MOVE OVER DRUM & BASS, HERE COMES LIVE DRUMS & DJ

Canadian "Celebrity Percussionist" DAHOV performs with famous DJ MC MARIO

  If you pay attention to the music business you’ve probably noticed that there are a lot of duos in popular music. The Everly Brothers, Simon and Garfunkel, The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Steely Dan, Sam & Dave, Outkast, Daft Punk, the list could take volumes to spell out. Neither dictated by generation nor genre, the musical duo seems to be a pairing that allows for individual expression while also a great deal of collaboration; a sort of “too many cooks spoil the soup but two cooks don’t” scenario. A very interesting, modern, and unique pairing is that of percussionist Dahov and MC Mario in the Canadian club scene. Their history goes back nearly ten years now and, although both artists have vibrant musical careers, their collaboration onstage is electric and mesmerizing to those who have witnessed their Standing Room Only (as long as you are dancing) shows. You might never think of these two vastly different musicians together onstage until you see their interaction and witness for yourself what is so special about this collaboration. MC Mario has long been a respected artist and staple of the Canadian music scene. He gave Dahov his first break in the club scene, giving birth to a new exciting artist who has become a key player and a unique Canadian artist.

  Before Dahov had any real musical career, he was just a teenager listening to the radio and taking note of those whose music he respected. He recalls, “I used to hear his [MC Mario] name a lot on the radio and knew a lot of his remixes as they would play them often on the radio. His remixes were very good and there was something that really made them stick out among the other ones. He is a great storyteller. His remixes, songs, and the emotion he puts in are capable of relating to his fans in a very personal, special way. A good producer is one who reaches their listeners through a song. I find that MC Mario’s songs are formed as if he and the listener are long-time friends having a conversation.” Oddly enough, Dahov would relate to MC Mario and cultivate a long running professional friendship at approximately the same time he had been hearing MC Mario’s work on the radio. A very young Dahov was playing with the DJ opening for MC Mario at a private event one evening. Dahov was instantly recognized by MC Mario who proceeded to ask the percussionist to sit in that very night. Dahov had played drums in a conventional band situation before but his affinity for a middle eastern hand drum known as a Derbake, coupled with a distaste for band complexity and drama, led him to pursue the musical direction as a percussionist/collaborator/solo artist. While preparing for his set of the night, MC Mario was taken with Dahov’s playing, charisma, and energy during the set with the opening DJ. MC Mario promptly asked Dahov to sit in and play during his set that same evening. Dahov interjects, “Mario is a club owner and a DJ so he notices both musical ability and entertainment value. He hadn’t really seen anyone play the derbake on top of club music before, or if he had…maybe he hadn’t seen it the way I do it. Most people who play Derbake sit down on a chair and play it. On the other hand, I play standing up, walking, or with one leg on a chair without any shoulder support. I really socialize with the audience. I am very interactive with everyone around me during my performances. I’m not scared or bothered by anything that can go wrong during the performance, whether it be a mic failure, a drunk guest trying to take my drum, or anything else. I jump around, dance with people, drive guests nuts with my very fast tempo drumming, my physical look during the performance, my entrance using very interesting and upbeat introductions, sometimes laser lights, and small fireworks or led lighted fog machines. In other words, it’s a show to me, not just a display of my technical facility and musical ability. I make my entrance with the derbake under my arm without any shoulder strap. Some derbakes are really heavy, during the 15-20min performance, a good 7-10 minutes of the time I’m on my feet walking around or jumping around on stage. People often ask me how I can do this while performing for so long. It’s all part of the show. I sometimes ride on a hoverboard for a good 2 minutes before I get down. When someone sees me for the first time, such as when Mario did, it’s a lot to taken in. Ha!”

  Based on the success of this first “audition” jam, MC Mario immediately invited Dahov to join him and perform as a duo at Mario’s club. MC Mario professes, “I have had the opportunity of closely cooperating with Dahov since 2009 when I first hired him for a gig at Club 1234. The energy and passion he manifested was absolutely contagious. With many years of experience within the world of entertainment, I am very comfortable in vetting Dahov as a prime performer. His talent, versatility, and energy makes him a solid world class entertainer.”

  What inspires such words from such a respected professional like MC Mario.? Talent and the “It Factor” is definitely part of the reason. Even those who possess these two attributes don’t always last in the entertainment industry. Those who are fortunate enough to make a lifelong career out of performing music also have discipline, sensitivity, and foresight. Dahov understands and respects the artist with whom he works and shares the stage. Having worked with internationally renowned artists like Jeremih, Mickey Singh, and many others, Dahov understands the awareness required to give and receive respect in the music community. Dahov’s perspective has made him a popular on and off stage collaborator with many DJs, including MC Mario. The percussionist/entertainer explains, “Normally I take control and I perform to my pre-produced music or a pre-planned set with a dj but I am not always the main show. When I am playing with MC Mario, he is such a famous and respected artist, I am always careful to not play over him or louder than him. Another important factor is to make sure I can hear myself and the beat clearly to avoid any offbeat drumming. I’m carful to not overpower the music like I might do if it were a solo performance of mine. I think that the need to ‘steal’ the spotlight comes from insecurity. I don’t feel the need or desire to take everyone’s attention. There’s a reason I am there performing with MC Mario or the other people I share the stage with…I enjoy what they do! I want to hear them just like everyone else does. I have belief and security in my abilities and my instrument. As much as these virtual instruments/tracks sound great and are very powerful, a real instrument played live, whether drums/percussions/violin etc. really stands out during a live performance. You can’t help but notice the live instrument being played. Nowadays everybody wants to mix a live instrument with a live DJ. I guess I’m lucky, I have at least a ten-year head start on them!” Visit WWW.DAHOV.COM for a sample of this dynamic and unique artist.