Music stars to swing the capital

Joseph Mangga, Contributor, Jakarta

If you are a more mellow disco-lover who doesn't like the demonic tribal trance you normally hear at Stadium Disco or the Grand Manhattan Club's typical deafening rapid-fire hard house, then have we got a couple of classy dance music events for you this weekend!

First off, Jose Nunez, the legendary New York deep house DJ/producer, will be spinning at Stadium on Jl. Hayam Wuruk on Saturday night, April 26. The event is dubbed as the Indonesian launch party for Subliminal Sessions 4, Jose's newest CD that was only released in the U.S. last month with the helping hands of Who Da Funk, the innovative rock-house production duo.

Nunez's vocal-rich style of soulful and disco-flavored house will be almost guaranteed to spread an ultra-funky and uplifting spirit throughout the normally trance-happy Stadium crowd that night.

Originally born in New Jersey, this gorilla-sized music man has spun-out some of the biggest East Coast club hits ever, including Hold On, In My Life, Are You Ready For Some More and Everybody Reach, not to mention two of my personal all-time club favorites, the Dronez remix of Madison Avenue's Don't Call Me Baby, and his remix of Big Love, which features former C+C vocalist Octavia.

Then on Sunday, April 27, Kosheen -- the top-selling UK drums & bass trio -- will be performing a special live concert at the Grand Manhattan in the Borobudur Hotel, sponsored by A Mild Menthol.

Comprising DJ/musicians Markee Substance, Darren Decoder and the lovely female vocalist Sian Evans -- Kosheen is probably best known for their massive top-10 crossover hit, Hide U, which is still heard at most major Jakarta nightclubs virtually every weekend.

The three got together in 1998 after individually pursuing a diverse mix of musical directions that included skate punk, breakbeat, jazz and R&B. Evans states that even the folk songs of Joni Mitchell were a huge musical influence while she was growing up.

The name of the band -- from the Japanese words ko (new) and sheen (old) -- is supposed to describe Kosheen's unique style of music, blending old-style guitars and ballad-structured songs with the new dance technologies of synthesizers, samplers and drum machines.

For further information about Jose Nunez at Stadium, April 26, call 021- 626-3323 or 626-3324.

For information about Kosheen at the Grand Manhattan, April 27, call 021-384-2223, 390-8571 or 758-19010.