JIRO KL presents Bill Brewster (UK) on 25 January 2018
Dance music historian, iconic co-author of THAT definitive club music history book, one of Fabric London’s original residents, former chef/football pundit, Bill Brewster is a record collector, DJ, music consultant and writer, who is living the dream on the Blue Square Bet away terraces.
One minute he’s rocking the roof off at Fabric with his tough and funky big-room underground house; the next he’s charming the pants off a more intimate crowd with everything from dubby disco, funk and hip-hop to trip hop and Latin batucadas. Armed with a sensitivity and sense of occasion that few DJs possess, Bill Brewster knows how to work a crowd in the best possible sense.
Originally a chef, a football pundit (co-editor of fanzine When Saturday Comes) and record collector, Bill began DJing in the late 80s, but he cut his teeth playing ‘Low Life’ warehouse parties in Harlem and the East Village – he moved to NYC to run DMC’s US operation – and anyone hearing Bill today can see how these New York ‘roots’ shine through. For eclecticism, surprises, amazing unique music and sheer long-haul dedication to the dancefloor, Bill’s your man.
His other life is as a writer. Together with long-term pal Frank Broughton, Bill is author of the definitive history of DJing, “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”, released in 1999, and has contributed his acid Grimsby wit and encyclopaedic knowledge of music to just about every dance rag there is, not to mention The Guardian, Independent and Mail On Sunday. The Brewster-Broughton double act unveiled another hit in 2002 with the uniquely sardonic DJ manual “How To DJ (Properly)”.
He’s an industry insider, having brought Twisted records to the UK and launched his own highly successful deep house label Forensic. In his spare time he is often found in the studio, either with Fat Camp partner, Theo Noble, re-editing old disco, funk and rock records; or producing original music. They run a small edit label Disco Sucks.
And most recently, just released a couple of months ago, was his triple LP compilation Tribal Rites.
“Everything I do now started with record collecting. It’s the foundation of my career; from writing about music, DJing in clubs, putting compilations together or spending many late-night hours, glass of red wine in hand, bidding on stupid records on eBay,” he was quoted.
Spanning 41 tracks, ‘Tribal Rites’ is a musical autobiography of sorts from one of dance music’s most dedicated historians, Bill Brewster. Released on 3 CDs and double vinyl via Belgium’s Eskimo Recordings, the compilation takes us on a personal journey through Bill’s 36 year long involvement in the music industry.
So whilst there are few people more qualified to compile such a thing, ‘Tribal Rites’ isn’t just a ‘House & Disco Greatest Hits’, instead it has the soundtrack to a life spent at the coalface of record collecting, of early mornings at car boot sales and late nights logged onto Discogs.
Line up 25 January 2018 Jiro KL: Bill Brewster (UK), Xes Xes Loveseat (MY), Slutski (MY), Alan Tand (IDN).
JIRO KL : 61-1, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, KL
Cover charge information and RSVP call 011 3916 9629.
