In the game for the love of music. Shaman Vybez’s influences stem from growing up in Spanish Harlem in the 70s as a kid with a window facing a city playground. It was that window that exposed him to the sounds of Disco and early Hip-Hop. His love for tribal and Latin/AfroBeats were the late night congas that were heard for blocks.
Eventually he moved to the Bronx in the mid eighties at the age of 13. It was soon after at 16 he discovered the nightlife and some of the Greats in NYC, Little Louie Vega, David Morales, Jellybean Benitez, Danny Tenaglia, just to name a few. Following them, he wanted more than anything to move a crowd of thousands the way they did.
During the 80’s, Shaman got a job at Downtown Records in NYC playing the newest vinyl for the city’s biggest names that came to shop. He soon started playing for the masses every weekend for 7yrs, from old school hip-hop to techno and latin.
Taking a 16yr break to raise a family but never stop listening to the music, he continued his search for great music, following some of the same Djs that gave him the bug, dancing right along with the crowds.
Shaman Vybez has now returned to his first love, making people dance.
Taking advice from his friend, Candela, he attended his first WMC in Miami 2012. There he re-united with old friends and made new ones. That week at the WMC he and his wife Maritday did 80 hours of networking to get re-acquainted with the music scene. Upon returning to NYC, he continued that momentum and attended weekly events. Soon after he was asked to play along side of Phil Duke(Dance Tracks) and Bobby Morales for their monthly party, Evolution Of Sound. He was then asked to be a resident of the event and he has since played along side many of NYC’s best known Djs, Master Kev, Hector Romero, Danny Nunez, Duce Martinez, Oscar P, Bradford James, Perez Massimo, Jihad Muhhamad, Chino 3, Elbin Reyes, Naeem Johnson,Zandy Shejay, Rob Hollywood, Path Recordings,Lex War,Bobby Morales,Libra Classic, just to name a few.
Shaman has been told he has an ear for combining songs, a genre-blender, and is a force to be reckoned with.
It will be a year since going to the first WMC and he is set to return to this year’s WMC2013, but this time he was on the bill playing, followed by another visit in 2014 WMC.
Shaman made his place in the Hudson Valley where he has resided for the past 17yrs. It all started with an invitation from a friend & colleague Wavy Dave (WDST) to play on the radio on 91.3fm filling in for Bill Skillz on the “Diggin’ in The Crates” weekly radio show. Old School Hip-Hop, Funk,RnB and Soul were on the musical menu. After that first show he became a regular returning 1-2 times a month. Soon after he began making appearances at different venues, primarily catering to the college crowd, bringing the Rave/EDM music they knew but giving them his twist on it with Reggae, Miami Bass, Old school, House,Tropical Bass and Moombahton.
These days you can catch him at one of his residencies, at BSP in Kingston NY where his “Soul Vibes” parties call home, Oasis Cafe in New Paltz or Transmission in Jersey City. Shaman has also been a guest at numerous events, including Mazzstock Festival, FUNKBOX NYC and events for The Chronogram. This Oct. 8th he will be once again along side the one they call Tony Touch. This time for the 19th Annual Harvest Festival & Freedom Fair in Laurens NY.
His sets are a mix of some of his earlier influences with a few surprises. A vibrational blend of Latin, AfroBeats,House and Funk that will keep you dancing all night. If he’s not in the studio creating, you can bet he’s spinning for the masses this weekend.
MUSIC IS MEDICINE..
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