Legendary Paco Perez makes a comeback

After many years in Madrid, celebrated veteran disc jockey is set to spin in Nairobi Saturday to relive the days when music had soul and clubs boomed, writes KIUNDU WAWERU.A popular blog posted this question: "Who is your favourite DJ?" The answers range from DJs Pinye to Kareez ‘Kid’ Junior, Adamz, Aloys Gor Biro to Stone. Most of the bloggers, however, agree that DJ Paco Perez single handedly revolutionised Kenyan disc jockeying arena.DJ Paco Perez. [PHOTO:COURTESY/STANDARD]Says Eddylove: "Currently Edu (Homeboyz). But it’s an open secret that the all time great was Paco Perez (Club Boomerang) who revolutionised Deejaying in Kenya. I also think he was the first ‘celeb’ DJ." Country Boy: "Greatest DJ of all time Paco Perez! (Did you know he once battled in DMC Championships)? Lakini I don’t know where he ranked". Indeed, Kenyan showbiz industry and specifically disc jockeying cannot be completely told without the name of DJ Paco Perez featuring prominently. He changed the way mixing of music was done and incorporated drum beating in his shows. He also tutored a host of local disc jockeys for free.DJ Paco Perez who hails from Spain first came to Kenya in 1974 and is still fondly remembered by many fans who frequented the Nairobi party scene.Veteran dancer Paul ‘Cracker’ Munyao still remembers the 1980s much-publicised dancing competitions held at Boomerang Club, Museum Hill. He recalls that Paco Perez would play rare hit soul music from his collection.Dance Moves"His mixing contributed hugely to my winning of the 1988 Motorbike Competition," enthuses Cracker. On Wednesday, while having lunch with Cracker, a lean man with a Muslim cap came in.The man and Cracker greeted each other excitedly and then Cracker started his Biriani and Paco talk. His friend overheard the conversation and sat next to us and said: "You have taken me back in time; where is Paco nowadays.""Madrid," answers Cracker, "but he will be deejaying in Nairobi this Saturday.""What!" exclaimed Ali Abdul, "Where? I must come see him!" "At Galileo," answers Cracker then explains that Abdul, before he ‘slimmed’ (became a Muslim) was a DJ. He went with the moniker of Shabadoo.Shabadoo learnt deejaying under the tutelage of Paco Perez for two years, first at Beat House (formerly Ibiza), Kimathi Street and then at Bedouin, Mombasa Road."Paco Perez was the best," says Abdul adding: "He mixed and scratched manually. He taught many DJs including Tito, Adams, Stone and others."And the great part they remember, is that Perez did not charge them a cent.Those were the days before the FM radio stations; Kenya was a one party state and a one TV station state. Clubs were the in thing and soul was rocking; DJs and dancers who came up with own dance styles in the break dance era were demigods. Internet, what’s that? The popular joints then were Bubbles, Annabells, Moi Avenue (behind Nation Centre), Beat House, Visions — frequented by the mature, working class, Club 1900 (now Shamuras) and Boomerang, Museum Hill and also Hollywood, opposite Nakumatt lifestyle. There was also Dreams Sahara City along the Mombasa Highway.Golden oldiesNow 62, DJ Paco says he has not lost it yet. Tomorrow, he will spin the 1980s and 1990s classics at the Galileo Lounge. Cracker, the dancing sensation, also says that his bones are yet to crack. He will don his silky stage costume joined by his fellow dancers Charles Ng’ang’a and others. The golden oldies DJ’s Hussein Abdalla, Stone and others will curtain raise for the legend.Speaking from a faulty phone line while walking down the streets of Madrid, Paco in halting English told Friday Entertainment;"Yes, I will be in Nairobi this weekend."What should Kenyans expect from you?"Yes, we will do something down there," he replied, modestly.Paco said that the first time he came to Kenya, 1974, he was playing guitar with an orchestra at the Intercontinental Hotel. In 1977, he did music at Tamango Club before returning to Canary Islands, Spain, where he learnt deejaying tricks.He jockeyed in different discotheques in Spain, before coming to Kenya in the early 1980s."I was at Hollywood Club after leaving Boomerang," he says. In 1989, he went back to his country, unaware of the revolution he had awakened in Kenya. Back in Spain, Paco opened a restaurant in Madrid, and he continues to play music with different bands."We have decided to welcome Paco back, and have kind of a party with the people who knew us then, those people who are still diehard funky soul fans," says Cracker.For good measure, when it will hit the middle of the night at Galileo, the music will go slow, and in dim lights, the DJ at the decks will announce shika shika time, a complete turnaround from the Bed Over and Windeck-ing that will be rocking other spots at the same hour.

Legendary Paco Perez makes a comeback

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