Vincent Aché

Vincenzo Pati. The passion struck me at the age of 14. The dials, switches and blinking lights of hi-fi control panels stirred a curiosity that, soon enough, became amazement as I spun vinyl and funk flowed forth: Archie Bell & the Drells, Average White Band, Brass Construction, Cameo, Colonel Abrams, James Brown, Roy Ayers, Steve Arrington, and others. Soon enough, I realized that music was becoming more than a passion. Gripped by the soul music dubbed Philadelphia sound and, soon thereafter, the wider world of Afro music, it dawned on me that music had become a drug.

I began working in a bank at the age of 23. The drab surroundings, however, never pulled me away from music. I was becoming hooked on house music, at the time a nascent yet quickly rising movement. A close childhood friend, was becoming a DJ and producer of international caliber. Watching him spin vinyl was an inspiration. I also began to follow the impressive work of other international DJs, including Danny Krivit, Frankie Feliciano, Frankie Knuckles, Hed Kandi, Joey Negro, Little Louie Vega, and Miguel Migs. All still work today.

My tastes in music have expanded over the years as I embraced such artists as Erykah Badu, Randy Crawford, Floetry, Michael Jackson, Maxwell, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Raphael Saadiq, Jill Scott, Lisa Shaw, and others. The top-flight producers who have most influenced me include Patrick L. Chappell, Andy Daniell, Simon Dunmore, Jamie Lewis, Victor Simonelli, Soulmagic. From them, I learned that the time to act was approaching. I needed to become a producer, communicating not just with words, gestures, dances and colors, but also by offering to others the gift of new music.