Cognitive Music Bass Episode 02 - DJ Joey Blanco
The new mix series for Cognitive Music artists and friends focusing on Bass & Electro Bass music. Download here on SoundCloud or visit http://cognitivemusic.com to listen, download, and view artist info.
Meet Joey Delzingaro. A DJ whose story mirrors many a successful DJ’s, maybe even yours…
A child of the 80s, he begins DJing at 13 years old, drawn to the breakbeats and floor wars of the b-boy scene. He meets and is mentored by freestyle impresario Ziggy Gonzalez (producer of Coro’s #1 "Where Are You Tonight”), travels from NYC to Miami promoting for labels such as Micmac Records and Cutting Records, and eventually returns to Orlando where he establishes himself as a well-respected club DJ and concert promoter.
But there’s a little more to Joey’s story: Joey is almost totally deaf.
“I was introduced to the music scene in the early 90s,” says Joey. “But I always had trouble being in a crowd. I wasn’t very social because of my hearing. I couldn’t ask everyone to repeat themselves a hundred times just so I could understand them. So I basically withdrew and suffered in silence as I watched my friends succeed in the DJ industry.”
That all changed in 2016 when a friend asked Joey if he’d consider DJing for a party. “I was a little hesitant at first but I went ahead and played at the party and that reignited a flame that was once bright.”
They said I couldn’t DJ because I couldn’t hear.
But I wouldn’t listen.
Inspired anew, Joey bought two brand new turntables and a mixer and spent the next year and a half experimenting with a variety of digital setups before discovering Traktor.
“That was it for me. I learned to read waveforms while stomping my foot as a human metronome and to use amplified headphones to feel bass pressure. That allowed me to utilize what little hearing I have left to be able to mix.”
With the encouragement of childhood friend Derek Steplight aka DJ D-XTREME, Joey has since become a mainstay of the downtown Orlando club scene, regularly appearing as DJ Joey Blanco at Peek Downtown while organizing his own shows once every other month.
“After a year doing shows at Peek I met promoter Ronnie Beatty (RB3) and things started taking off. We began booking people like Rogue Planet, The Beat Mavericks, Gary Sisco and Sean Skeels,” says Joey. “I then met Joel Gray (Dj Tonik) and just a few weeks ago we had our biggest show yet with DJ Rob-E and DJ X.”
Thanks to his social media presence Joey continues to make new friends who provide well-deserved support. “After all the hard work and initiative I am now scheduled to play at The Gemini Party, which is a huge event here in Orlando, playing with legends in the industry and couldn’t be happier.”
TRACKLIST - Cognitive Music Bass Episode 02 - DJ Joey Blanco
01. The Pretension All Stars - Complex Chemistry (Code Rising Remix)
02. DJ Natural Nate - Beyond The Blood Moon (Unreleased)
03. DJ Natural Nate - In Heaven
04. Danny Electro - Slow Decay
05. Anthony Rother - Basic Level
06. DJ Natural Nate - Robotronic
07. Code Rising - 1984
08. Code Rising - Retro Miami
09. Ohverclock - Rezonation
10. DJ Natural Nate - Take Me There
11. Code Rising - Damage Report
12. Danny Electro feat. Natasha Lewis - Higher (Unreleased)
13. Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels (B-Minus Remix) (Unreleased)
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