Five on Friday: DJ Sambarella
Show: Gruv Gallery
When: Fridays 2pm
1. Tell us about how you got into DJing or your first live DJ Gig?
My love of playing music comes from my exposure to killer jazz, disco, rock and funk from my father who had an incredible record collection I used to listen to while growing up in El Salvador. When we moved to NY in 1988, I discovered hip hop and house music which have always been my foundation in Djing. While I was in high school in the early 90s, I had a boyfriend who first showed me how to play turntables yet it was not until college that I started playing music on WEOS 89.7fm, where I had the first radio show devoted to electronic music, which I called Cybertraxx. The radio show ran from 1997-2000 and cemented my love for putting others on to music I love and also getting to shoot the sheet on the mic. I learned how to mix on the air pretty much using casesettes and cds, eventually finding my way around beat matching on the station's turntable using a huge mixing board! My first gig where I actually spun and beat matched house music vinyl records was at this place in Geneva in upstate New York called the Holiday, where a few other dj friends and I decided to throw a "rave" back in 1998 lol I was so nervous I remember my platform boots making mad noise on this board I had to stand on (everyone else was tall) to be able to play comfortably but with my legs shaking the whole time!
2. What's the best job you’ve ever had?
That is hard to say because all of my jobs to date have been pretty cool, most of them in labor and international human rights. Yet being the music director at WEOS even though it was a non-paid job brought me so much joy because I got put on to so much music and different genres that I would not had the opportunity to come across. Not only that, but I also ended up with a huge collection of 5000+ cds and vinyl from the promo companies wanting me to chart their stuff on CMJ. Plus then you factor in all the perks, like getting into shows, interviewing artists you like, playing music on the air, well this was definitely one of my top for sure!
3. First cassette / record (if possible) / cd ever purchased?
I remember getting my parents in 1990 to buy me Depeche Mode 101 and Violator through BMG mail order offer we got on the mail because I heard policy of truth on MTV and was obsessed. I am still obsessed with both of those albums and huge DM fan! by the way the first vinyl record I got is a promo only copy we received at the station from Daft Punk's homework in '97.
4. What's the best backstage concert hang with celeb / band?
A few years ago I used to hit up these parties Giant Step threw at the W and got to hang out with Afrika Bambaata. He was definitely the most memorable because he is so chill and such a huge influence in Hip Hop and Djing for the world and myself!
5. What’s the first song playing on your phone right now?
Right now is Phantoms Broken Halo, which just came out and I may throw on an upcoming viva mix :)
