Duane Powell is a cultural icon within the metropolis of Chicago. He can inform you probably the most intricate tales about lots of your favourite musical legends and he’s additionally an distinctive DJ. His set “Sunday Service” held on the Stony Island Financial institution in Chicago is headed to the Smithsonian and he’s a featured DJ at this 12 months’s Hyde Park Summerfest. Rolling out spoke to Powell about his love for music, going to the Smithsonian and the Hyde Park Summerfest.
The place does your ardour for music come from?
It’s been with me my entire life. My mother insists that when she purchased me a tricycle after I was three years outdated, I didn’t journey it. I flipped it over on its facet and put a forty five on the wheel in hopes that it could make it sound. She sticks by that story. I grew up immersed in music. Music was all the time the backdrop to all the things. Every thing we did as a household, as a folks, music all the time accompanied it in a roundabout way – from the barbecue to the cleansing up of the home on Saturdays.
What do you wish to accomplish whenever you DJ?
There’s a tradition of DJs who proudly say how they don’t cater to the group. I’m not a type of DJs. I’m going to provide you me, whereas catering to you as a result of there must be a give and take between me and the viewers. I can’t sit there and play over your head all evening. I’ve to do one thing to deliver you into the fold. That’s what brings the power in. The rationale I name my occasion “Sunday Service” shouldn’t be essentially a play on church. It’s, however actually my DJing is a service, I’m serving you.
How does it really feel to know “Sunday Service” goes to the Smithsonian?
It’s positively surreal. I didn’t even suppose I might be deejaying. I by no means might pinpoint what my quote-unquote calling was, as a result of music was such a pure factor. I simply by no means might determine it out. So to go from that uncertainty to having locations just like the Smithsonian and having the artwork world embrace what I do as a DJ as artwork is overwhelming.
What can folks count on from you on the Hyde Park Summerfest this 12 months?
The songs will certainly be way more message heavy, just a little gospel, however nonetheless very a lot dance [music].
What’s your greatest Summertime Chi reminiscence?
My reminiscences go all the way in which again to the seventies. Folks have been tripping out after I was speaking about remembering the summer season of ’79. That summer season was so good. I bear in mind the releases. I bear in mind “Not Simply Knee Deep” by Funkadelic being my final lower. ’79 was similar to this magical 12 months. I do take into consideration the summer season of ’89, the 12 months I graduated highschool. The 12 months that Lil Louis put out the primary album.
The Hyde Park Summerfest is June 17 -18 in Chicago on the campus of The College of Chicago. Purchase tickets right here.
