"Fantasy" is the name of the classic Johnny Hammond Smith track that was produced by the legendary Mizell Brothers. But last week myself and 50 other invited DJs, producers, artists and music lovers had our own personal fantasy in their presence. It all happened on the veranda of Delano Hotel in Miami on Thursday, March 22nd during the 2007 Winter Music Conference after Levi's asked Giant Step and The Fader to put together an unforgettable experience for our most respected peers. The list of who attended was pretty staggering:
Afronaught (Bugz In The Attic)
Ame (Sonar Kollektiv)
Ben Watt (Buzzin' Fly)
Benji B (BBC 1xtra)
Bruce Tantum
(Time Out NY, Clubs)
Busy P (Ed Banger)
Clara Hill (Sonar Kollektiv)
Cosmo Baker (The Rub)
Daniel Best (Sonar Kollektiv)
Danny Krivit (Body & Soul)
Daz-I-Kue
(Bugz In The Attic)
Dixon
(Sonar Kollektiv / Innervisions)
DJ Ayres (The Rub)
DJ Eleven (The Rub)
DJ Language (BBE)
DJ Lindsey (Negroclash)
DJ Mehdi (Ed Banger)
DJ Spinna (Keistar)
Donna D'Cruz (Rasa Music)
Egon (Stones Throw)
Ge-ology (BBE)
Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 1)
|
James F!@.$%^ Friedman
(Thrown Of Blood)
Jason Bentley (KCRW)
Jazzy Jeff (BBE)
Juergen von Knobloch (Jazzanova)
Justine D (Motherf*cker)
Karl Injex (Rude Movements)
Karriem Riggins
Kenny Dope (MAW)
King Britt (Five Six / BBE)
Madlib (Stones Throw)
Marques Wyatt (Om)
Matthias Heilbronn (Wave Music)
Peanut Butter Wolf (Stones Throw)
Peter Kruder (G-Stone)
Rainer Truby (Truby Trio)
Richard Dorfmeister (G-Stone)
Roland Appel
(Truby Trio/Fauna Flash/Voom Voom)
Taylor McFerrin (Rude / Brownswood)
Tom Silverman (Tommy Boy)
Tracey Thorn
(Everything But The Girl)
Vikter Duplaix (BBE)
Waajeed (Platinum Pied Pipers) |
Plus the guests of honor
Larry Mizell and wife Yvonne
Rod Mizell
Fonce Mizell
Imagine looking around a room and seeing Ben Watt talking to Danny Krivit, Kenny Dope, Jazzy Jeff and Spinna in deep conversation with Fonce and Larry Mizell, Rainer Truby with Kruder and Dorfmeister, Madlib with Busy P and Gilles Peterson with Karriem Riggins. A truly memorable evening. Even better was the fact that we then all sat down together and ate - that never happens! Here are a few shots of the happenings. I got to say some words of how inspiring Mizell Brothers have been to me and Giant Step - a sentiment that was echoed by everyone across the room.
A special thank you to The Fader for helping me put on the event and an even bigger shout out to Levi's for fulfilling our ultimate "Fantasy."
Maurice Bernstein
CEO and Co-founder of Giant Step