There It Blows.
Overboard! A forceful gust of wind blows a fedora off a head. A giant plastic A-frame sign collapses. The cool draft blows against the perspiration on the lower back as the body jumps and spins 180 degrees. Sneakers effortlessly slide across the smooth cobblestone dotted red and brown. Breathe deeply. The cool crisp air filling the lungs feels not only refreshing but excites the savory glands. Hungry? Dance with friends nearby the vendor selling plant-based bites. Thirsty? Dance your way to the vendor selling liquid spirits? Anyone, for an orange sweatshirt to keep warm? Dance toward the rear entrance canopy where branded apparel is sold cash free. But be cautious dancing in front of giant sub woofers. That emits booms and bass loud enough for big-field festivals.
And who said Atlanta’s Underground is abandoned? An urban relic of the last century’s decay. Today, under the blue azure, basking in the sun, exhibitionists showcase fancy footwork in front of sparkling glass windows of the building hosting a world-famous graffiti artist’s exhibit. View food trucks parked on Upper Alabama Street as patrons, some in mid-dance, amapiano to the sounds of music spewing from JBLs below. Housed in a pyramid constructed of beams and metal.
There he stands in the arms of the triad. E L I O S T E R E O, his name shines in bright letters across an electronic board. The Venezuelan born Atlanta transplant cranks out the stellar Sunlightsquare’s “Oyelo.” The Nash la Musica Remix has twenty-five early birds head bopping, fingers snapping, and toes tapping to hand percussion, warm chords, and plucking guitar strings. View their smiles. Seasoned faces appear jovial, enjoying the outdoors, bathing in the disappearing sunlight on a Saturday evening.
“I hope you pay for your ticket because you’re not that special,” reads a text message from a jealous outsider. Even haters can’t stop the joy of dancing underneath skyscrapers with painted art mural stretching into the twilight. Where flocks of birds perform aerial stunts, aircraft travel and a drone, wait, a black drone launches upward into the air and hovers in front of the DJ’s face.
Oh. There is more. The event’s headlining guest hails from New Jersey. Jihad Muhammad is no stranger. Having played in the capital of the Southeast several times over. The Bang the Drum founder is the artist the people come to see play. The “Ascension” producer is the artist the people come to hear play. However, the “Hard to Love” remixer’s set time begins with acoustic issues. The volume increases to ear bleeding levels. Are two songs playing at one time? Perhaps, three songs play at once. Whatever the reason. The sounds become a muddled mess. So much so, one dancer runs behind the giant speaker cabinets and dances into the night.
Welcome the Night
Where multi-colored scarfs, denim jackets and orange sweatshirts appear welcoming the embracing aphotic. “Yay! You’re here,” and hearty hugs are exchanged with familiar faces and friendlier smiles appearing out of the midst from the fog machine. While the attendance numbers double in size. Yet, there is more than ample space to groove about. Making for perfect social distancing. Mask up or mask off. Welcome to Tambor’s “Deep Wakening.”
The debut event that infuses Afro House music and dance movement to awaken our deepest soul with a renewed sense of being in this world, reads the promotional video posted online, the prospectus covered with three pyramids, the aesthetic theme of the event.
Fifteen minutes later, back inside the DJ pyramid, the emitting cacophony becomes mellifluous. The mixing technique transforms from NYC’s Shelter-esque to signature when Rabs Vhafuwi & Mizz’s “Count Your Blessings” plays. Sadly. One dancer experiences hearing loss. For the remainder of Deep Awakening the grounding sound bath sounds -well- off.
Jihad Muhammad
Long ago, dubbed the silent deadly, the title sticks today. Fans are hard pressed to find online interviews, weighty bios, or recent activity @JihadofBang. Instead, the veteran stalwart lets the music speak. Take, Caiiro’s “Drummotions,” The Mike Dunn Movement Mental causes the body to slump over with hands beating the earth. On Caiiro’s “Tomorrow Never Comes” the melodic rifts thrusts hips forward and arms stretching for the stars as a pitched voice proclaims, “I got something for your mind, your body, and your soul.” Here Jihad speaks through the accapellas from First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder” to MD X-Spress’ “God Made Me Phunky” (Accapella) to Blaze featuring Palmer Brown’s “My Beat” (Accapella). The music meanders from Afro house, Manoo’s “Kodjo” to Afro beat, Femi Kuti’s “Truth Don Die” (Kerri Chandler Lagos Dub) to Afro-tech, Afefe Iku’s “Magicwave.” But primarily the beats stay percussion driven with slow crescendos.
Except when Jerome Sydenham & Kerri Chandler’s “Rising the Sun” shout-outs that Jersey garage sound that provokes a sigh of relief. For the party people, an Afro version of Jill Scott’s “Not Like Crazy” is fun as the jazzy DJ Roland Clark’s “Simple Things” (Joaquin’s Sacred Rhythm Version) is grounding.
Love and Happiness that dance together, showcase their best moves of ultra-spins and leg stretches to Honeysweet’s “I Put a Spell On You” (Honeycomb & Vega Mix). Be sure not to bump into the several phones and video cameras filming their dance ritual.
“I clap my hands/I stomp my feet/I’m gon’ fight for the right to love you.” Lyrics the ladies sing, their torso’s gyrating to Shimza featuring Maleh’s “Fight to Love” (Louie Vega Remix) is the perfect memory for the moment.
“Sacude,” Tony Touch yells. Yasss!!! Ending the set on a high note by playing the Manoo Touch Latino Flute Mix causes booties, hips, and torsos to shake in those Spanx black leather leggings. That’s what’s up.
Underneath the laser show from 230 beam LEDs, cloths of blue, purple, gold, green and pink stream in the air. Creating excitement and buzz amongst the multi-hued crowd. That steps aside to make way for dancers wearing long flowing dresses. Their bodies spin, arms wave, and bare feet step. Mothers and daughters dance hand-in-hand. Celebrating the life of femininity, proclaims DJ Stan Zeff. Hands clap and mouths cheer. At that moment, the thirty souls left get down to David Morales & Mr. V’s “Everyday of My Life.”
Movers and Shakers
Anyone can throw a party. But not everyone is chosen to throw parties. This is how you throw an impactful event. Knowing what a community of music lovers and dancers need and not only knowing their wants. Stan Zeff has always been one step ahead in the culture. Creating and executing Afro house parties with a keen ear and precise vision. A perfectionist, his ethos is awarding, for the guest music selectors, dancers, and everyone involved who attends. With gratitude, kudos to Stan Zeff for stepping out and stepping up. For giving the people a day and into the night deep awakening.
wrds: aj dance
above grphc: aj art
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Tags: #dancefloormagic #housemusicexcellence, afro house music, afro tech music, Atlanta Georgia, Atlanta Underground, Bang The Drum, dance, DJ Stan Zeff, Elio Stereo, house music, house music dancing, Jihad Muhammad, Tambor Music, Tambor Party, Tambor Party Deep Awakening