I met Aaron through a CD exchange club I belong to, and really dug his musical selections. Then I got to talking to him, and he’s one of those guys you can listen to for hours because he has a vast wealth of musical knowledge that spans from rock to jazz to hip hop to merengue. He works in the music biz as a producer (He won a Grammy for his work on the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Ruben Blades “Across 110th Street” Album in 2005) and also spins occasionally, and tonight will be at Chifa starting at 10 p.m. spinning a wild mix of Salsa, bossa nova, cha cha cha and much more in a show he calls La Maquina del Tiempo. I’m gonna try to make it there after quizzo if anybody wants to go.
JGT: What does La Maquina Del Tiempo mean?
AARON: La Maquina Del Tiempo means The Time Machine. Tonight you will be hearing the past of Salsa, Mambo and Cha Cha Cha from Puerto Rico, New York and Cuba from the 60’s & 70’s with a couple of licks of Latin Jazz, Boogaloo and Cumbia thrown in for good measure. Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, Sonora Poncena, Bobby Valentin, Ruben Blades, Pacheco and Celia Cruz. This is Golden Age Salsa for dancers and listeners alike. Expect dance floor fillers, classics and rarities that will have you dancing on the lawn.
JGT: When did you decide you wanted to get into the music business?
I always wanted to be in the music business but my first real gig was as a dj/engineer on WRTI when I was in high school. I’ve never looked back. My first record label job was with Inner City records in NYC as a Freshman in college at The New School For Social Research
JGT: When you’re not Deejaying, what kind of music related enterprises are you involved with?
AARON (2nd from left in pic): I produce records of all types but mostly music with African DNA. I am A&R director and Staff Producer for the awesome Range Recording in Ardmore, PA. I also write about music when asked nicely or overpaid to do so. I am currently a Governor of the Philly chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.
JGT: Who are some better known artists you have worked with?
AARON: Ruben Blades, Questlove, Pat Martino, Chucho Valdes, Taj Mahal, Carl Craig, Cameo and countless others over the years.
JGT: Who have you really enjoyed working with?
AARON: I had a great time working with Chris McBride, Questlove, Marcus Belgrave, Jimmy Bosch, Carlos Alomar, Don Byron and Ruben Blades was just amazing and hilarious.
JGT: Anybody who’s been a real difficult to work with?
AARON: Honestly I’ve been pretty lucky in that respect though a few of the Detroit crew were not difficult exactly but pretty demanding. I’ll leave it at that!
JGT: Who are some of your favorite artists?
Tom Waits, Ismael Rivera, Charles Mingus, Glenn Gould, George Clinton, Sly Stone, Charlie Palmieri, Joni Mitchell, Anita O’ Day, Lonnie Johnson, Coltrane, Monk, La Lupe, The Band, Elis Regina, Quarteto Novo, Artur Rubenstein and Zappa.