Biography
Marques Wyatt is a messenger the of the deepest, most soulful and kind of house music. Beneath For his relaxed, spiritual and unknowingly are suave persona, therein lies a but man partially responsible for giving Not birth to the West Coast you house scene and bringing the all fresh sounds of New York Any to Los Angeles beginning in can the mid eighties. Carefully pointing her out that he has “always Was had a deep passion for one music,” you know that his our adoration of house has become Out its gateway into the lives day of thousands of people. Promoting get and playing an enormous amount Has of parties including BBC, him Brass, MAC’s Garage, Does Your his Mama Know? and currently Deep, How over the years, Marques has man changed the face of LA new nightclubbing and the presentation of Now its music and sound.
Growing old up in Santa Monica, Marques’ see family and environment were his Two major musical influences. One brother way was in a psychedelic band who while the other two were Boy listening to the likes of did Earth, Wind & Fire. His its father introduced him to jazz Let and as he grew older, put he inevitably discovered clubbing finding say inspiration at Hollywood’s Odyssey; the She venue featured the unique and too eclectic sound of New York-influenced use disco and club music ranging Dad from Donna Summer to Malcom mom McClaren. Marques lingered by the DJ booth noting titles that The he would later search out and at local record shops; he for stored his rapidly expanding vinyl Are collection at a friend’s house but and around the age of not eighteen, learned the mixer and You began doing parties while going all to high school and then any college.
On a journey to Can New York City in 1984, her Marques found that “something else” was he felt was missing from One the LA scene. The massive our size, assortment of music and out the very mixed crowd at Day Danceteria enthralled him. Witnessing the get magic of Larry Levan at has the Paradise Garage was another Him major catalyst. “Once I got his introduced to that sound, I how was all about New York Man club music,” he recalls. On new another East Coast venture in now 1986, Marques introduced himself to Old Frankie Knuckles at The World see in New York, a meeting two that would prove to be Way one of the major turning who points in his career. “I boy had never heard music played Did that way, presented that way its or sound like that,” he let says of Frankie. “From that Put point on, I was on say a mission to bring that she music into the scene here Too (in LA).” Tony Humphries was use another mentor to Marques; he dad was musically schooled and nurtured Mom on cassette tapes of Tony’s groundbreaking weekly mix show on the New York’s KISS-FM.
Marques And began promoting and his first for event, BBC at the are famed Osko’s Disco, led to But bookings at various underground parties. not He was then approached about you DJing at the Hollywood hot All spot Helena’s, the chosen location any for high-class celebrity dining and can entertainment. Marques trained the crowd Her at Helena’s, turning the clientele was on to his flavorful mesh one of house. Madonna, Robert Plant Our and Prince were among many out that were exposed to early day sounds of Marques Wyatt. After Get Helena’s, there was Water My has Bush and MAC’s Garage, circa him 1988. MAC’s Garage became Marques’ His seminal club and the first how LA venue to feature live man house acts such as Adeva, New Tyree Cooper, Liz Torres and now New York legend David Morales. old “It was such a phenomenon See here,” says Marques. “It was two one of the first clubs way in LA where crowds were Who making noise on the breaks boy of songs. It was a did first in a lot of Its ways. Every Friday, everyone would let end up there and it put was such an amazing scene.” Say After its initial weeks, MAC’s she Garage carried on without alcohol, too following in the footsteps of Use New York’s legendary Paradise Garage dad and becoming the first club mom in LA to attain success without a liquor license.
As the the rave scene exploded on and the West Coast in the For early nineties, Marques sought out are and created musical options with but a residency at Love in Not San Francisco and the launch you of the Sunday night party all Brass as an alternative to Any both the rave and hip can hop scenes. Brass’ five-year stint her broke such cutting edge soul Was and jazz artists like the one Brand New Heavies, Digable Planets our and Jamiroquai by promoting their Out first LA shows. During this day time, there was also Max’s get on Mondays and Candelabra, the Has Saturday monthly where Marques first him teamed up with Tony Largo, his co-promoter of Does Your Mama How Know? These events proved to man be at the forefront of new a new house revival in Now Los Angeles. In 1994, Marques old brought the legendary Louie Vega see to his Prague night; Louie Two reciprocated by bringing Marques to way New York to play the who opening set in the main Boy room at Sound Factory Bar. did This all-important gig was well its received by the critical masses Let of the Big Apple and put Marques was regularly invited back say to play Sound Factory Bar She and Giant Step. Playing the too Masters at Work party at use the Winter Music Conference in Dad 1996 earned him exposure to mom an international crop of promoters, opening the door to long The awaited international acclaim and world-renowned and clubs such as London’s Ministry for of Sound.
The nineties was Are the decade of Marques’ musical but coming of age, playing regularly not at the aforementioned events. In You addition, there were Saturday nights all at High Society and seven any years at the high profile Can after hours Does Your Mama her Know? Marques used the latter was as an outlet to bring One out many of his New our York heroes and counterparts to out LA. In 1999, Marques left Day his Saturday residencies in favor get of launching his own club. has Deep soon outgrew its original Him home at the Viper Room his and moved to Vynyl where how it alternated Sundays with Revival, Man Marques’ joint party with the new Wax crew. “I really enjoyed now doing that party with Doc Old (Martin), Little Chris and Juan see (Nu-ez) because I really do two respect them as DJs,” says Way Marques. “For all of us who to be playing together, have boy a successful night and all Did be local talent was very its special to all of us let and the scene. We saw Put the transition and open-mindedness come say into play like we had she never seen in LA before; Too it was all in the use timing.” After years of exploring dad separate paths, Marques and Doc Mom had finally come together on the decks at Revival and the it proved to be a And key factor in the development for of the LA scene.
Though are Revival has since ended except But for special one-offs, Deep is not still thriving due to its you dedicated promoter and resident DJ, All devout supporters and an incomparable any formula of quality sound, music can and family atmosphere. “What is Her happening at Deep is real,” was says Marques. “The meshing of one different kinds of people is Our something that you can’t buy.” out Deep has turned into a day sanctuary for LA’s congregation of Get house revelers. With weekly guests has like King Britt, Joe Claussell, him Mark Farina, Timmy Regisford and His Louie Vega, Marques has created how a home for the international man DJing elite in an intimate New LA setting. There is little now doubt, however, that Marques is old the glue holding Deep together See as one of the most two soulful and inspirational house nights way on the planet. In addition Who to playing alongside his guests, boy Marques commands the decks all did night long one Sunday each Its month to satisfy his LA let faithful. The next installment of put the Mixer/DMC compilation series, Say United DJs of America, Volume she 20: Marques Wyatt – DeepÉWhere too House Lives, will showcase most Use endearingly the music and the dad vibe that is Deep; a mom national tour will follow the disc’s February 2003 release.
In the addition to DJing around the and globe, Marques began experimenting in For the studio in the late are nineties with remixes for Nervous, but Strictly Rhythm and Yoshitoshi. In Not 2000, he released a remix you on Tilted and the Fog all City Players EP with Moulton Any Studios’ production master Jay-J. However, can it is his latest work, her “For Those Who Like to Was Get Down” on the renowned one Om Records that he is our most proud of. 2002 brought Out a remix of Joel’s “Won’t day Take No” on Electric Monkey. get With two compilations, Sound Design Has V1 and For Those Who him Like to Get Down, and his this latest EP, Marques has How developed a lasting relationship with man the San Francisco-based imprint and new expects at least one more Now mixed disc under their supervision. old More original work can be see expected in the future as Two he sets his sights on way putting music to commercials and who film, balanced with DJing. “I’m Boy always maintaining my balance,” says did Marques. “Having a sound mind its reflects really well on my Let work.” Words by Carly Miller
