Dj El Dan.
Although the height of DJs may have come earlier, there was a "more alternative" peak in Havana in the late 90's with a real Cubanness, whether expressed in break beats, house or techno, all of which get young dancers moving.
Those in the know say that these contemporary DJs value "Latin" elements, combining sounds like the Orchestra Los Van Van, with bits from several international genres.
There is no school for becoming a DJ- they are all self-taught, whether by their daily life, their studies, working in small clubs or bigger spaces, but they all have their hands on the pulse of what young people want to hear. They had no knowledge of specialized software or samplers for fine-tuning their work; they all embraced the profession because of their natural talent and desire, and they drew inspiration from 3 foreign DJs- the Germans Tyni and Hell, and the Austrian Hagen, all of whom are known around the world.
These Djs lacked official recognition, many institutions and people didn't consider them artists, though they already belonged to the Cuban Laboratory of Electroacoustic Music. Through this group they are working on copyrighting their work. It is, in my opinion, a step forward for Cuban DJs, though it's not enough.
Where do DJs perform?
There is no one place to see them. Today they could be at Club Karachi, tomorrow at the Jardines at La Tropical, and the next day at Club Sherezada. Their scheduling depends on many things, and they depend on word of mouth, phone calls, text messages, and even rumor to get the word out about their shows.
DJs in Havan also organize the occasional rave, when the time is right- and locations include the beaches that ring Havana, form west to east. They can last from one night to several days. DJ Wichy confirms: "Our parties have more of a hippie vibe and last as long as people can take it".
Some Djs ave competed at international events, like the WOMEX fair in Germany, the Garanhus International Festival in Pernambuco, Brazil, and in Tijuana. Many Djs work together, like Ivan Lejardi, Obi and Ra, who performed March 7th at the Jardines at La Tropical, where you'll hear a mix of house, trance, and minimal-house, among others. If you go out to any nightclub in Havana, you just might catch one of our homegrown DJs spinning. You won't be disappointed if you do.
