Mention the name DJ Jazzy Jeff to the casual hip-hop fan and you’ll probably get some nods for his work with the Fresh Prince, a.k.a. Will Smith, throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. Dig a little deeper and you’ll see that ‘Jazz’ is a pioneer, an icon and one of the most well-respected turntablists, producers and performers in the field.
More than three decades on and the 54-year old DJ is as relevant as ever, with a touring schedule that sees him blowing up parties across the globe. He’ll be headlining at Kyo KL this month as the club celebrates its third birthday.
Wheels Of Steel
Born Jeffrey Allen Townes, Jazz first got on the decks at summertime bloc parties in the ‘70s where his tune selection quickly gained him a following. He eventually linked up with aspiring rapper Will Smith and as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince the two went on to win two Grammy awards and release five albums. He also had a recurring role on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and despite only being a side-character, he became one of the sitcom’s most iconic.
Poppin’ Beats
His work with Smith is just part of his claim to fame; it’s his work in turntablism and as a producer that have cemented his name in the annals of hip-hop. The trademark Transformer Scratch was made famous by him, and his beat juggling routines have won him awards including a coveted DMC Championship.
His music production house A Touch Of Jazz has had a hand in swathes of amazing musical projects, including most recently Jill Scott’s albums and those from Musiq Soulchild. Naturally, many of his own albums and compilation mixes have been mastered here.
Where he really shines though is in front of a crowd, drawing tunes and mixing it up like only he knows how. A master of his craft and true perfectionist, his skills have been honed for almost four decades. Kyo couldn’t have picked a better man to get the party going. Don’t miss this OG drop heat this month.
Kyo KL 3rd Anniversary feat. Jazzy Jeff
WHERE Kyo KL, Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
WHEN 11pm (18 Jan)
ADMISSION RM90 (before 12am), RM120 (after 12am) – Get a special promo price on advance tickets at bit.do/jazzyjeffkyo
TEL 012 921 1730
clubkyokl.com