Considered a pioneer for his contribution to the DJ culture, UK's illustrious DJ Norman Jay came to our side of the Atlantic, bringing his soulful groove to help pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the eve that would have been King's 78 th birthday. The Meat Packing district of NYC holds the club Cielo, a venue known for its beautiful décor and sometimes yuppie crowd – but that was not the case tonight. The diverse crowd reflected Jay's fanbase and the respect that other DJ's have for him (Bobbito and DJ Afro were both spotted).

Before Jay took the wheels, the crowd was warmed up by Brooklyn-based DJ Nickodemus, who gave a nice preview of what was in store for the remainder of the night.

Sporting one of his eclectic hats, Jay stepped on the wheels right before midnight. When he started to play the signature soulful house tracks that he's known for, the bar and lounge areas emptied out as people began to crowd the dancefloor. He would play an old soul classic like a Barry White track, and then flip into a new school jam like when he played a disco 70s hit and it transitioned into Omar's jam, “Feeling You.” The energy Jay displayed was infectious and was felt by everyone in the club.

By 1 AM, the dancefloor was packed with people sweatin' it out. Norman Jay kept everyone satisfied with his rare vinyls and original mash ups. He even threw in some Afro-house and hip-hop tracks once in awhile. He also sprinkled in a few acid jazz cuts and blended them with pure reggae sounds. He kept the spirit of the night about MLK Jr., by playing songs that echoed justice and equality – and songs that represented that time period.

The biggest surprise and treat of the night was Jay's humbling honor to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. He played about 3 of Browns' cuts back to back including “Sex Machine,” in which everyone got wild and sang the lyrics loud word for word.

The floor stayed packed for the entire night. People were feeling good and staying high off the vibes that Jay brought with him. He doesn't get to spin in NYC very often, so this was a treat for both he and the crowd. Anyone who was in attendance can testify at how lucky they were to own a spot on the dancefloor that night. I know that I was.