hummingbird: Recent Episodes
hummingbird
A classically trained musician since age four, Hummingbird can't recall life without rhythm and melody. Starting with violin, and followed closely by piano, drums and clarinet, she began composing classical music at age 10 and performed regularly for years, notably with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and in Disneyland with one of the country’s top youth jazz ensembles.
Throughout college and adult life, she kept close watch over the evolving scenes of favorite genres. Then a chance introduction to Ableton flipped a switch that forever changed her interaction with music. Inspired to her core, she set about recharting her path and reigniting creative ambitions, leaving corporate success behind in favor of a purpose-driven life.
Her philosophy: “It’s up to each of us to determine what our gift to the world will be; to answer that infamous existential question of, ‘Why am I here?’ If we’re lucky enough to figure it out, we must work to bring this vision to life with every ounce of our being, all the while remaining willing to stare fear in the face because going against the grain can be scary as hell. But once you know what you want to create and ultimately leave behind, there’s no choice but to just go for it.”
Making her presence known across North America, she’s equally comfortable at underground warehouse parties and mainstay clubs. In her home market of Chicago, she’s a regular presence at the likes of Spybar, Smartbar, Primary, and the well-respected Paradigm Underground parties, among many others. With an intrinsic knack for setting a proper vibe and managing the energy of a room, she’s warmed up the dance floor for artists such as Steve Lawler, Art Department, Matthew Dear, Tube & Berger, Gui Boratto, Lee Foss, Jeremy Olander, Coyu, Edu Imbernon, Eelke Kleijn, Jody Wisternoff, Kolsch, Olivier Giacomotto, Shall Ocin and 16 Bit Lolitas…just to name a few.
With broad influences ranging from Boards of Canada and The Chemical Brothers to Dmitri Kabalevsky’s piano concertos, The Pixies and Johnny Cash, she’s at home in the studio, drawing on the fertile ground of classical training and an insatiable appetite for sound. Her original productions feature the same complex, driving and melodic elements as her DJ sets, with a focus on intelligent, forward-thinking sounds from across the spectrum of house and techno. Her dynamic, emotive performances are driven by relentless curation, an intuitive connection to time and space, and a palpable energy that goes straight to the heart of the dance floor.
Find her online at facebook.com/hummingbird.beats, soundcloud.com/hummingbird_dj, instagram.com/hummingbird.dj and twitter.com/hummingbird_dj.
The recording of my headline set from the third Mirage Nights warehouse party on Dec 1, 2018. Just an absolutely spectacular night from start to finish. (Photo cred: www.facebook.com/studiojoro)
A talented choreographer friend posed the idea of collaborating -- I would produce an electronic piece, but instead of the typical arrangement intended for DJ mixing, I'd instead compose something to work with his choreography. I was of course SO down... to produce music for professionally trained dancers and stretch outside of my comfort zone? Absolutely.
Ideas were tossed around in many formats and finally materialized in the most magical of ways: He was asked to choreograph the final movement for the lengthy graduation performance of Juilliard's School of Dance. He wanted to combine classical with electronic - and the perfect opportunity was born. I hope you enjoy the result :) And watch for a more dancefloor-driven version of this to make an appearance soon!
Also, soooo worth stating: Jojo's talent as a creator extends far beyond just dance and choreography -- his understanding of music is intrinsic and intuitive and made him such a joy to work with. My hope is that this collaboration is the first of many :)
Out now on Dutch label Morninglory Music, my remix of Hakimono Zhoe's "Silent Dialogue" is deep, groovy and filled with emotion -- bringing to mind the conversations one can have without speaking a word. I hope you enjoy it! Grab your copy today at http://classic.beatport.com/track/silent-dialogue-hummingbird-remix/10304678
On those nights when the music flows like magic, the pure joy of existence flows out from every angle — and to see that reflected back in the smiles and energy on the dance floor... there’s nothing else that makes me feel so alive. I’m so deeply grateful for moments like last night, and to have shared them with all of you. Dark Rooms Vol III, you’ve got a special place in my heart. This was such a fun set to play -- I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, whether this is your first listen, or if you're reliving the magical night we all experienced together. Namaste, my friends! xoxo
Here's the recording of my supporting set from this amazing night at Spybar with Shall Ocin. Hope you enjoy the replay, and as always -- thank you for dancing.
xoxo, HB
Sometimes all the elements of the perfect day party come together -- and it's magic. Last Sunday's Paradigm In The Park event was definitely one of those, serving up an amazing venue, 10 hours of intelligent music, and killer chill vibes -- all with a generous side order of absolutely perfect weather. What a way to close out the summer!
And it's definitely one of those days where I'm realllly glad I remembered to bring my Tascam recorder ;) This set came together in an almost surreal state of flow -- the stars aligned in a lot of ways for me on this and I'm pretty stoked that I was able to capture it for posterity's sake. (Thank you, technology.) I hope you enjoy re-living - or just taking in - a bit of Sunday afternoon's magic.
Also, big thanks to the whole Paradigm crew for pulling off another amazing event. The more I get involved in this industry the more I fully comprehend just how much goes into throwing an event like this. You people are awesome.
In love and light, HB