Umoja Hi-Fi 25th Anniversary Celebration: 9/3/17 in LA!

SUNDAY SEPT 3 – UMOJA HI-FI 25!

Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem celebrates 25 years as a united DJ collective!

A massive night of big tunes & crucial music 2+ decades in the making!

Featuring all Umoja Hi-Fi DJs!

Daz | Tomas | Culture D | Jun | King Cokni | Monalisa | Aaron Paar

Back-2-Back sets in 2 rooms!

Soul | Hip-Hop | Reggae | House | | Afrobeat | Classics

10PM-2AM | $5 before 11PM - $10 after | 21+

WHERE? The Virgil | 4519 Santa Monica Blvd | Silverlake | 90029

Background: From their very first event in 1992, the Umoja Jazz 'N' Ragga Lounge, through signature club nights like B-Side, Chocolate Bar and Carbon, to recent appearances and residences at Motown on Mondays, Park Jam, Fast-FWD, The Standard Hotel, Afrofunke and Boom Yard, and countless more, Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem's collective of DJs (Daz, Tomas, Jun, Culture D, King Cokni, Monalisa and Aaron Paar) have made an indelible mark on clubs and music from their bases in LA, SF and Dallas.

The collective are known for their deep music knowledge—members have worked at labels like Delicious Vinyl and Ubiquity, records stores including Amoeba and Arons, and hosted radio shows on Dublab, KXLU, KPFK, and KUSF—each DJ brings eclectic sets and smooth transitions to their performances. All of Umoja's members are huge vinyl collectors and connoisseurs, and some of their rare finds will be featured in side-by-side duo sets in two rooms Sunday September 3 at the Virgil in Silverlake. Jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop, Afrobeat, reggae, dub, dancehall, house, broken beat, future soul and rare groove club classics are just a few of the genres the collective will present in as they flex their expertise.

Since their origins in the early '90s until the present, the crew has never ceased being both active as a collective doing parties, opening shows and club nights, as well as spinning individual events. It's a remarkable achievement in any profession, let alone in one with night-life hours. Come join us for this one-of-a-kind event, and hear why Umoja's DJs have remained vital and crucial players in the music scene for two decades and counting.

More on Facebook! #UMOJAHIFI25

Umoja Hi-Fi Dublab Takeover! 3+ Hours in the Mix

On Monday June 27, Jun (The Standard), Monalisa (Motown on Mondays), Tomas (Voltage Music), Daz (Carbon Bar/Chocolate Bar and Aaron Paar (Ximeno Records) of Umoja Hi-Fi took over Aaron's monthly "Stomping Grounds Radio" slot on Dublab for mini Umoja reunion session.

Each DJ spun sets ranging from 45 minutes to an hour representing the many eclectic and emotive flavors of "The Unity Sound." Funk, rare groove classics, reggae, dub, world and house all featured throughout the evening.

The crew even got behind the mic to share the history behind the groundbreaking crew's formative years, key events and music philosophy. Listen below for the full replay!
Umoja Hi-Fi Dublab Takeover! – Stomping Grounds (06.27.16)
Aaron Paar w/guests Umoja Hi-Fi – Stomping Grounds (06.27.16) | dublab

Day of Umoja Gathering: Sat Dec 26 2015 Downtown LA

Saturday December 26 2015 Umoja Hi-Fi will be in session again!

It's a Day of Umoja Celebration!

Come together in the spirit of unity through music on the day that inspired the creation of the Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem.

Groove with Umoja Hi-Fi DJs: Daz, Monalisa, Jun, Aaron Paar, Culture D & Tomas spinning our signature electic soulful mix.

+ Live art & works on display from local artisans, vinyl vendors, and other surprises.

Location: Mumford Brewery 416 Boyd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013 - Early event! 3-10PM – No Cover

Sat Oct 17 - DJ Tomas at Signal in Portland - Dub & Bass Vibes

Sat Oct 17 - DJ Tomas at Signal

Dub, Dancehall, Roots & Bass Vibes!

At Low Brow Lounge - 1036 NW Hoyt St, Portland, OR - Free!

DJ Tomas travels north to represent for Umoja Hi-Fi and his label Voltage Music joining the PDX Mandem crew for a full-watts night of deep bass, dub, roots and other sound system musics!

Reggae Got Soul - Sept 15 at River Gods - Cambridge MA

Reggae Got Soul!
Sept 15 at River Gods - 125 River St. Cambridge MA

Reggae / Soul / Funk / Rocksteady / Club Classics

DJ Tomas (Umoja Hi-Fi) in the mix  / 8PM - 1AM  / NO COVER!

"From Kingston to Memphis & beyond via vinyl 45s"

Roots & Dub: DJ Tomas Guest Set

DJ Tomas guest DJ set on Wake the Town radio on KPOO San Francisco, 89.5FM with host Adam from Revival Sound & Festival 68. (Tomas set starts at 1:23 into the file.)

Tune in to "Wake The Town" for shots of '60s Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady and Early Reggae, Calypso and Roots original 45 rpm sounds. Wednesday afternoons 3pm-5:30pm (PST) on San Francisco's 89.5 fm KPOO. 

Wake The Town 1/28/15: w/very special guest: Dj Tomas (Umoja Hi-Fi) by Wake The Town Radio on Mixcloud

Feb 27: Umoja Strictly Vinyl Session

Umoja Hi-Fi spins a strictly vinyl set at Nueve. Featuring Destroyer, Monalisa, Jun, Daz & special guests.

Friday, 2/27/15 @ The Virgil |
No Cover | 7p-1a
4519 Santa Monica Blvd, LA.

nueve – a monthly musical potluck celebrating music lovers and their record collections in revolutions of nine.

each month at “nueve” (nine) brings together the record collector / selector / DJ / music lover, etc., creating an open/free platform for sound exchange in 9 record rotating sets*

7pm-1a – Featuring sets by our friends at Umoja Soundsystem

no cover | drink/sound specials | rotating 9 record sets*
curated/hosted by: wyldeflower

DJ Destroyer: Life In Music

Aaron Paar a.k.a. Destroyer was born in Nottingham, England and emigrated to Los Angeles in 1980. Aaron has been an active figure in the Los Angeles DJ, underground club and recording scene since the early ‘90s. With a family music background as well as strong underground club roots in the LA community, Aaron continues to stay at the forefront of cutting edge music cultures across many styles within the Soul spectrum. 

Aaron fell in love with hip-hop and the art of DJing in 1984 and never looked back. He got his start spinning during the early ‘90s rave/loft scene in LA while also hosting a house music show on KXLU radio called Stomping Grounds. While working at Beat Non Stop records he also was able to sell his personal mix tapes to people around the world via the store. Fueled by the records and sounds of a very potent House Music sound, Aaron decided to take his own adventure into production and created his imprint Worldship Music in 1995 and in 1996 formed the Teflon Dons along with Dave Fogg and Greg "Ski" Royal, producing seven 12" singles along with various remixes and tracks for other labels. 

Around 2002 Aaron decided to come up with an alias, which ended up taking a life of its own as "DJ Destroyer." The focus was on spinning sets that were based heavily in hip-hop mixed with other genres. Aaron joined mash-up pioneers the Inhumanz and took blending sounds and genres seamlessly in clubs and bars around the globe. 

Destroyer is founder and chief resident of Strictly Social, one of LA's longest running and premier eclectic soul nights. Strictly Social has bought independent artists such as Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Lisa Shaw, Sy Smith, Zo!, Joi, and Sango to name a few while taking it to other cities such as NY, Atlanta and SF. 

Residencies over the years such as Bounce Rock Skate, Fast Fwd, Blazing 45's, LA's JumpNFunk as well as nights at countless clubs and bars across the city has cemented Destroyer'ss solid footing in the LA DJ community expressing his unique perspective of music to a new generation of party people. Destroyer has DJed alongside the likes of DJ Scratch, Kenny Dope, Rich Medina, J Rocc, Dam Funk, Lefto and Shinehead, to name a few, as well as collaborating with many in the Los Angeles underground DJ scene. 

Aaron is also a member of the highly respected DJ collective Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem who continues to spread the sound of unity throughout the LA landscape hosting and guesting at various functions. 

Aaron is Co Founder of Ximeno Records along with Danny Holloway who have recently made an impression via their all 7-inch 45 label. 

Whether its production or DJing expect to hear many different flavors in his Soul driven sets geared for dance floors worldwide. 

Umoja Invades Little Tokyo!

For 3 Sundays in December at Tokyo Beat, in the heart of Little Tokyo, the Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem collective of DJ's based in Los Angeles bring you their trademark seamless blend of music spanning the spectrum of soul and beyond. 

Be prepared to nod your head and move your feet to the rhythms of Hip-Hop, Reggae, Funk, Soul, Disco, Boogie & Classic House while enjoying tasty libations from the bar. 

Resident Deejays Culture D, Daz, Destroyer, Jun and Monalisa hold down the grooves all night. 
W/Occasional Special Guests TBA

Hosted By Ryo Vibes 

Dec 7th,14th & 21st






@TOKYO BEAT (Little Tokyo, Downtown LA)
319 e 2ND ST 
2ND FL
8-2am
21W/ID 
No Cover 

Support From:
Fusicology
Footlong Events

Friday May 30: Umoja in Session in LA!

Umoja in Images

Some images from recent Umoja Hi-Fi sessions and gigs in Los Angeles. Thanks to Boss Harmony and other photographers for the images. 

Culture D & Cokni O Dire at Dub Club LA

King Cokni & Rootsman at Dub Club LA

Culture D in the mix at Dub Club LA

Culture D & King Cokni O Dire in the mix at Dub Club LA

Shadow DJs: Culture D & King Cokni at Dub Club LA

Original selecta: King Cokni O Dire

Umoja Hi-Fi crew in Venice, CA

Umoja at Dub club LA!

Wednesday Feb 26 at Dub Club LA!!!

Umoja Present: Selectors Choice!

Umoja Hi-Fi is back in session at a brand new bar spot in Koreatown, Los Angeles on Friday February 28. 

This special event features special guest from Texas, Umoja member, King Cokni O' Dire + the LA Umoja Sound System DJs: Daz, Jun, Destroyer, Monalisa and Culture D. The event also celebrates birthdays for both Daz & Cokni!

Cokni O' Dire's DJ and music pedigree includes music projects with Scheme Team with Divine Styler, House of Pain, and The Angel. He's hosted radio shows on KXLU and currently runs the popular weekly live mix show Decent Something on Ustream.  Don't miss this special night!

Friday Feb 28!

Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem presents:

Selectors Choice!

Feat. Special Guest King Cokni O'Dire (Decent Something, Dallas, TX)

Plus the Umoja Hi-Fi Crew:

Daz, Jun, Culture D, Monalisa and Destroyer

Playing the choice cuts as only Umoja can:

Hip-Hop, Funk, Soul, Reggae, Jazz & Classics

Brand new bar spot!  3453 W. 6th St. (at S. Kenmore) LA 90020

10PM No Cover 21 w/ID 

Cokni O Dire will also be appearing at the following gigs:

Wednesday Feb 26: The Dub Club (with Umoja Hi-Fi's Culture D)

Thursday Feb 27: The Graves Brothers (live!) + Umoja Hi-Fi DJs at the Townhouse

The Graves Brothers - 10:00pm

Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem - 9:00pm 

Ft. DJs Cokni O'Dire, Jun, Daz, Destroyer, and Mona Lisa

Spinning Soul, Funk, Hip-Hop, Reggae, House, Future Beats and more on two floors, in Townhouse and The Del Monte!

$5.00 before 10:00pm, $8.00 after 21+

The Del Monte 

52 Windward Avenue

Venice, California 90291

http://townhousevenice.com/

Monalisa's Gigs in the Spotlight

DJ Monalisa is one of Umoja Hi-Fi's busiest selectors. She holds it down at Amoeba Records in Hollywood during the day but is active almost every night in clubs around the LA area spinning soul, funk, R&B, hip-hop, house, dance classics and anything else that catches her eclectic fancy.

Maybe you've seen her at Motown on Mondays, Sugar Hill Live, Soul Slam or Wonderful events, or her plethora of other regular gigs. She's also an integral member of Umoja Hi-Fi sound, playing all of our core key gigs.

Hear a fantastic, funky Monalisa mix right here. See her upcoming events and latest runnings below!

1/15/14: DJ Daz & Coleman play The Takeover

Wed. Jan 15 10 p.m. in Los Angeles. Coleman, Tonearm, Daz (UmojaHi-Fi) & Computer Jay!