featuring

The Super Barrio Brothers vs The Agúzate DJ Crew

9pm - 2am
$5 cover

Sonotheque DJs’ Supreme Court (Courtland Green) and Joe Bryl aka The Super Barrio Brothers go head to head against The Agúzate DJ Crew, each unearthing their collection of rare Latin Soul records and dusties against the other. In addition to the music, they will also be showcasing films and album artwork from artists ranging from Ray Barretto, Fania All-Stars, Joe Cuba, Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colon, Mongo Santamaria, Machito, Joe Bataan and many more. Each DJ specializes in Classic Salsa, Latin Jazz, Latin Soul, and Latin Funk, so Barrio Boogalu should be one big Nuyorrican Latin Soul throw-down!

Sonotheque proudly presents BARROI BOOGALU, a showcase of funky soulful Latin sounds. Latin Soul germinated and circulated from roots that connected elements of New Orleans, Latin jazz and Cuban son montuno rhythms including the popular sounds of the cha-cha, meringue and descarga with Afro-American inner-city Doo Wap, soul and funk. This burst exploded on the scene in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s emerging from the barrio of working class musicians and listeners. Latin soul with its funky rhythms, engaging choral chants captured the endless party atmosphere of raucous black-based R&B.

These hip sounds from Spanish Harlem mingled with those of Afro-Harlem fusing into Boogalu (a.k.a. Boogaloo). As music historian Juan Flores shows, Boogalu was not an accidental development in Latin music, but an embodiment of the social and cultural interplay on the streets…

“As neighbors and coworkers, African Americans and Puerto Ricans in New York had been partying together for many years. For decades they have been frequenting the same clubs, with Black and Latin bands often sharing the billing . . . African American audiences generally appreciated and enjoyed Latin music styles, yet those who fully understood the intricacies of Afro-Cuban rhythms and came to master the challenging dance movements remained the exception rather than the rule. . . Popular Latin bands found themselves creating a music common ground by introducing the trappings of Black American culture into their performances and thus getting Black audiences involved onto the dance floor.” (Flores, 2000)

Aguzate DJ Crew:

Agúzate is a DJ group specializing in Afro-Latin dance music. It is also an informational website, and an organization dedicated to the promotion of musical and artistic events that highlight underexposed Latin talent in Chicago.

Co-founders Abner Bardeguez and Omar Torres-Kortright made regular DJ appearances at almost every Latin music event that took place at The Hothouse, Chicago’s center for international performance and exhibition. In the last 3 years Agúzate has organized a number of multi-arts projects, including the Jazz En Clave exhibit "Unsung Afro-Latino Expressions: Album Cover Art from the Latin Soul, Latin Rock, Boogalu and Latin Funk Era" and the Afro-Latin Dance Series. This unique two-part series included a mix of rare vinyl and vintage live music footage from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Agúzate's signature project The Annual Tribute to the Improvisational Singer celebrates its fourth consecutive year this October at The Old Town School of Folk Music. The event has recognized the trajectory of a number of Puerto Rican and local improvisers or “soneros”, including Cano Estremera, Richard Martínez, Luisito Carrión (Puerto Rico), Papo Santiago, and Franklin Paz (Chicago).

Link:

Link: www.aguzate.org.

Joe Bryl:

DJ Joe Bryl was once named by the Chicago Tribune as Chicago's "Most Interesting DJ.” He has been working in the club and entertainment industry for the last 20 years and was an original partner in the creation of HotHouse. A true pioneer continuing to push the international sounds as a DJ, he is also the artistic director for Sonotheque where he presents internationally renowned DJs. He holds the monthly "Braziliance" residency at Sonotheque which showcases the best in Brazilian beats, soulful Samba anfd funky favela. He has opened up for Seu Jorge at Millenium Park and has curated film events at The Chicago Cultural Center. Recently, he opened up for Os Mutantes at the Metro.

Courtland Green:

Courtland Green A.K.A. The Supreme Court. As a long time record collector, he learned his way around records at a very young age from his father's collection of early 60's soul records and working at some of the country's finest record shops. As a D.J. his bread & butter comes from playing hard soul & deep funk 45's, hosting the worlds longest running monthly soul party with his crew; Sheer Magic at Dannys Tavern in Chicago. He went to college in Miami Fl. that got him hip to the beautiful sounds of Cuban music, upon arriving in Chicago he immersed himself in the Puerto Rican salsa sound. The verdict is out, The Supreme Court is guilty of being a D.J. with unparalleled diversity and the know how to always rock a party.