Jamie 3:26: “Reading a Room Is a Lost Art, But I’m Bringing It to Dobar Disco!”

We spoke to Chicago's Jamie 3:26 ahead of his Zagreb debut in Peti Kupe for Dobar Disco!

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We love doing interviews, we really do.

Sometimes though, you get more than you hoped for.

Dobar House presents Dobar Disco is a project focused on disco, classic house, and club house music.

This event has only taken place a few times, and for this edition of Dobar Disco, we're bringing a special guest all the way from Chicago – the birthplace of house music – Jamie 3:26!

Dobar Disco is all about classic house and disco sound, much like your own musical journey. How did Chicago shape your early years in music, and who were some of your biggest inspirations?

Jamie 3:26: This sounds like my kind of party period. Chicago has shaped every aspect of my life from growing up on the south side of Chicago to partying at some of the most infamous places in Chicago starting from a very young age all the way up to adulthood.

Growing up in a very musical environment that ranged from Jazz to blues to soul to funk to disco, those genres planted seeds for me to migrate head first into house music culture.

If I had to name all of my influences from Chicago specifically we would be here all day talking. So I'll come up with a short list and it would most definitely begin with the late great Ron Hardy and as well Pharris Thomas Andre Hatchett, all of the DJs from my neighborhood, legendary and late great Herb Kent, the radio mixshow DJs, and most definitely all of the DJs on the radio station WKKC and their show Friday Night Audio.

How do you see the city’s influence on house music today compared to when you first started?

Jamie 3:26: Chicago has had an influence on the world for quite some time musically, fashion style and vibe wise. Chicago is always been a dance City and there's a lot of dances including the bus stop that originated in Chicago and it's grandchild is known as the Electric Slide, but that's a Chicago dance and there's a lot of other things I can list as well that come directly from Chicago culture that has spread out to the world…including House Music!!!

Your sets are known for being high-energy and unapologetically soulful. What’s your secret to keeping your music authentic while still appealing to new generations?

Jamie 3:26: I remain who I am…and play what I love. I do me…I love turning people out, especially young heads. I love being able to express myself musically. I go through phases where I may be in a raw,jack type beat mood or something I loved from the 80’s….to some classic underground house.

I usually don't plan my sets. I may have an idea or a direction on which I would like to take the night but it's all about feeling and energy. It's either about the energy that I want to bring or the energy that I feel in the room and realize which way I want to take it….what environment I want to create. Reading a room is a Lost Art and many need to understand that it is a learned skill that comes with experience.

Dropping bangers will not give you the skills to read a room. You need to have the experience and awareness to know if you need to reset the room, if you need to take it in whatever direction you want to take it and have faith in the music that you play and have musical balls and play what you feelin!!!!

With disco seeing a resurgence in recent years, how do you feel about its evolution? What parts of classic disco still resonate, and where do you see it heading?

Jamie 3:26: I personally believe that there would not be a European disco scene, especially a deep disco scene, if not for Chicago underground DJs, especially those who got a lot of exposure via mixes on classic web forums and websites that exposed the world to Chicago underground DJ disco Styles and tunes.

You cannot deny Chicago's influence and impact on that and we have championed that deep, underground disco style and it has spread throughout the world, but we are the people that brought that raw funk and stank. Chicago also has some of the most technically sound DJs in the world, better yet let me correct that I would say the Midwest has some of the best technically sound DJs in the world, especially when it comes to editing and mixing live music in dj sets.

Just like I said earlier, Chicago has never left the Disco…The Funk…The Stank alone, so while people may think it's a Resurgence, we never left it alone and we keep flipping it and turning it out in many different, innovative ways because that's the Chicago way baby!!!

Chicago is one of the only places where DJ’s can take an unknown record and make it a hit!!!!!

Do you approach sets differently for smaller, more personal events versus big clubs or festivals?

Jamie 3:26: I just do what I’m brought there to do, whether it's a crowd 5 or 5000….I Bring my vibe and always have fun fucking shit up!!!!

As head of 3:26 Records, you’ve not only developed your sound but also helped shape new talent. What qualities do you look for in artists you support, and how do you see the future of Chicago house evolving?

Jamie 3:26: I actually just don't support artists. I support and love to connect with good people and if they happen to be talented artists then that's a plus and a win-win.I also like to share experiences wisdom,game and knowledge with younger artists, so we can keep the funk alive and people can keep the soul and the stank of thang going!!!

Regarding the future of Chicago house I personally would like to see more young talented black artists and DJs from Chicago being highlighted and placed on a higher platform so they can get some exposure and I'm down to do my part to make that happen as well, because I'm always going to support and be a positive representative of the city and the culture I'm from and that Chicago!!!!

You’ve played all over the world. Can you share a standout moment from your career that you still think about? How about an interesting or funny experience you had while traveling?

Jamie 3:26: I've been blessed and privileged to do my thing all over the world, with so many magical moments it would be hard for me to just list them all out.

So I'll just give you two of the most recent ones and that would be earlier this year playing Panorama bar and droppin Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit on a Sunday afternoon and seeing that place just explode and that was just amazing. The next one would be playing Chicago's Chosen Few Picnic in front of a south-side hometown crowd of thousands and having my family and everyone there with me and partying with me……that's priceless!!!!

Tell us more about your recent project - Mystic Freaks with Young Pulse and Danou P.

Jamie 3:26: The Mystic Freaks project….man I'm so proud of that!!!. What started off as just some jam sessions between myself, Young Pulse and Danou P between Paris and Rotterdam, in our studios.

These sessions just ended up turning into some of the most fun sessions I've ever had and we are most definitely proud of this project and there is more Funk and House vibes from the Mystic Freaks comin ya way!!!

Big love to my brothers Young Pulse, Danou P and the crew of Frappe Records!!! Make sure you go get The Mystic Freaks EP on Frappe Records….it's hot baby!!!

For the next generation, what are some key qualities or values that you think every DJ should hold onto?

Jamie 3:26: My advice for the Next Generation is to know the roots and the history and the culture where this comes from. There's people who helped build this house that you are now able to just Walk right In.

You can't forget your pioneers, you can't forget the people who laid the foundation of the house that you are in right now. Learn your music….Use your ears and not your eyes!

The next things I would suggest are to:
Do what you love….play what you feel ….don't fake the funk…… Stay real….. Stay authentic…..Keep it deep…..keep it disco…keep it funky baby!!!!

What’s something unique you’re looking forward to at Dobar Disco, and do you have any surprises up your sleeve for the crowd?

Jamie 3:26: I'm really looking forward to rocking for y'all for this party.

This will be my first time playing outside of Tisno and I've heard that they really do get down in Croatia, so I'm ready to experience it in a non-festival vibe with the real people from there.

The Croatian people are real people and passionate, so I'm looking forward to playing for Dobar Disco.

Presale tickets are still available via this link