Blacktronika Festival x Summerstage Pt1: Central Park

Who they are

• Phuture

• Waajeed

  7 bookings since Nov 2023

  Recently at Signal, H0L0, SILO · often with LADYMONIX, Miss Gypsy, Cinthie, none of them here that night

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  Rimarkable

  New York City · 30 bookings since Sep 2023

  “Maria “Ri Ri” Garcia, known worldwide as Rimarkable, is not just a DJ, producer, and vocalist.”

  their own biography

  the whole biography

  Maria “Ri Ri” Garcia, known worldwide as Rimarkable, is not just a DJ, producer, and vocalist. She is a cultural architect, an Afro-Puerto Rican powerhouse who has been shaping the sound and spirit of dance music for more than two decades. Brought up in Detroit, sharpened during childhood summers in Chicago, and thriving in New York City, Rimarkable embodies the full spectrum of the Black diasporic tradition—gospel, funk, soul, jazz, house, and techno, all transformed into electrifying soundscapes that ignite dance floors across the globe. Her story begins in the sanctified heat of a Pentecostal church, where her mother, a classically trained pianist and music minister, saturated her childhood with gospel harmonies and discipline. Summers in Chicago exposed her to the earliest pulse of house music, embedding in her DNA a rhythm that would later define her life. By 1997 she was on the decks, and by 2006, frustrated with the industry’s barriers and biases, she became her own producer, turning resistance into innovation and claiming complete autonomy over her craft. Since then, Rimarkable has built a singular career that bridges worlds. She has shared stages with legends including George Clinton, Madonna, Erykah Badu, Louie Vega, Honey Dijon, Roger Sanchez, Pete Tong, and Francois K, while simultaneously cultivating underground spaces that honor community, authenticity, and radical joy. Her long-running events in Detroit, New York, and San Francisco have become touchstones for dancers and DJs alike, curating nights that are as spiritual as they are explosive. In 2021 she joined the storied Defected Records family, cementing her place among global house music royalty. As a host of the weekly Defected Radio Show, she now reaches millions of listeners across more than 170 FM stations worldwide, bringing her distinctive voice and impeccable taste to an international audience. Beyond the booth, Rimarkable is a celebrated educator and thought leader. She serves as an Adjunct Professor at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute, and instructor at Waajeed’s Underground Music Academy, where she teaches her groundbreaking course series, “The Alchemy of DJing.” This work frames DJing as both art and ritual, blending technique, history, spirituality, and cultural analysis into a visionary curriculum, with raw truth and resources for navigating the scene as a business. She has presented versions of this lecture and workshop in Nairobi, Berlin, Yale, and the Queens Museum, underscoring her mission to expand dance music’s role as a vehicle for healing, liberation, and collective power. Rimarkable’s artistry is rooted in more than beats. It is about presence, justice, and transformation. Whether unleashing a thunderous techno set, layering vocals over soulful house grooves, or leading students through the metaphysics of rhythm, she approaches every arena with the same intent: to elevate. To remind us that music is ceremony. To preserve the roots of dance music while pushing it fearlessly forward. With releases on labels including Classic Music Company, Big Love, Club Bad, and her forthcoming imprint Betty Jean’s Dream, Rimarkable continues to expand her sonic universe. Each project is a testament to her philosophy that excellence, dignity, and artistry are not optional but essential. Detroit is her foundation, New York is her canvas, and the world is her stage. To experience Rimarkable is to step into a revolution of rhythm, where every beat is an invitation, every set is a sermon, and every dance floor becomes a sanctuary. This is more than music. This is Rimarkable.
  SoundCloud ↗Bandcamp ↗Discography ↗
  Deep House on 1, Tech House on 1 and House on 1. styles on their catalogued releases

  Released on Catharsis (1) and Raisani Records (1); their RA profile also lists Defected Records, Planet E, Nervous Records, Liberate and 6 more. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profile

  Recently at Dead Letter No. 9, House of Yes, Xanadu · often with Todd Edwards, Griffin Maxwell Brooks, Ksenyeah, none of them here that night

• King Britt

  4 bookings since Mar 2024

  Recently at public records · often with Black Quantum Futurism, Dr Shana Redmond, Niecy Blues, none of them here that night

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  Joe Claussell

  New York City · 24 bookings since Aug 2023

  “Joaquin "Joe" Claussell was born in Brooklyn to a large and diverse Puerto Rican family with deep musical roots.”

  their own biography

  the whole biography

  Joaquin "Joe" Claussell was born in Brooklyn to a large and diverse Puerto Rican family with deep musical roots. Throughout his life, music was Joe's shelter, family, food, comfort, escape and love. His first exposure to entertaining audiences was in his own neighborhood at block association events, musically led by one of his elder brothers Larry Claussell. Not long after he hit the club and began collecting vinyl at the age of 15 and his diverse taste for music and dance led him from a Disco at a club called The Inferno to Punk music’ s sanctuary CBGBs, the alternative driven Mudd Club, the more mainstream Underground, and the legendary Paradise Garage. While living in the East Village in the early 90s, he found and fell in love with a record store called Dance Tracks. He formed a friendship with the owner, which became the foundation of his musical career. Joe became the store’s DJ and called weekly parties that drew a diverse and increasingly devoted crowd of music lovers. All in the name of fun he received an invitation from owner and good friend Stan Hatzakis he began producing: and did his first remix “Over” and his produced first track "Awade,” both becoming instant underground classic. Over time he learned the music business and eventually took over the Dance Tracks. In 1996 Joe launched his independent eclectic world house label Spiritual Life Music from the back of Dance Tracks, and around the same time over saw the birth of “Ibadan Records” with friend and executive producer Jerome Sydenham. The labels’ productions are fluid - with organic African, Brazilian, Latin and Middle Eastern Rhythms crossing over into Disco, Jazz, House, and Electronic music. He is intricately involved in every aspect of the production process: the music, writing, selection or creation of the visual art, and graphic design. Under his labels he has nourished and produced fledgling artists. His first release was "Nothing's Changed" by Ten City, followed by works from Jephté Guillaume, Mateo & Matos, Slam Mode, and Three Generations Walking. His own first full-length album was "Language." Great artists and record labels have sought him out for collaboration and remixes of works by Femi Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Beth Orton, Steward Mathewman (Sade), Cassandra Wilson, Diana Ross, and Manuel Göttschin to name a few. His remixes have revived classics such as Hector Lavoe‘s Classic “Alejate;” Cesoria Evora’s “Sangue De Beirona.” and Nina Simone's “Feeling Good” featured on prominent TV shows such as “Sex And The City”. Joe’s "Feeling Good" remix sung by the late Nina Simone was solely responsible for the reemergence of the song which spawned countless remakes and till this day redone as well as used on many TV ads and commercials. Also in 1996, Joe Claussell joined Francois K and Danny Krivit to play for the legendary “Body & Soul” Sunday afternoon dance party. For 6 years, music and dance lovers from NYC and around the world came every week religiously to experience the totally unique musical journey of Classic, World, Soul, Disco, Funk, and House. The tracks are brought to an infinitely higher level by the synergy of each DJ's unique of live performance artistry and the incredible creative and conscious crowd. 15 years later Body and soul is going stronger than ever. For the last decade to present, Joe has been constantly playing music all over the world, however it is also his being in high demand as a producer and remixer that keeps him working. Joe’s talents are also sought after in the visual art world where he is currently touring with a project titled “TREMBLING sensing space” produced by Dutch theater director Lidy Six. As a musician, Joe has toured with the likes of the world-renowned percussionist Mino Cinelu and currently playing along side of the mind blowing pianist/keyboard extraordinaire Bugge Wesseltoft in a band that includes Erik Truffaz, Ilhan Ersahin, Med Band and Torun Erikse. While in New York, He began the Sacred Rhythm Party, designed to bring House and live musicians together in an intimate environment. Soon to come will be his first Internet radio show titled “an invitation to openness” a show dedicated to the freedom of just listening to what ever speaks to him at that moment, as opposed to being at the mercy of the listening audience. Joe contemplates humanity and its trends from a distant but touched perspective. He personally strives for spiritual and creative freedom, and encourages loved ones to tap into their own unique resources to build a society where art and individuality is nourished and celebrated. For people who want a deep introspective music journey to the soul - Joe's shows are a rare and coveted opportunity. His ability to connect with people who share his passion for the rhythms of life through a higher universal language , which keeps people intrigued into staying tuned while listening, dancing and evolving to his unique philosophy and deep rhythms.
  SoundCloud ↗Discography ↗
  Deep House on 62, House on 44, Ambient on 19 and Downtempo on 8. styles on their catalogued releases

  Released on BBE (1) and Sacred Rhythm Music (1); their RA profile also lists NRK Music, Ibadan Records, Rekids, Secretsundaze and 5 more. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profile

  Recently at Musica Club NYC, Nowadays, Cosmic Arts · often with Danny Krivit, Francois K, Donis, none of them here that night

• Charlie Dark

  2 bookings since Mar 2024

  Recently at public records · often with Timmy Regisford, Suphala, Carozilla, none of them here that night