Jt Donaldson + Damon Bell

With over 300 productions to his credit and numerous DJ sets all around the globe under his belt, JT Donaldson has definitely left his mark on modern dance music. Originally from Dallas Texas, JT got his start listening to the productions coming out of Chicago, New York and Detroit. After a few years of practice in his home studio, JT relocated to Chicago. Learning, listening, collaborating and just hanging out with the now legendary Chicago artists and Dj’s had an affect and played and important roll in his production career. JT then headed west to Los Angeles for a period of four years. He then moved to San Francisco, continued on to Brooklyn, NY for 2 years and now resides back in his hometown of Dallas, TX. While his restless nature and nomadic behavior may seem strange to some people, the experiences are what drives this artist to keep being creative and strive for innovation in his music. In 2003 JT started Gallery Music Group, a homegrown recording label that has released records from Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Luke Solomon, Pty Ltd, Urban Jazz Naturals, Vibezelect, Malcolm Charles, Joshua, Slater Hogan, John Larner, 2nd Shift, Jennifer Karr and many others. JT’s side project THE HUE, has been a labor of love for the past few years. The group consisting of Tim K of Home and Garden and DJ Damon Bell (Oakland, CA) was formed over a 2 years ago and has recoded with artists such as Kissey Asplund of Sweden, Dam Funk of Stones Throw, Black Spade, Bernard Wright, Mic Murphy and many others. With influences from early house and techno to disco to hip-hop and jazz, funk and soul, The Hue is helping to blur the genre lines and open things up for listeners and crate diggers alike. JT has performed for commercial clients like Banana Republic for their BR monogram launch in NYC, Fund Raisers for Bravo TV Show hosts Padma Lakshmi as well as holding down a residency at the W Hotel in Union Square. JT currently throws two parties at Trophy Bar in Brooklyn, one called “Disco Social”, the other a monthly called “Family Affair” with international DJ’s Amir, Ge Ology and Waajeed. While his music has been in demand worldwide for some time now, he continues his quest remixing, producing and making beats on a daily basis.

<p>From the spectrum of sound providing dance floors nation wide, <strong>Damon Bell</strong> has emerged as one of one California’s most regarded Dj’s known to expose crowds to sounds that touch all genres of music. At any time in a set, you are bound to hear the polyrhythms of Afro-Beat, Brazilian Bossa, emerging future sounds of Techno, Deep House, 80’s Boogie, and Rare Disco classics.</p><p>Originally from San Diego where he, and former crew partner Ikah Love held a residency for 6 consecutive years every Tuesday at Bar Dynamite, under the famed name Four Corners Sound System. Damon has played with artists &amp; groups ranging from; Jazzanova, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Rich Medina, King Britt, Femi Kuti, Kinky, Ron Trent, Antibalas, Vikter Duplaix, Boozoo Bajou, Bugz in the Attic, Erykah Badu, Platinum Pied Pipers, Dead Prez, Nortec Collective, Fila Brazillia, The Roots, Saul Williams, and Bobby Matos to mention a few. Damon now holds simultaneous residencies in SF at (Loose Joints), and in Oakland at his all vinyl (389) night.</p><p>Damon began record collecting and DJ’ing at 16 years old, playing Jazz, Salsa, Funk, and Hip Hop at the famed San Diego Supper Club, Ole’ Madrid; which led him into his deep passion for music. Learning to play the poly-rhythms he heard in Afro-Cuban Jazz, Jazz Fusion and Hip Hop breaks…he soon began to imitate those sounds by playing percussion and wind instruments. “DJ’ing is just an extension of my love and relationship with music”, states Bell.</p><p>Other collectives and groups Damon is attached to are the DJ duo <strong>Jhramatic Sound</strong> with <strong>Chris Haycock</strong>(<a href="http://blog.thedoover.net/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Do-Over, LA</strong></a>). Jhramatic Sound is known for pleasing the crowd at any venue these two veterans play. Damon is also on half of <strong>The Hue</strong>, a Production/DJ duo with <a href="http://twitter.com/jtdonaldson" rel="nofollow">JT Donaldson</a> (Gallery/Om).</p>