Alan Morehouse

Jon Saraniti

HOMETOWN – Brooklyn

CURRENT LOCATION – Brooklyn

INSPIRATION – Luciano is a big influence both on the DJ side (he controls the crowd like no other DJ) and the business side (he has built Cadenza to be a premier label and uses it to showcase new artists), Willie Graff is probably my favorite NYC based DJ, he has an amazing ability to play current music and classics and make it all sound fresh and finally my Dad, just for raising me with music always playing in the house that was funky as hell.

Alan Morehouse

HOMETOWN – White Plains

INSPIRATION – Inspiration for me comes from everywhere and just about everything, people, places, parties, memories, and art and of course music!

1) The first obvious question is, how and where did you guys meet?

JS: We met in Ibiza 2002; Americans in Ibiza on vacation seem to find each other.

2) How quick did you decide that you guys would be a team?

AM: Don’t know when it happened really but I just felt that Jon was as passionate about house as I was and we shared very similar taste in the style of house that we liked. As we started doing a few parties together I realized he was serious about it and saw that he was eager to help in all areas. We worked so well together it just kind of materialized. Just don’t ask him to hold a flashlight for you, unless of course you want to go blind.

JS: My flashlight holding abilities are improving.

3) Where did the name Nocturnal Soul come from?

AM: We wanted to come up with something that had a connection with what we were about. We def try to keep an element of funkiness and soul in the music we play. When this name popped up we knew it was right.

4) Do you guys argue a lot or it’s usually peaceful around?

JS: It’s probably good that we don’t live close to each other, otherwise we may argue.  But being that we only see each other once a week or so, I would say it’s very peaceful. Although, Alan does get mad at me for leaving his headphones on too loud every once in a while.

AM: Jon and I have a similar sense of humor and for some unknown reason funny things just seem to happen around us when we are together. It’s usually very comical and we do a lot of laughing when we get together. Btw you owe me a pair of headphones!

5) Describe and tell us a little about you sounds.

JS: Our sounds are definitely very electic.  We have the ability to adapt to the crowd, which I think is our biggest asset.  We both enjoy such a variety of sounds that it makes it impossible to pigeon hole us.  We both love deep house, and we always warm up that way and see where the night goes.  We have had nights that have gone to some good tech house, vocal house, even disco house, or banging tribal we let the crowd dictate that.

AM: Deep, funky, minimal, soulful, tech, tribe. What ever moves us.

6) I know each of you have your own reasons to why you became Dj’s, so please each of you tell me them and explain.

JS: I started spinning simply because I love music. I had such a collection of tunes and I was also listening to so many sets from other DJs that I just said to myself “why don’t I make my own sets of just the music that I like” I passed those around to some friends who liked it, and one friend gave me a gig at her lounge in the West Village, which also turned into a residency.  That first party had a great turn out and it was such a rush to be able to move a crowd, after that I knew that it was something that I wanted to continue

AM: Something most people don’t know about me is I’m an artist. I just loved to draw, sketch, paint, whatever when I was growing up. When I was in junior high I was a B-boy doing graffiti and break dancing. When I got into house music I didn’t continue with my artwork. I had a couple of friends that would do house parties back in the day. We would go to Eight ball Records listen to records all day and then throw a house party that night. I definitely felt a need to be creative on some level and it just seemed like a natural progression to start spinning.

Why house music and not any other genre?

JS: Simply put for me, because I love house music.  I don’t ever want to be put in a position where I am playing music that I don’t like.  Plus “house music” is such a broad genre.  House music can be deep, dubby, vocal, tech, hard, progressive…..there is so much that you can do with house music.

AM: I’ve been listening to house since high school. I didn’t decide to start spinning house over another type of music. It was what I was listening to already when I decided I wanted to create.

Favorite part about the NYC scene?

JS: I hate when people say, “it’s not what it used to be” – nothing ever is. There is enough talent and underground events going on that make NYC nightlife as good as ever if you want to look for it.  My favorite quote is from Jello Biafra “For every prohibition, you also create an underground” which is exactly what happened with the crackdowns on nightclubs.  You have guys like BlkMarket and Resolute putting on great events.  Dave Kers has put on some great parties with the Dog & Pony Show.  Kev O’Brien and Billy Disciple have done a great job with their Stranjjur events to bring in talent from overseas, and we have amazing local talent, like the Shackarone crew, Mike Terra & Terry Nova and Stimulus Response with Sean Cormac, Lola and Gabe Mayorg simply put, this city is too big for the scene to NOT be good.  You just have to avoid the Top 40, pop nonsense to find the good stuff, but its there.

AM: I feel like the underground is making a come back. The scene was getting so stale; it was so far from what it used to be. Yes there I said it! But now I feel like we are starting a new era thanks to BlkMarket, reSOLUTE, Stranjj Events, Flawless, Dog & Pony Show, Stimulus Response just to name a few. People just need to open their minds, look a little deeper. Support the people who do it for the love of house!

What was your craziest experience while on stage?

JS: I guess my “craziest” experience occurred last year at a gig at Banj les Bains in Hvar, Croatia.  There was another DJ warming up the crowd while I was setting up.  I had a European adaptor on the plug to my sound card, I didn’t realize how large that the adaptor was and when I plugged in the sound card, the adaptor hit the power switch, shutting off all of the music in the club…quite embarrassing to say the least – but we got the music back on quickly, after the crowd had a laugh at me, it actually turned out to be a great night.  In NYC, I would say that the Skin party at Love that I played at earlier this year was the craziest, just from the overall vibe of the place.

AM: Nothing worthy of mention to date.

Favorite places to play at?

JS: East West in Dubrovnik, Croatia was my favorite gig to date.  I was supposed to just open the night, but ended up spinning six straight hours for a crowd that was really up for it.  Es Vive in Ibiza is also a fun venue, I played there last week – it’s outdoors, poolside – which always makes for a nice vibe. In New York, Love and Sullivan Room are up there as my favorites.

AM: In the past a lot of the parties I thought were going to be great weren’t and a lot of the ones I thought were going to be terrible were unbelievable. So really my favorite place to spin is not specific to a place but is anywhere the crowd is up for it.

11) What kind of set up do you guys use?

JS: We both use Ableton, and the APC-40 has changed a lot of what we do.  For an opening gig, we will use a Mac book Pro, Motu interface and the APC-40, really the convenience can’t be beat.  But when we have our own gigs, we will usually have 2 Mac book Pros, 2 Motus. APC-40, a Pioneer DJM-1000 an EFX-1000 and 2 CDJs….but there are not too many booths in this city that can accommodate that setup!

AM: I am an equipment freak! Here is a picture of our setup, if we have the space.

As up and coming artists you guys often open up for the headline Dj, Is there a specific technique to it or do you just go out and play your best music?

JS: Opening for another DJ is an art that is lost on way too many DJs in this city.  You have to realize that the crowd did not pay to see you going nuts playing your craziest tech tracks at 11pm. Your job as an opening DJ is to create a vibe and seduce the crowd.  I love some of the opening gigs, as they give us an opportunity to showcase another side of us that some people may not get to see.  I think that because Alan and I are a team and we have essentially “opened” for each other at our residencies, it has given us a great deal of experience at opening up for a headliner and we both know what we would want someone to play when opening for us, I think that we extend that same courtesy when opening for someone else.

AM: It really depends on whom we are opening for and where but we def don’t just go out and try to kill it. You can really tell a lot about a Dj when he has an opening slot.

As for the future what projects are you guys working on and where do you see your self in about 2 years?

JS: I definitely see us spending more time in the studio and working on more of our own productions and remixes.  But for me, there is no better feeling than playing for a packed house and making a crowd dance.  I am usually that guy in the crowd just losing myself to the music for a few hours and not worrying about anything else that is going on, and to be able to do that for others is a great feeling.  So short answer, in 2 years, I see us playing more parties and rocking crowds, but incorporating more of own work into our sets.

AM: When I started spinning it was definitely because I felt I needed an outlet for the artist in me. I needed to create. What better way than to do it with the music I loved. Now I find my self-wanting more. I don’t feel its enough just dj’ing. I just finished building my studio recently and will be working hard to shed some light on Nocturnal Soul in the near future. So I guess the answer is Remixes and original productions.

Something for the readers, what do you want to share with them on a personal note and a last comment?

JS: On a personal note, I would just say that music is really an escape for me.  It is in my head all day everyday.  I am listening to it from the moment that I wake till the moment that I sleep (ask my wife, I go to bed with my headphones on) I don’t DJ for money or because it is “cool” I do it because it is something that I have always wanted to do, and I do it because I really love it. While we are not playing at festivals or packed nightclubs worldwide (yet!) I am still fulfilling a lifelong dream and could not be happier.  Last comment to the readers is to continue to open your minds – there are so many talented hard working DJs out there that need your support, if you break away from the same 4 or 5 DJs that you hear every week, you may discover your new favorite DJ at a venue that you least expect….oh and don’t ask me to play hip hop!

AM: I would just like to thank all of the people who already support us and support all of the local up and coming artists and promoters. For the rest, think outside the box, open your minds, house is not just a type of music it’s a way of life!

What do you guys think about artists Intel and what they are doing?

JS: I love following the interviews on Artists Intel and obviously I love what you guys are doing.  We need more people to continue to support up and coming artists in this city.  The crowds seem to just gravitate to the same 4 or 5 DJs, and there is just so much more to be heard out there and anyone that is willing to expose more of the underground sounds to masses is ok by me!

AM: I was just introduced to it not long ago but I must say I continue to return to your site on the regular. Keep it up!

PODCAST-Websitewww.nycsoulsessions.podomatic.com