Biography:


While many view music as a lifestyle accessory, Rueben has seen music as a necessity in life.

Growing up in coastal northern California, the roots of soulful music from the 60s, 70's and 80's were the primary influences for the styles of music played by Rueben today.

First learning how to mix on his friends' turntables at the age of 15, the seed was planted for a love of dance music which would carry on through the years. Djing at house parties during his highschool and college years, his interests grew first through funk, disco and hiphop and later house music after being exposed to it's sound after going to his first underground parties and raves of the early ninties. During this time he searched for the roots of these genres and dug deeper and became a big fan of jazz, salsa, and the various styles that come from the African diaspora.

Eclectic is a word that describes the styles that he plays- choosing to focus in one direction depending on the theme of the evening. His interests include rare groove, funk, disco, dancefloor jazz, afrolatin and brazilian, classic hiphop, downtempo and various styles of house music; as well as nujazz, broken beat and future soul music. A discerning dancefloor is the main ingredient that influences the direction of his set for the evening.

His residencies have included a weekly salsa night for 3 years, an international music weekly, a raregroove, funk and disco monthly, a house music monthly, and a monthly downtempo night.

Djs and bands he's opened for and play with include artists as diverse as BOOZOU BAJOU, NICKODEMUS, DJ SMASH, KING BRITT, RICH MEDINA, NORMAN JAY SIDESTEPPER, OZOMATLI, ANTIBALAS, the REBIRTH BRASS BAND, DOMENICO + 2, SAMBADA, BAT MACUMBA, O-MAYA and AGUALIBRE.