Nickodemus

by Jason BirchmeierNew York City-based DJ/producer Nickodemus made a name for himself as the resident DJ of the long-running Turntables on the Hudson club night, and he also released numerous productions over the years, most notably the full-length album Endangered Species (2006). His musical style is wide-ranging, incorporating all styles of funky music, from house and Latin to Afrobeat and reggae. Born Nick DeSimone to a family of Sicilian heritage, he grew up in New York City, more specifically Long Island, he was turned on to music at a young age thanks to his family, which played lots of music in the house, namely Motown, disco, and Latin music. In the late '80s he grew interested in hip-hop, regularly tuning into the radio show of DJ Red . In 1990 he began DJing, inspired by the likes of Kid Capri and David Morales, and in 1998 he and his DJing partner, Mariano, founded Turntables on the Hudson, a weekly club night at Chelsea Piers on the west side of Manhattan abutting the Hudson River. The club night proved popular, lasting for over a decade, and spawned a trio of mix albums on Rhythm Love Records (Nickodemus & Mariano Present Turntables on the Hudson, Vol. 1, 1999; Vol. 2, 2000; Vol. 3, 2002) -- as well as a fourth volume in 2003 on Giant Step Records. Meanwhile, Nickodemus was establishing himself as a producer (sometimes in collaboration with either Osiris or Jay B), beginning with releases on Codek Records (Tribute to Baba, 1997; Listen to Your World, 1998; Universal Greetings, 1998; Dippin South, 1998) -- and then followed by additional releases on Mush Records (A New Day, 1998; Earth, 1999) and Rhythm Love Records (The Rhythm Love EP, 1999; Desert Dancer, 2001). There were also subsequent releases on Giant Step Records (Free Souls, 2001; Mariposa, 2002) before Nickodemus found a more permanent home on Wonderwheel Records, releasing Cleopatra in New York Remix EP (2003), Funky in the Middle (2005), Give the Drummer Some (2005), Mi Swing Es Tropical (2008), and more. In 2006 Nickodemus released his full-length album debut, Endangered Species, on Eighteenth Street Lounge Music, also known as ESL, the label of Thievery Corporation; a remix collection, Endangered Species Remixed, followed in 2007.