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RA.898 Colored Craig

Published
Aug 20, 2023
Filesize
207 MB
Length
01:30:32

Irresistible grooves from a one-of-a-kind LA DJ.
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People in Los Angeles usually remember the moment they first saw Colored Craig DJ. He cuts a memorable figure: throwing down records on the turntables and dancing like he's in the crowd, not behind the decks. He's one of those rare selectors who's almost as fun to watch as he is to listen. But the rest of the world should be listening. Over the past few years, Colored Craig has become one of the LA area's most in-demand DJs, not just because of his considerable skills, but because of his old-school, loved-up ethos. He plays classic house records with a verve and style that you can't really teach or learn. You just have to have it. A choreographer by trade, everything about Craig has to do with movement, the joy of it, the energy you both gain and lose through dancing. His RA Podcast, recorded in his living room (a sort of nightclub in itself) gets across the infectious, uplifting energy of his sets, blazing through tracks from Kerri Chandler, Masters At Work and Chez Damier, and even including a disco house track that samples the Price Is Right theme. You might call this sound nostalgic, but it doesn't feel that way coming from Colored Craig, who is obsessed with the now, and the power of the moment. That outlook is all over this mix, and with any luck, you'll be hearing and watching him DJ around the world outside of LA sometime soon. What have you been up to recently? As of lately, I've honestly just been trying to get back to self. I work in the film and TV industry, and work as a choreographer has been super slow due to the recent strikes so I've had a lot of time to sit, think and make some changes to my life. This time off has given me a moment to connect to my collection of records at home as well as reconnect with my mind, body and soul. I have recently begun to work out, write and lean into building a stronger community of underground music friends, outside of the club. I'm also sober now, and that has really opened me up and given me a clear mind state. Now I'm just in love with life and everything I put my mind and heart to. How and where was the mix recorded? And can you tell us the idea behind it? This mix was recorded at home in my loft in DTLA. Friends call my place Club Craig, our club away from the club. The mix is an all-vinyl mix. I only play vinyl, ALWAYS. I don't get along well with CDJs, there's no connection there for me. The exchange I feel when my fingertips touch a piece of wax, there's no better feeling. And I'm not a hater. I actually own a pair of CDJs. It just feels like a toy or something to me. I also don't own a computer or flash drive. But anyways... Back to business. The idea behind this mix... it's a love letter from my records andÂ to get listeners out of their heads and into their bodies. It's all the music I'm loving at the moment. I hope to make everyone listening feel uplifted and motivated. No matter where they are physically or mentally, I hope they dance and feel a release of pressure. That's what house music does for me. When I play my records, nothing else matters. It feels as tho I begin to float above all the things that weigh me down. "Music is the answer to your problems. Keep on moving and you can solve them." - Danny Tenaglia What's one club or party that had a major impact on you as an artist? OMG you want me to name just ONE party that impacted me??? LOL! SHEESH! I'm gonna cheat and say Detroit and Movement weekend. The amount of great music and DJ's and parties you get to experience is just unreal and so special to me. No Way Back, Underground & Black, Club Toilet, Theo Parrish's Music Gallery, Soul Skate. The list just goes on. That is such an amazing weekend for me every year and I think I've been like six or seven years. I just can't get enough! Aside from the physical connection, what can you do with records that you couldn't do with CDJs? I don't think there's anything special that I could do with records that I can't with CDJs. I think turntables require a bit more focus and work and I like that. Turntables and CDJs are both great tools for the craft though. I do like putting in a bit of work to beatmatch and sync up two records. I think it's such a gratifying feeling in that, and really listening as a DJ. A lot of CDJ DJs these days don't even listen. They mix by the visual of a screen, waveforms and set cues. To me, it's a bit weird and too easy, which explains why we have so many quote-unquote DJs these days. But if you ask me, a disc jockey should have a disc, right?!?!? IDK... I digress, LOL. Anywho. I really enjoy actually having a physical copy of a piece of music that I can touch, feel, play and maybe pass down to someone after me. I'm from the '80s and I love that feeling of going down to a music store and digging for music, checking out the album artwork or even taking a photo of my collection. It'd be a not so cool photo holding up a flash drive for a pic. LOL. Does your work as a choreographer have any effect on the way you feel, hear or play dance music, or your interest in dance music? Being a dancer/choreographer helped my process of learning how to beatmatch when I first began to DJ. I unknowingly understood the structure of a song, when it will change by sections and when to bring in the next track. I never miss a beat once the groove is locked. My father is a DJ as well so I had that growing up, and even now, sharing music is our love language. There was always music being played, especially on the weekends.Â Also growing up as a dancer from the age of six, my dance teachers were mostly gay Black men who would bring in all this house music to our dance studio. They would drive from St. Louis to Chicago on the weekends to party and come back and try to get us to dance house and juke like the kids there in Chicago. But this was before the days of internet and YouTube, so we had no references. We would just enjoy the music and dance as hard as we could. So now, a lot of times when I'm playing out these old records that I love so much, I'm having these flashbacks in time of my old dance classes, competitions, dance circles and even just memories of my dance teachers who loved and shared this music that helped them find themselves. Now that same music has done the same for me and that makes me so emotional and thankful for this life and love I have for house music. RIP to my dance teachers, Danny, David and Patrick. Y'all are with me every set I ever play. Thank you for the many lessons on and off the dance floor. I love and miss you three so much! What's one social or political cause you want the world to pay more attention to? A cause I think we all should pay more attention to is LOVE. Love for self, love for one another, love for the Earth, love for animals, love for unhoused people out on the streets,Â love for love. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It seems to me that everyone is so for themselves and unaware of their actions and how they may affect someone or everyone and everything. The littering, the violence, the judgement, the hate, it's all just too much. I don't know who we have become as people, but if we don't wake up and take a look around, we are in for big trouble. My favorite music group is Deee-Lite and the way all their music was about love, that's the message I want to spread forever!!! LOVE IS THE MESSAGE!!! What are you looking forward to in the near future? I'm really looking forward to having the opportunity to DJ outside of LA. I want to spread my love and joy for music around and create some memories on different dance floors. I'm headed to Honcho to play at Campout. I've heard nothing but great things about this festival. This will be my first year attending and I'll be meeting a bunch of homies there from other states. I love when we all get together because I get to feel that sense of community we sort of lack here in LA. My BoofSis crew are the most loving and caring people to share dance floors with AND this year me and my girls Razrbark & Succubass get to DJ so I'm super stoked, and proud of us for this opportunity!
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