washington, Koko Taylor, and Catherine Russell
- just to
name a few.
Roy Rydbeck (San Francisco, CA)
Roy currently DJs at various Lindy Hop and Blues dancing venues in San Francisco including: Friday Night Blues, 9:20 Special, Lindy in the Park, and Roots. Roy has also DJed at local venues when he lived in Chicago (2000-2005) and Tampa (1999-2000). Roy has DJed at many national exchanges and events in cities including: Chicago, Cleveland, New Orleans, San Francisco, Moscow, South Florida, Tampa, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Minnesota, and New York. A few of Roy ’s favorite blues artists are Muddy Waters, Taj Mahal, Koko Taylor, and John Lee Hooker.
Steven Watkins (San Francisco, CA)
Steven, a.k.a. Dr. Feelgood, originally hails from New York City, but Steven now calls San Francisco/Oakland home! He started dancing in 1998, and he began his Blues DJing career at his other adopted home - you guessed it - St. Louis' Cheap Thrills 2004. Since then, Dr. Feelgood has been "thrilled" to be spreading his love for the Blues, with some smooth, gritty, sultry music, coupled with a great sense of musical timing. If Steven has his way with us (and we sure hope he does!), there won't be any dance venues...just "Joints," and he'll do his best to bring music that'll make you FEEL that happen...Oh, and those sexy good looks help, too!
Tina Davis (Austin, TX)
Tina "Sweet T" Davis started doing the DJ thang in the great state of Florida in 2003 and now calls Dallas, Texas, her home. Tina spins a mix of styles, but it's all got to be funky and have a little "ass" to it. In addition to spinning her fave Blues, Lindy, and West Coast Swing tunes in Austin, she has been a featured DJ at many Blues events and Lindy exchanges in the US and Canada. She also likes '80s music, but don't hold that against her. Tina was a co-DJ for the Yehoodi Radio Show in May 2005 with Houston DJ Kristina Arscott. DJ "Sweet T" currently hosts a monthly blues dance in Austin, Texas, called "The Back Room."