Legendary DJ Florian Keller: On His Love for Deep Funk 45 & His Upcoming Party for BGC’s 5th Anniversary

The Beirut Groove Collection knew who to bring, teaming up with YUKUNKUN, for its 5th anniversary on Saturday 13th of September: The one & only DJ Florian Keller will be gracing the partyers in White Beach – Batroun with his awesome set! It’s already looking big, exciting, and surely unique! There’s no doubt Florian will make the night memorable; you’ll be dancing your ass off non-stop since all you have to do is ‘let it go!’- as he points out with Beirut.com’s quick interview with him:

Beirut.com: This is not the first time you perform in Lebanon. Is there anything that you think sets the Lebanese audience apart from the others around the world?

DJ Florian Keller: Actually no. When I DJ-ed at Lila Braun in the early 2000’s it was notable that the crowd championed some oriental Percussion in some tracks over more heavy & slow Drum-breaks but Ernesto chahoud (the Beirut Groove Collective) and the boys from Yunkunkun brought in so much Funk that this is not the issue anymore. And fortunately: other parts of the world know how to seriously party too! 🙂

Beirut.com: Being an inspiration to all deep funk lovers, who was your inspiration in music growing up?

DJ Florian Keller: I started to love this music when I was maybe 10 years old, there was no one in my universe who shared that love. It was the early 80’s and I loved James Brown, Defunkt or Alvin Cash and – if I met someone who was into “Black” music at all, they were talking about Gap Band and Disco (that I started to appreciate eventually some years later). Later I met Jan Weissenfeldt, who ran a school-band that later became The Poets Of Rhythm who I could exchange with at my first dj-gigs around 1986, and It took until 1988 when I first heared from the “Rare Groove” movement that started to appear in London at that time. Norman Jay, Femi (Fem) & Marco as well as I.G Culture & Dodge were the first Funk Dj’s I ever heared in a proper club – and the first serious Funk-samples showed up in Hip Hop (EPMD, Jungle Brothers, Biz Markie & Beastie Boys) – that was most inspirational to finally see and hear equal-minded musical tastes around!

Beirut.com: What is it that differs a good set from an awesome one? What’s ‘the trick’?

DJ Florian Keller: I think there’s a “trick” that makes a set good instead of bad: Take your job serious, be daring, don’t underestimate the audience (by unnecessarily playing hits) and in the same time don’t ignore them (by just presenting your ego or connoisseur-ism). It’s that narrow ridge that makes a night interesting for the clubbers. But an awesome set has no tricks: It happens when the audience/dancers and the dj can really feel each other and let it go. It needs a good location and a warm atmosphere, a great p.a. and a lot of things that cannot be influenced (spirit?)

Beirut.com: Is there any ritual that you do before every show? What do you feel mostly before every party?

DJ Florian Keller: I prepare my records with the location & people in mind I imagine to expect, but that is before I start to travel naturally. Love to have a decent meal (preferably serious local food) and then off to the venue. The only ritual is that I really need is to bring my own beautiful red velvet slip mats, my 45 adapters & Stanton 890 systems, install everything, see where I can put my records comfortably and turn on the special lights for my records (the Osram LEDstixx) – and then the party can start!

Beirut.com: What can we expect on Saturday the 13th in White Beach – Batroun, especially that it’s BGC’s 5th anniversary?

DJ Florian Keller: I will surely play a wide range of what Funk is all about, from nose-bleeding Heavy 1970 stuff via proper Discofunk to Hip Hop to maybe some Reggae & Jazz – and all the way back again, definitely 100% vinyl (as always) – and most likely 45’s only

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