xesschicago

friday, december 10th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & LowDown featuring: Jonene / stompy.com One of the seminal artists in the funky disco house scene San Francisco has become known for, Jonny Phelps, under the production names Jonene, Jonny Kaboom and 65th St. Hustlers, has played a key role as an artist, promoter and producer for more than twelve years. Well known for his deep, funky house laden with disco beats and smooth grooves, Jonene says, "I see my music as dark and sexy�I go from laid-back vocals to heavy bass lines to bouncy stuff. I like to keep it flowing and energetic." During the late 90's as Jonene was beginning to amass residencies; he also began touring extensively, picking up club dates all over the U.S. and around the world, including stops at venues in Europe, South America, Australia and the Far East. Always balancing a steady stream of releases with a hectic performance agenda, Jonene has released material through numerous U.S. and European outlets since 1992. His tracks have appeared on such imprints as Belgium's celebrated Aroma Records, the Midwest's up-and-coming Muzique Boutique label, Doubledown, Scenic, Afterschool, Panhandle, Safe In Sound, Roam, Cider, i Records, and Tronicsole. James Curd / Greenskeepers The man behind the musical madness is whip-cracker James Curd. One part man, one part machine, James is a virtual tour de force when it comes to the vinyl-though he lives entirely on cheeseburgers. He's pumped out album after album on his three labels: Greenskeepers, G- Swing and Igloo, and the critics are lovin' it McD style. In his spare time, he's a jet set DJ spaking dancefloors from Sydney to Tokyo to Paris and everywhere in between. His background reads like a Who's Who of House Playing along side Mark Farina, Derrick Carter, Diz and Gene Ferris, even back in the day when he still had a fake ID. And as co- founder of Greenskeepers Music with patner-in-crime Nick Maurer, he keeps the whole cre churnin' and burnin' in the studio; at the club and on the decks. What's the secret behind all his drive? Some people have God, but for James, it's Gan. Acidman/ Chicago In the Chance VIP Room: Sushi Jonathon Rualo Alex Zelenka w/ Edmund on Sax Zebidiah -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk / hip hop & old school s&ld resident dj TBA / house x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials:: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St.. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

friday, december 5th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & LowDown featuring: Farley Jackmaster Funk / Former WGCI Hot Mix 5 When a new style of music first cracks the pop charts, the hit is usually a deliberate crossover by an artist having little to do with the music's original pioneers. The first house single to reach the charts, however, was recorded by seminal Chicago DJ and producer, Farley Jackmaster Funk. His cover of Isaac Hayes' "Love Can't Turn Around" made the Top Ten in mid-1986 -- ironically, not in his home country but in the U.K. -- at the same time that he was one of the biggest names in Chicago house. Born in 1962, Farley began DJing while still a teenager. He first made his name in 1981, broadcasting on Chicago's WBMX-FM with Ralphi "The Razz" Rosario, Kenny "Jammin" Jason, Mickey "Mixin" Oliver and Scott "Smokin" Seals as the Hot Mix 5 -- the legendary DJ team which broke house music for a wider Chicago audience. Farley also appeared at the legendary Warehouse club (mixing alongside Frankie Knuckles) and then began a residency at the Playground (later the Candy Store) which set in stone his reputation as one of the city's top DJs. Julius "The Mad Thinker" / 3 Degrees If you close your eyes, open your ears, open your mind, and let your body flow you will find yourself in a new plane previously unexplored. Seamlessly blended tracks vibrate your spine while soothing your soul. Julius builds you up gradually through loops of energy bursts and just when you reach your climax he drops you back to a lounge state awaiting the next climb to the peak. Many people call the music house, "the Mad Thinker" makes it home. In these modern times of separation among house music "the Mad Thinker" seems to take the contemporary underground tracks to a level that even satisfies the old school purist. At the same time, he lures the fanatic deeper in the vibe. After all, a DJ's job is to lead the listener into a different zone by allowing him to escape from anything rigid to the point that he goes home the next morning 100% cleansed of anxiety. "the Mad Thinker" will take this job on and complete it. Miro / Chicagogroove Being born in and living around Chicago I've always liked listening to radio mix shows. Whether it was 102.7 WBMX, B96, 107.5 WGCI, or 88.1 WCRX, I always tuned in and taped the shows. Thats about the time when I wanted to learn how to spin. I prefer spinning Deep house instead of hard or progressive. I like music with more of an Acid Jazz or Disco feel to it. ChicagoGroove Co-Founder and Resident DJ. In the Chance VIP Room: Dj Bozo Dj Playboy Dj Shuga Dj Hedspin Oddball -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk / hip hop & old school s&ld resident dj Chris Santiago / house x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

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friday, november 26th, 2004 x'ess entertainment, natural system, relode and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & LowDown When Forces Collide featuring: Fred Everything Frédéric Blais was born in Hull, Canada but he grew up in Quebec City where he started experimenting with music and production techniques from a very young age. From banging on homemade drums and making his own tape edits to programming sequencers and synthesizers. This led to him forming bands and playing live around town and also writing music for plays and fashion shows. Then came the acid house revolution. He started going out to clubs at a very young age and immersed himself in the nascent dance music scene, whilst still influenced by the likes of New Order and Kraftwerk, he soon found a new love in house music, especially the early Warp releases making their way over from the UK. He then began playing his debut live DJ gigs at raves and clubs in Quebec and Montreal where he opened for Sasha @ Metropolis in 1993. It s around that time that Fred started to play out as DJ Fred Everything in the various clubs and parties of the capital and also in Toronto and San Francisco, he was now beginning to become an in demand DJ and building up a loyal following. In 1996, Fred moved to Montreal, working at Inbeat record store, and playing at various clubs like Playground, Sona, Jai and Jingxi. He then became the first dj-producer to put Montreal on the international house music map, signing records to labels like: DIY, Vinyl Peace, Tag, Fair Park, Earth, Tronicsole, Shaboom, Seasons, Intonation, Turbo and of course 2020 Vision, who became his main label for years to come. Derrick Carter Born and raised in the western suburbs, Carter was into music from a young age, but during his teens Chicago's house scene sucked him in for good.Before long Carter became a strong presence in the city's underground dancescene. "When I got my driver's license at 16 my sneak ability was validated," he laughs. "I was a fierce bedroom jock for a long time. Afteryou mix for the love of it for six or seven years, you get it pretty tight and you can take it on the road." He got by working at dance-music specialty stores like Gramaphone and gigging at parties. Later he landed regular DJ stints at Shelter, Foxy's, and Smart Bar. Though he doesn't spin much locally anymore, when he does, he attracts large crowds. His sets are rooted in house, but he freely travels outside club tastes, seamlessly incorporating old-school disco, soul, jazz, and whatever else catches his fancy. Most of the time he works in Europe, where he's become a major celebrity among dance-music aficionados. And the money's a hell of a lot better there. "It's hard not to laugh on the occasions when you'll make 20 times what you make in Chicago on a Saturday night, but there are also times when you do it just for the fun, like at home. So many people come up to me and say, 'Man, I had the worst day. My girlfriend left me, I locked my keys in my car, but you turned me for two hours, and that made me able to get up in the morning.' That's the best thing going." In 1988 Carter, fellow DJ Mark Farina, and friend Chris Nazuka released an EP as the group Symbols and Instruments. The record had a strong influence on the burgeoning ambient techno movement in England. While it wasn't a commercial success, it established Carter as an international figure in the dance-music underground. Since then he's been involved with a number of recording projects, firstly his solo project Sound Patrol under whom he released his first album 'Sweetened -No Lemon' which exuded a soulfulness and low-key grittiness that resonated beyond the infectious grooves and made a departure from the machine-like quality of the dance music fare of the time. Since then the pioneering, innovative tracks and consequent critical acclaim have marked Derrick out as one of the most important players in dance music. Most notably through his more recent releases on Classic. As co-owner and close friend of the company his musical and conceptual input has resulted in Classic becoming one of the leaders in the world of deep house. Mazi If house music is truly global music, then US DJ/Producer Mazi Namvar is a model citizen. Born in Iran, and living in Greece, China, Japan, and Germany, before halting permanently in Chicago, where he currently resides. Involved in Chicago’s house scene since the early 90’s and releasing his first record in 1994, Mazi has released a wide range of music. Recording as Studio nova, MFO, Right Side Reverse, and most famously as Audio Soul Project, he’s credited with over 100 singles and remixes, and a full length album on NRK titled “Communityâ€. From His remixes of Superfunk’s “Lucky Starâ€, Joey Negro, and Donna Blakely to deep, tracky house on labels like 20/20, NRK, Airtight, and his own Gourmet imprint, Mazi’s work represents nearly every strand of contemporary house. Taking his studio sensibility, his DJ career has quickly elevated itself within the international scene. Behind the decks, his "journey" style sets have steadily garnered him a reputation as a true taste maker on the dance floor. Mazi is regularly found in cities such Paris, London, Singapore, Zurich, Tokyo, Istanbul, Belgrade, Ibiza, Vancouver, Vienna, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. alongside: Hippolito Sanchez & Frank Solano In the Chance VIP Room: Dj Tantric Lee Foss Erbin Soul Juamada Fields Tony Technics -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk / hip hop & old school s&ld resident dj Dysqo / house x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

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friday, november 19th, 2004 x'ess entertainment, zentra nightclub, triple five soul, untitled, & lynn albers present: Sweet & LowDown Fashion Sweet&LowDownFridays, Triple Five Soul, Untitled, Xess Entertainment & Lynn Albers comes together to present Zentra's final, not to be missed, fashion show of the year. It will be a showcase of TRIPLE FIVE SOUL'S latest fashions, six of the sexiest models in the traditional runway style, and a mixture of CHANCE.LOCALCHICAGO Deejays on the tables for the entire night. featuring: Frank Solano Househead since day one. Frank may be new to the scene, but not new to the sound. Growing up listening to house music, and watching it evolve to what it is today. He is still in the game spreading the word! Gotta Have House! Jon Huang As a youngster, Jon learned at a very young age the importance of music in our culture. Since the age of six, Jon has been trained as a classical pianist, allowing his knowledge and passion for music to overflow into the proverbial basin of house music. As an artist, Jon has been pushing the funky/sexy house sound in the right direction, keeping fans glued to his every move with screaming anticipation. Josh Laurence w/ Jaysun Middle Pat Soni Dj Gordo In the Chance VIP Room: Kidinme Dave S. Captain Krack Smooth e' Rees Urban -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk / hip hop & old school s&ld resident dj Dysqo / house x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

friday, november 12th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & LowDown featuring: Justin Long Justin Long has the Chicago vibe running through his veins. He started his young DJing career at the age of 15 and in the past 13 years Justin has accomplished more than most could even imagine in the house music industry. As a DJ his sets are electric ranging from thick tech-house to a deeper soulful sound; all performed with an energy behind the turntables that in itself is Justin Long. As one of the founding residents on q101 Sonic Boom fm with his thumping Saturday night radio show with 71,000 listeners. As a producer he has recorded for and with many of the top labels and producers. Labels such as G Swing, Greens Keepers, Igloo, Peaches and Music For Freaks have sought his music. Some of his most prolific productions have come form his collaborations with Dan X under the moniker of No Assembly Required. This powerful duo has turned heads as far away as Asia and Europe. Lego Inspired by his family and the surroundings of Chicago's Latino community of Logan Square, Rafael Rodriguez, Lego, committed himself to music at an early age. His career began when he was 19 years old with his first club residency at Kaboom. Kaboom led to his 9-year (and still going strong) residency at Red Dog's "Boom Boom Room", one of the longest running nights in Chicago club history. Red Dog gave Lego the musical freedom that he needed to gain respect from his peers and fans alike. Being part of a night that has received worldwide attention opened the doors to production. Drawing from a wide spectrum of musical tastes (Latin Jazz, Jazz, Hip Hop, R & B, Salsa, Meringue, House, Disco and Funk) and influenced by Chicago's DJ legends (Frankie Knuckles, Ralphi Rosario, Farley "Jackmaster" Funk, and Edward "Get Down" Crosby), Lego pursued his musical passion. In 1997, Andy Adams of UC Music approached Lego to complete a remix for a Ralphi Rosario/Donna Blakely song entitled "Take Me Up." Lego's remix made it to #4 on the Billboard Dance Chart. Since then he has claimed two more Billboard hits remixing another Ralphi Rosario/Donna Blakely collaboration "Do You Like The Way That It Feels"and Rosario's 1998 romp, "Wanna Give ItUp"featuring Disco Diva legend Linda Clifford. In 1999 he produced the E.P "Flava In Ya Ear Vol. 2" on Afterhours which included international hits "El Ritmo De Verdad" and "When I'm With You." Both tracks quickly became anthems for that year's club season in Ibiza, Spain. The EP hit #1 on the International Dance Music Charts and still remains the best selling release in the label's history. Just recently in New City Chicago Newspaper Lego is listed at #27 in their Music 45 issue. Lego is not leaving the dance music scene anytime soon. When he's not in Paris at his monthly residency "House Sound" at Le Gibus or touring, you can see him live around Chicago area in the hottest clubs this city has to offer. Paul Anthony Over the years Paul has played for many major event promoters across the nation sharing the main stage with legends such as Bad Boy Bill, Dj Sneak, Derrick Carter, Casjmere, Ritchie Hawtin, Armand Van Helden, Rabbit and the Moon, Gene Farris, Skylab 2000, KRS-1, etc...... Paul looks to the future and his career with a positive approach. New projects include producing tracks on his own record label, Fabric Records and touring the country on the Planet Bass Tour with Nigel Richards, Dj Funk, skylab2000,and Michael Myers. When booking Paul Anthony, expect the very best house music has to offer. One wouldn't call Paul Anthony just a deejay but rather a performer because when Paul comes to the decks, the first beat drops, the vicious scratch begin In the Chance VIP Room: Blue J DNS Rick Rock Trilogy Opie Kuttingham -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk / hip hop & old school s&ld resident dj Jon Huang / house x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

oh...don't you worry about it!

friday, november 5th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & Lowdown Jon & Ashish's Birthday Celebration Derrick Carter Innovative tracks and critical acclaim have marked Derrick as one of the most important players in dance music. As co-owner of Classic, his musical and conceptual input has positioned the label as a leader in the world of deep house. Do we need a bio for this guy??? :-) Demarkus Lewis Demarkus Lewis has been rocking crowds in the south for the past 12 years as Dallas' premier house dj and producer. He is currently one of House Music's hardest working artist's and is in constant demand around the World on a constant touring basis. His bookings in 2003 alone have included Barcelona Spain, Berlin Germany, Marseilles and Paris France, Juarez and Tijuana Mexico, Santiago Chile, San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles California, Kansas City, El Paso, Lexington, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Houston and Seattle. As well as traveling every weekend, Demarkus holds two residencies in Dallas at the Zubar and at Orchid Bar. His production work is always given great reviews in many dance music publications, and he has been featured in Elevated Beat Magazine, Feedback Magazine and Innerloop Magazine. His constantly evolving sound and skill has recently sparked an interest with Large Recordings and a project is currently in the works. Paul Johnson Born and raised in the birthplace of House Music, who has over forty 12†releases (on Dust Traxx, Undaground Therapy, Cajual/Relief, Dance Mania, Riveria, Full House, Confidential, IHR, Peacefrog, and Djax) and six full-length albums (on Nite Life Collective, Relief, Moody, Peacefrog, and ACV), is one of our hometown heroes. Recording under the aliases Traxxmen with Robert Armani, Brother 2 Brother with Gant Garrard, and Yonkapin on his own making both deep disco house excursions and techno bangers, Paul is known world wide for setting and resetting the direction of House Music time and time again. “Playing With a Rubber Band", “Just Whistleâ€, “Burnin’ for Your Yearnin’â€, and of course, “Get, Get Down†(which, by the way, came out on Moody, Defected, Fuel, Legato, and Rise), have all become part of our hearts, our minds, and our souls. In the Chance VIP Room: Josh Harrel Sean Michaels Michael Walker Serg Vicious Dottcom -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Frank Solano x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

friday, october 29th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & Lowdown John Simmons John Simmons is an integral part of the house music scene in Chicago. With ten years experience, John has rocked crowds from San Francisco to Amsterdam and back. With his unique style of house and techno, John always gets the floor moving. He credits his father and his musical family Soul Foundation as his greatest sources of musical inspiration. Acidman [birthday Boy!] Frank Solano Househead since day one. Frank may be new to the scene, but not new to the sound. Growing up listening to house music, and watching it evolve to what it is today. He is still in the game spreading the word! Gotta Have House! Chris Santiago Chris has quickly established a devoted following in Chicago through his residencies at Zentra & Bigwig residencies in a few short years. He's played and rocked it with some of the biggest heavyweights in the industry including Mark Farina, Derrick Carter, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kenny Dope, and Heather to name a few. His growing reputation in blending styles of smooth melodic deep house to hard hitting percussive techno is earning him a reputation of "knowing how to get the party started." Keep an eye out for this rising House DJ! Dysqo Growing up just outside the city of Chicago, Andy can remember first being introduced to house music through listening to his older sister's mix tapes while still in Junior High. As a raver in the mid nineties Andy fell in love with the jazzy, disco house that was being played in Chicago's underground scene. As the newest addtion to the X'Ess family, Andy looks forward to the future of the Chicago House scene through optimistic eyes and hopes to do everything he can to keep it alive and well. Boris Kapelnik Since 2000, Boris has graced the decks at such Chicago clubs such as Transit, Fizz, Katacomb (residency), Mystique; and has been known to make appearances at underground loft parties. Boris tries to bring the underground to the people "so they can fall in love with it like he did." Jon Huang As a youngster, Jon learned at a very young age the importance of music in our culture. Since the age of six, Jon has been trained as a classical pianist, allowing his knowledge and passion for music to overflow into the proverbial basin of house music. As an artist, Jon has been pushing the funky/sexy house sound in the right direction, keeping fans glued to his every move with screaming anticipation. In the Chance VIP Room: Nate "The Ganja Clown" Mike "Werewolf" Varga Old School Dj "Pimp" Kenny Ray Marko "Da Pirate" Peraica "Princess" M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Dysqo x'ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

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friday, october 22nd, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & Lowdown Jason Hodges Canadian born Jason Hurtubise, first arrived in the house music scene in late 1991, taking on Toronto¹s underground party scene he developed his DJing skills on the decks with the likes of New York - New Jersey sounds. Todd Terry, Kenny Dope + Lil Louie Vega (Maw) Zack Tomz, and Todd Edwards are a few of Hodges¹ favorite producers. Hard-hitting beats with deep grooves became the signature sound for Hodges * whether in the studio, on the dance floors; from local Toronto gigs, to the surrounding towns around Ontario and across Canada, Hodges was growing and coming into his own. Jason began releasing records with various Toronto labels getting his feet wet remixing and co-producing tracks with some of Canada¹s talents. After many years of training and development, Hodges returned to the scene with a new energy and a new plan. Jason is currently building his profile; remixing artists like Freaks on MMF, Kaskade on OM, Sneak¹s "Fix my Sink" on Magnetic, Cozy Creatures Oomph, among many others in the horizon. 2003 opened the floodgates for world travel and new music projects, promising a steady and bright future for Canada¹s best-kept secret. Chuck Daniels Chris Santiago Chris has quickly established a devoted following in Chicago through his residencies at Zentra & Bigwig residencies in a few short years. He's played and rocked it with some of the biggest heavyweights in the industry including Mark Farina, Derrick Carter, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kenny Dope, and Heather to name a few. His growing reputation in blending styles of smooth melodic deep house to hard hitting percussive techno is earning him a reputation of "knowing how to get the party started." Keep an eye out for this rising House DJ! In the Chance VIP Room: Josh Laurence Jason Middle Tommy Kash Souldub Sean P Surreality -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Jon Huang x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

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Hey everyone! New live mixes by thomas sahs, jacob london, and rithma are up!! You can also listen to past sets by: Boy George, Derrick Carter, DJ Jazzy Jeff and of course the X'ESS Residents. Just click on "Radio" at our website. www.xessentertainment.com have fun listening

friday, october 15th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & Lowdown Farley Jackmaster Funk When a new style of music first cracks the pop charts, the hit is usually a deliberate crossover by an artist having little to do with the music's original pioneers. The first house single to reach the charts, however, was recorded by seminal Chicago DJ and producer, Farley Jackmaster Funk. His cover of Isaac Hayes' "Love Can't Turn Around" made the Top Ten in mid-1986 -- ironically, not in his home country but in the U.K. -- at the same time that he was one of the biggest names in Chicago house. Born in 1962, Farley began DJing while still a teenager. He first made his name in 1981, broadcasting on Chicago's WBMX-FM with Ralphi "The Razz" Rosario, Kenny "Jammin" Jason, Mickey "Mixin" Oliver and Scott "Smokin" Seals as the Hot Mix 5 -- the legendary DJ team which broke house music for a wider Chicago audience. Farley also appeared at the legendary Warehouse club (mixing alongside Frankie Knuckles) and then began a residency at the Playground (later the Candy Store) which set in stone his reputation as one of the city's top DJs. Steve Silk Hurley Truly a man of all musical seasons, and 3 time Grammy nominated, Chicago-Based Producer/remixer/songwriter/ DJ Steve "Silk" Hurley has more than proven in his ten-year plus music career that he is not only a valuable asset, but a musical force to be reckoned with. Having spanned the sometimes limiting borders of contemporary Urban music, moving freely from his club/house music roots, his musical scope as a producer has thus far remained unrivaled. He received ASCAP Writer's Awards for “Keep on Walkinâ€, Too Blind To See It" and “I’m Not Over Youâ€. Further, Billboard Magazine recognized him as one of the top producers for 1994, which was an honor he shared he shared with L.A. & Babyface, R.Kelly, Teddy Riley and Jam & Lewis. "Silk" has also received the British Charity Awards-U.K. “Remixer of The Year†Award and the Winter Music Conference “Remixer of The Year†Award among others. Without a doubt, however, the most prestigious honor ever bestowed upon him came in January 1999, when the industry nominated him for a Grammy Award in the Remixer Of The Year category. Hurley notes that "this is the pinnacle of the dream". Fast Eddie DJ Fast Eddie needs no introduction. At least, not for anyone who has tracked house music since the mid-'80s. He is as integral to the house movement as Marshall Jefferson, Todd Terry, and Kevin Saunderson. Why? In the early '90s, in the wake of acid-house, Eddie and his Chicago counterparts pioneered a new musical genre they coined hip-house. By fusing house tempo beats with old-skool hip hop percussion and rhyming, Eddie set the standard for this new genre, challenged only by Doug Lazy and Tyree Cooper. With that in mind, you might be surprised to hear Eddie's essentially deep, moving house for Real Estate. "Encore" and "Solar Soundscape," both taken from Future House Society Vol. 2, fuse acidic synths with deeper house grooves. A million miles from "Yo Yo Get Funky," "The Whop," "Jack To The Sound," and "Hip House," but not quite so far from "Acid Thunder." Dajae with DJ Jes The diva we all know as Dajae began her musical career in the early Eighties. Before joining forces with Cajmere, she was making R&B and singing in Soul bands all over Chicago. The early nineties found Dajae as the Queen of Cajual Records working in a partnership with Curtis Jones (aka Cajmere / Green Velvet) and turning out a number of huge club anthems together. “Brighter Daysâ€, “U Got Me Upâ€, “Is It All Over My Faceâ€, and “Fakes And Phoniesâ€, were all Top 10 Billboard Club Play and “Day By Day†made it all the way to #1! Those recordings were remixed by a “Who’s Who†list of the greats of House Music: Masters at Work, Johnny Fiasco, Glenn Underground, Todd Terry, Danny Tenaglia, Derrick Carter, Carl Craig, Chez Damier, Ron Trent, and Deep Dish. Since then she has worked with Junior Sanchez and produced yet another Top Ten Billboard Club Play hit, “B With Uâ€, on Roger Sanchez’s R-Senal imprint. This woman is a driving force in House Music and her live appearances are what memories are made of! George Jackson George Jackson has had DJ residencies and guest spots in some of Chicago’s hottest nightclubs such as The Sidecar, Red Dog, Prop House, Detour and others. He has been a resident DJ for The Prop House, Hidden Lounge, and The Upstairs Lounge. In 2001, George’s DJ highlight sparked an unforgettable experience when he DJ’ed in Sydney, Australia. He was added to the schedule to do a 2-hour set at Tankclub (located in The Establishment Hotel). After receiving many encores during his set, it turned into a 5 hour set; and also led to a standing ovation at the end of his set. The word spread to Melbourne, Australia, and three days later, he was asked to do a set at the now defunct, Chevron Nightclub. In the Chance VIP Room: Mayhem martin_stoy Derek Flaum mark del gato future prophet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Jon Huang x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots $6 All Bacardi Flavored Mix Drinks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

actually, TOBIAS will be spinning in the first floor main room. Boris will be spinning next week.

friday, october 8th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & Lowdown Mark Grant Emerging from a solid tradition of celebrated Chicago house producers, Mark Grant continues to be highly sought after for his technical skills as a DJ and his creative innovations as a producer and remix artist. Growing up in the city that introduced house music to the world, Grant found his aspiration in life to be a DJ at a young age. Influenced heavily by legends such as Frankie Knuckles, he was instinctively drawn to house. Having DJed several years on the Chicago scene, Grant jump-started his production career in 1994, with the release of, "Gotta New Love Thang" with Ralph Rosario. This single was released to widespread critical acclaim, even garnering kudos for Grant from industry heavyhitter Billboard, and was Grant's first opportunity to showcase his talents for writing, producing and remixing in one project. The following year Mark joined forces with Chicago house imprint Cajual Records and over the next two years, Grant would craft prolific amounts of material for his new creative outlet. Among his productions, lasting impressions were made from his single "Touch Me" and The Braxton Holmes/Mark Grant EP as well as "The Spirit of the Black Ghost" for cross-town rivals, Guidance Recordings. His collaboration with fellow Cajual artist Cajmere under the moniker Chicago Connection produced one of his most popular releases, the track, "Dancin'". Grant's remixes of Glenn Underground's anthem, "House Music Will Never Die", and Green Velvet's "Answering Machine" were also very well received. Then Grant created his first nationally released mix CD, "A Taste Of Cajual", which found honors in the Chicago Tribune's Best Albums that year. Kenny Carvajal One of the fastest rising talents in the underground house music scene, Chicago based DJ/producer Kenny Carvajal has been DJing just over 5 years, obtaining a long running residency at Music 101's M2O held every Thursdays at Le Passage. He has also played at top venues such as Madbar, Transit, Redno5, Fifth Floor, Smartbar, Zentra and countless other loft parties. DJing along side top players such as Jerome Sydenham, The Rurals, Playin' 4 the City, 8fatfat8, Alton Miller, DJ Harvey, DJ Romaine and Neil Aline and the list doesn't stop there. As a producer, Kenny Carvajal gets his inspiration from DJs and producers such as Masters at Work, Frankie Feliciano, Harley & Muscle, Blaze and Ron Trent, which fueled his first original project entitled 'Rise' featuring John Redmond and his glorious voice on Music 101 Recordings. It has also repeatedly been on DJ charts all over the globe and has caught the attention of legends like Tony Humphries, who featured 'Rise' on his internet mix show on two separate occasions and Dr. Bob Jones who gave the project an amazing review on Italy's DiscoID magazine on the March issue. It has also been licensed to OM Recordings way before its initial release for an up coming mixed CD by Mark Farina entitled 'Connect' due out in April 2002. Such an accomplishment for a first project says a lot for the novice. Future projects are in the works with an amazing list of collaborators beginning with France's very own Karl the Voice, Ernest Dawkins, Michael Anderson, and Janel Roland. Chris Santiago Chris has quickly established a devoted following in Chicago through his residencies at Zentra & Bigwig residencies in a few short years. He's played and rocked it with some of the biggest heavyweights in the industry including Mark Farina, Derrick Carter, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kenny Dope, and Heather to name a few. His growing reputation in blending styles of smooth melodic deep house to hard hitting percussive techno is earning him a reputation of "knowing how to get the party started." Keep an eye out for this rising House DJ! In the Chance VIP Room: Nick Valoss Billy O Misteries Agent Orange L Train -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Boris Kapelnik x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots $6 All Bacardi Flavored Mix Drinks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

bump it!

if you like house, we will have it for you on Friday the 24th with Paul Johnson. Can't go wrong with that. And if you want hip hop, we have that as well on the first floor...main room. So, i'm thinking Friday is your night to come out. PM me if you need anything. check out the website: www.xessentertainment.com

friday, september 24th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & Lowdown Chicago Fashion Week More info coming soon! featuring... Rithma [Live Performance] After only minimal interactions with the man called Rithma, it is obvious that he is one of the few free spirits remaining in dance music today. His silly yet mature persona enables him to enjoy life, love people and remain content while quietly taking house music to the next level. He clearly falls slightly left of the center, not only in his presentation of records as a DJ, but perhaps more prominently, in his efforts as a producer. Incorporating the psychedelic elements of his self-proclaimed second home of San Francisco with organic instrumentals andlength effort, Music Fiction, surpasses all of his projects to date. "Fiction is the idea of creating imaginary things," Rithma says. "I suppose music is that in the first place, but I really tried to make this album a whole story as one piece rather than just a bunch of tracks." The intermingling of brief instrumental compositions with atypical house, varying electronic grooves and an undercurrent of funk and melody mesh fluidly together painting a picture of rare sonic beauty; it is apparent that Rithma is musically wise beyond his years. Rithma smiles gleefully at the fact that Om has embraced him with such open arms. "I love Om," he says simply. "It just feels like such a family. I'm offered general creative freedom with the constant opportunity to improve on everything I do." Though he is not a planning man, there will be at least one more full length for Om in the near future. Paul Johnson Born and raised in the birthplace of House Music, who has over forty 12†releases (on Dust Traxx, Undaground Therapy, Cajual/Relief, Dance Mania, Riveria, Full House, Confidential, IHR, Peacefrog, and Djax) and six full-length albums (on Nite Life Collective, Relief, Moody, Peacefrog, and ACV), is one of our hometown heroes. Recording under the aliases Traxxmen with Robert Armani, Brother 2 Brother with Gant Garrard, and Yonkapin on his own making both deep disco house excursions and techno bangers, Paul is known world wide for setting and resetting the direction of House Music time and time again. “Playing With a Rubber Band", “Just Whistleâ€, “Burnin’ for Your Yearnin’â€, and of course, “Get, Get Down†(which, by the way, came out on Moody, Defected, Fuel, Legato, and Rise), have all become part of our hearts, our minds, and our souls. In the Chance VIP Room: gerald moore ImpacT Dj Staxx Oddball Dj Riverman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Dysqo x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots $6 All Bacardi Flavored Mix Drinks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards Guestlist Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

wednesday, september 22nd, 2004 The Chicago Fashion Week presents: TRE CHIC at NARCISSE The Chicago Fashion Week to be in Full Stride this Year As the Sept. 18th kickoff date for The Chicago Fashion Week nears the final preparations for the event are being solidified. The event - presented by American Express, has been gathering speed as the word has spread throughout the fashion industry about the 216-show event. Runway shows by the styling of Armani, Ann Taylor, Coogi, Von Dutch, and Custo Barcelona are sure to be the highlights of the week. The Chicago Fashion Week continues to strive to set itself apart from other fashion weeks by placing a strong focus on showcasing the local and up-and-coming designers, such as Fokus Lifestyle Apparel and James De Colon. “The response we have received from sponsors, designers, and businesses across Chicago has been overwhelming!†“It is going to be a very exciting event†said Krystal Callender, Director of The Chicago Fashion Week. “I am confident The Fashion Week will be a success (if all of the help we have received from people in the Chicago fashion industry is an indicator), as there are so many people helping out and doing whatever they can to be a part of this production.†Events will also take place in local shopping malls and parks across Chicago, as well as the Museum of Science and Industry. An exciting and hip VIP event will take place at Narcisse on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2004 with djs FLIPSIDE from b96 and ASHISH SHAH from X'ESS Entertainment. Fashion shows are nothing new to the City of Chicago; however, The Chicago Fashion Week is hoping to be the fashion event that helps to nurture the ever-growing presence of Chicago within the fashion industry. The event is designed to provide an avenue for the general public to see a high fashion runway show. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the 9/11 Fund and to The Support Group. The Chicago Fashion Week will be held bi-annually with a show occurring in September and another in March. People interested in attending events and learning more about The Chicago Fashion Week can log on to www.thechicagofashionweek.com. featuring.... Fashion by: Designers- Kortisum, ES, Sxcels, and Fokus along with djs... Ashish Shah / X'ESS DJ Flipside / b96 DRINK SPECIALS ALL NIGHT!!! Narcisse 710 n clark chicago, il 60610 www.xessentertainment.com

friday, september 17th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Sweet & Lowdown SUMMER'S END We would like to thank all of you for making the SUMMER OF X'ESS 2004, a huge success! Come join us as we have our last event of SUMMER 2004! But remember, just because summer is ending, doesn't mean we stop dancin'!!!! Look out for major announcements and amazing events for FALL/WINTER 2004 featuring... Jacob London Bob Hansen and Dave Pezzner were brought together by the unmistakable forces of The Universe in a period of time many of the World’s civilizations have agreed should be referred to as “1992â€. The U.S. economy was looking up, and naturally Bob and Dave began to create relatively awful industrial compositions that they were not allowed to perform in their high-school’s student talent competition. Taking the rejection in stride, they continued on until exposure to rave mega-anthems such as L.A. Style’s “James Brown is Dead†and Church of Extacy’s “Ooowee I Am Ready†caught their interest and inspired them to begin creating lo-fi rave mega-anthems of their own that were slightly (and increasingly) less awful than what they had been doing up until that point. For years they immersed themselves in refining their sound and performing live PA’s under a name that you don’t really need, or want, to know about. By the time important people were busy convincing the World’s population that it was “1998â€, Bob and Dave had taken the opportunity to release their first record (“Hydrogenated Funkâ€) on Carlos DaSilva’s upstart eatHouse label, along with forging a new identity for themselves as Jacob London. This record garnered them a moderate amount of attention from DJ Sneak and others, which they proceeded to not capitalize on for another 3 years or so. In “2001†(for lack of a better term), the duo entered into a short-lived and well-respected business relationship with Jon Lemmon’s Viva Recordings and were foolishly given free reign over their own record label, which they dubbed squid:records. They released three Jacob London EP’s over the following two years and pulled in two of their long-time house music heroes, Carl Finlow (aka Random Factor) and Tony Senghore, for remix duties. The squid releases were well-received and the unique sense of humor and personality that Bob and Dave saturated each of their productions with caught on and led to releases on Free the Funk, Stay True, Doubledown, U-Freqs, and Derrick Carter & Luke Solomon’s enormously popular Classic label. Recently, Jacob London have been neglecting important areas of their personal lives (hygiene not included) with a steady flow of remix offers and international gigging, including Toronto, Japan, the UK, Vancouver BC, and Cleveland. Johnny Fiasco Unlike most of his colleagues, Johnny Fiasco's musical background lies in rock & roll. Before turning his energies to house productions and DJing, Chicago native Johnny Fiasco (whose real last name was Lopez) started his musical escapade playing the guitar. Where most house producers draw their influence from disco and funk greats, Fiasco turns to the Police, Talking Heads, Rush, and Herbie Hancock. Fiasco's first production was for Trax Records on the track called "Zig Zag." His sophomore EP was the "Progretto Fiasco" release, which unleashed him into the big time production circles. In time, Fiasco made his way to the acclaimed Chicago house label, Cajual Records, started by the legendary Cajmere. The reputation of Cajual, and his work for the label, launched Fiasco into a catalog of singles and recordings for other labels. In April of 2000, Fiasco released his first full length mix CD, Cluster, on Afterhours. Unfortunately, the man who asked Fiasco to do the album, Andy Adams (head of Afterhours), died shortly after the request, and the album was quickly turned into a tribute album to the label runner. Andrew Emil In the Chance VIP Room: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Jon Huang x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots $6 All Bacardi Flavored Mix Drinks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required

friday, september 10th, 2004 x'ess entertainment and zentra nightclub present: Rob's 29th Birthday Bash featuring: Derrick Carter Diz Lego Paul Anthony In the Chance VIP Room: Abe Kreml [25 Birthday Celebration] Bravo Sea-Drive Party for a Cause Fundraiser for the National Aids Marathon The AIDS epidemic ravaged the dance music community and changed clublife forever. Think for a moment about the talents that were lost,and imagine how vibrant our House music community would be, had AIDS not infected our world. Despite never running a race in his life, Curtis Stewart (aka SeaDrive) will be presenting a unique tribute to those who have fallen of AIDS within the House music community. He's running the Chicago Marathon to raise thousands of dollars for The AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Zentra will be giving red ribbons to donors all night long, so be sure to participate and bring your contribution. For more on this special fundraising event check out www.aidsmarathon.com or email Curtis directly at craytive@gmail.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Free BBQ 9PM - Midnight! Residents: Sativa & Jay-funk s&ld resident dj Frank Solano x’ess resident dj X'ESS Hosted VIP Cocktail Reception from 9 - 10pm! Drink Specials: $4 Shots $6 All Bacardi Flavored Mix Drinks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest list rules: Free before 10 $5 10 -11 $10 11 - midnight $15 afterwards GuestList Available at: www.xessentertainment.com Zentra Nightclub 923 Weed St. Chicago, IL 21+ ID Required