After cutting his teeth around Philly’s block parties where the competition was ruthless, Jeff Townes aka Jazzy Jeff quickly made a name for himself with his natural flair for cutting and scratching. But it wasn’t until he spun at a party on Will Smith‘s mum’s block that Jeff met his comrade in arms and long-standing musical partner. Their debut LP Rock The House was mostly made in Jeff’s basement, but that still didn’t stop their blend of party jams, goofy humour, and adolescent narratives from striking a chord from Philly to Jersey to DC and New York. It didn’t prepare the duo for what was to follow however, as their second LP He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper scooped them a Grammy Award, before nationwide fame arrived with their TV comedy show ‘The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’. He went on to create the production company A Touch Of Jazz, and helped a raft of Philly musicians achieve critical and commercial acclaim, among them James Poyser, Musiq Soulchild, Vikter Duplaix, and Jill Scott. From working with greats like Roy Ayers, Questlove, or Mac Miller, Jeff’s creative energy and boundless enthusiasm is infectious.
Just like his Philly partner Jeff, DJ Shortkut has been making major contributions to the world of turntablism for more than twenty-five years. In fact, he’s probably the only DJ in history to claim membership in three of the most influential and long-lasting DJ crews ever: Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Beat Junkies and Triple Threat DJs. Besides his indisputable skills in all competitive aspects of his craft, his often marathon-like sets never forget what’s most important: Do not leave the crowd without a strong beat to step to.
