James F!@$%^ Friedman
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While you can pick up a minimal techno 12' inch with your coffee to go in Berlin, and dine to a soundtrack of click house in Montreal, the US electronic music scene is far less overt. There may be a demand for the more mainstream, big-room jocks and bad Ibiza comps, but the strength of the remaining scenes are reliant on a series of dedicated individuals. They are the ones booking the acts, breaking the new records and keeping the enthusiasm up. It can be a thankless task, but one that can also reap the dividends of memorable performances and the satisfaction of discovering and debuting new talent.
James F!@$%^ Friedman is undoubtedly one of these individuals. He's been a tireless supporter for all that is fresh, forward thinking, and inspired in electronic music — a fact that's not exactly surprising, given his history and wide-ranging enthusiasm for all types of sounds. After playing in a few bands and getting interested in the mid-nineties Mo' Wax sound, his proper introduction to dance music came through the DC rave circuit with then-legendary parties — Buzz, Fever, and Bassrush, among others. His first experiences Djing found him mixing breakbeats and jungle, but his palate then expanded as he sought to educate himself further, buying records ranging from raw Detroit techno, various permutations of house, and all sorts of hip hop, funk, soul and reggae.
In New York, James has hosted a series of influential parties that have increasingly grown to be known as stateside domiciles for the world's left-of-center DJ talent. His long-running Refuse! Party at APT (with partner Ben "Dirty Dirty" Dietz) has brought over the likes of DJ Kaos, Juan Maclean, Dexter from The Avalanches, Matt Safer of The Rapture, Jackson, and Ewan Pearson, as well as Tiefschwarz, ATOC, Joakim from Tigersushi, Manchester legend Greg Wilson, Luke Vibert and Kompakt label boss Michael Mayer.
James F!@$%^ Friedman is undoubtedly one of these individuals. He's been a tireless supporter for all that is fresh, forward thinking, and inspired in electronic music — a fact that's not exactly surprising, given his history and wide-ranging enthusiasm for all types of sounds. After playing in a few bands and getting interested in the mid-nineties Mo' Wax sound, his proper introduction to dance music came through the DC rave circuit with then-legendary parties — Buzz, Fever, and Bassrush, among others. His first experiences Djing found him mixing breakbeats and jungle, but his palate then expanded as he sought to educate himself further, buying records ranging from raw Detroit techno, various permutations of house, and all sorts of hip hop, funk, soul and reggae.
In New York, James has hosted a series of influential parties that have increasingly grown to be known as stateside domiciles for the world's left-of-center DJ talent. His long-running Refuse! Party at APT (with partner Ben "Dirty Dirty" Dietz) has brought over the likes of DJ Kaos, Juan Maclean, Dexter from The Avalanches, Matt Safer of The Rapture, Jackson, and Ewan Pearson, as well as Tiefschwarz, ATOC, Joakim from Tigersushi, Manchester legend Greg Wilson, Luke Vibert and Kompakt label boss Michael Mayer.