I am very proud to be a part of Amoeba Hollywood's very own World Music DJ series. Worldwide Underground starts this Sunday from noon to one p.m. Every Sunday we will explore a different sound from across the world. Most of the DJ's participating make their living spinning at various hot spots around Los Angeles. Worldwide Undergound is a chance for you to check them out playing music that is near and dear to their hearts. All of us participating will attempt to cross every musical & cultural border possible.

Below is a description of the series, the DJ's biographies, as well as links to their websites and the clubs they spin at.

Amoeba’s World Music DJ Series! Beginning on June 15th, Gomez Comes Alive! brings Worldwide Underground to Amoeba Hollywood! The sounds start at noon and include everything from Afro-Beat to Turkish Psychedelia to Reggae en Espanol and beyond. Special guests and surprises galore!

EVERY SUNDAY BEGINNING AT NOON
AT AMOEBA MUSIC HOLLYWOOD

"Gawd daamn!' I said to Richard, my co-worker and Amoeba Hip-Hop specialist,  thinking I was Ice Cube for a moment. "This bar reminds me of...'
"The Short Stop" he replied.
"Yeah," I replied. "But when it was still a cop bar" By now the tequila in my drink hit me pretty hard.
"It's because it is the same owner...'' he answered as my thoughts trailed. What was worse? A bar full of corrupt Rampart police or lame hipsters? To me, it's all the same

Footie's was part of the hipster's exodus fromthe Silver Lake/Echo Park area and into Highland Park. The first steps occured at Mr. T's Bowl back in the early 90's, followed by such places as The Cave. The Cave is now a bar full of annoying 20-somethings that wished they lived in the 80's. The latest gentrified bar is The York, located on York near Ave 56. It is so tame and boring there that it might as well be located in Pasadena.

For all my shit-talking, I have to say I like Footsie's. It still retains some of  that neighborhood hole-in-the wall appeal that it once had. DJ Ant, or Antony Valadez, spins there every other Sunday night. He is one of L.A.'s many underrated DJ's.  All the clubs know about him because he can flat out rock a club. In fact, The Little Temple has him on lock down every Friday, along with fellow Deejay, Sloe Poke, for the very popular, Resident Fridays. It's a mean pick-up spot if you are newly 21-years old . It's the night they play the commercial shit for the ADD generation...with a slight slant to throw them off, just a tad.

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So...join the party. Good music, dancing, good looking people and the Señorita Margarita. What else could you ask for?

There are three things you need to know about DJ Sloe Poke: 1. He doesn’t mess around with any of the artsy stuff. 2. You won’t hear him tactlessly scratching and 3. He goes to a club to rock it.
 
What makes Sloe Poke one of L.A. ’s best DJ’s is that he can spin several styles of music with ease. Sloe Poke attributes his skills to the years of spinning for people with diverse tastes, ages and cultures.  Most DJ’s can spin two or three different genres of music but get lost when it comes to Latin music. This is where Sloe Poke excels. He’s the kind of DJ that can entice the older generation to go out on the dance floor and put a younger crowd to shame. He can mix a Salsa classic like Joe Arroyo’s “Rebelion” with Celso Pina’s Sonidero hit, “Cumbia Sobre El Rio,” then follow those songs with Thalia’s poppy, “Piel Morena” and Frankie Cutlass’ club fave, “ Puerto Rico,” making it all flow together somehow.


 
Because of Sloe Poke’s range, he can spin almost anywhere in the city. Besides being a resident DJ at places like Little Temple and the Rhythm Lounge, he spins at clubs like “Sonido,” playing Dub, Dancehall & Lover’s Rock. At the “Root Down” on Thursday nights, he plays funk alongside some of L.A. ’s best funk DJ’s. At ¡DESCARGA! Sloe Poke keeps the floor moving with Salsa, Merengue & Cumbia. When he’s DJing at The House of Blues in San Diego , he compliments whatever act is headlining. He has opened for shows as diverse as Mos Def, David Lee Roth, Yellowman & Jaguares. It really doesn’t matter who or what genre Sloe Poke is spinning for, he always has the perfect mix.