DJ 19

Tokyo, Japan, 1970. DJ 19 drums are beating everywhere. The Tokyo rush hour speeds and slows. The first Japanese electronic and car products start to emerge with a force in Western markets, making Japan an industrial force to be reckoned with. The phrase ‘Made in Japan’ no longer implies a cheap product. It begins to imply quality and perseverance through thick and thin. The Vietnam War rages in nearby Vietnam rages. Years later in 1985, an English electronic musician recorded the Vietnam-inspired track “19”. All of these events lead to the beginnings of DJ 19.

DJ 19 (Hiro Tanaka to his parents) is not just a DJ, but also a well-respected producer who has long been established as a pioneer in the Japanese club scene. With endless enthusiasm and support for music, he continues to cultivate and revolutionize the music industry as a DJ, producer, a label owner (19box Recordings, Park Limited Muzik and 19Box Limited), an event-organizer and a music journalist.

As a DJ, his sets draw from his vast knowledge of music. Although Tokyo is his home base, his DJing skills have graced the best clubs on the Asian continent in countries such as China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Hong Kong. England, USA, Russia and Italy are all countries that have witnessed the DJ 19’s aural onslaught as well. Compounding his global travels, DJ 19 received one of the highest of honours for an electronic DJ/producer – he was invited to play the main room by John Digweed at his Bedrock night in London, England during 2002. That connection also allowed DJ 19 to guest on John Digweed's ‘Transitions’ Kiss FM radio show. It doesn’t stop there though.

DJ 19’s success is proven through his output. He has mixed over 20 CD compilations for the elite of clubbing brands – some of which include a Bedrock compilation for Japan, the first official CD for Indonesia’s biggest club (‘Stadium’ in Jakarta) and a Resident*003 CD for the Taiwanese Global Underground-like brand. He has even launched his own on-going label series, ‘19box Into The Battle’, which targets different territories such as Japan, Taiwan and Russia.


Back in Tokyo circa 2001. DJ 19 became the resident, creator and promoter of the groundbreaking ‘The Ocean’ (formerly known as ‘Mothership’) held inside the well-known Tokyo club ‘Liquid Room’. Arguably this is where he helped kick start Japan’s now thriving progressive house scene. Hosting DJs such as Sasha, Dave Seaman, Nick Warren, Anthony Pappa, Danny Howells, Sister Bliss and Timo Maas, alongside live acts BT and Junkie XL, this club night saw the launch of Japan’s first progressive house / trance -devoted club night.

DJ 19’s inventiveness doesn’t stop there. He is behind ‘PARK’, a new club brand with events held in different major venues in cities all over Japan. ‘PARK’ has seen the likes of Rabbit In The Moon (first ever Japanese performance), Andy Moor, Wally Lopez, Adam Freeland, Thomas Penton, Noel Sanger, Jonathan Lisle and many more grace its’ nights.

In 1999, DJ 19 established 19box Recordings. His label soon became a prominent independent record label supported by top DJs throughout the world. In Japanese, the word nineteen is pronounced as ‘juke’, making 19box (Jukebox) Recordings an ideal name to reflect the label’s mission to release timeless dance floor music for people wanted to hear it over and over again. 19box Recordings is also the proud parent of two sister labels - Park Limited Muzik focuses on techy and electro sounds, while 19Box Limited is used for more exclusive releases.

As a producer, DJ 19 received international acclaim with his release “Mothership” using his Trancentral Station alias on 19box Recordings in 2000. This track saw a license to Jimmy Van M's Bedrock mix compilation. Since then, there have been many solo and co-productions on both his own labels and others such as: Panther (Hook’s sub-label), Dorigen and Reticent. He has collaborated with fellow DJ/producers like Thomas Penton (USA), Kriece (Australia), C-Jay (Holland), Steve May (Australia) and Noel Sanger (USA). His 2005 collaboration with USA-based Austin Leeds resulted in “Diamond Dust” ; which appears in Dave Seaman’s ‘Renaissance Therapy Sessions - Volume 2’ compilation. Remix work by DJ 19 includes the popular Japanese duo Maji Na Damu’s, “B.W.Y”. Yet again, this garnered a license to Paul van Dyk’s popular ‘The Politics of Dancing’ compilation. Further remix work like Rabbit In The Moon’s “Time Bomb” was picked up for the ‘Ultra Music Festival compilation’.
DJ 19 is also part of the Ambrozia project (www.myspace.com/ambroziajapan); a down tempo collaboration with Edison (composer to DJ Krush) and Australian vocalist Julianne. Ambrozia’s “It’s You”, was featured on the chillout compilations ‘Real Ibiza VI’ and ‘Café Ibiza Volume 9’. Together, they’ve already released 3 original albums. On top of all of that production work, DJ 19 also produces using the Valid Evidence and Hot Station monikers.

Dark nights. Laser lights. Dancing masses. Clinking glasses. Shaking asses. DJ 19 behind the decks on a dance floor near you.

www.19boxrec.com
www.myspace.com/dj19japan
www.myspace.com/19boxrecordings
www.myspace.com/ambroziajapan
www.myspace.com/validevidence

DJ 19 Discography

MIX CDs:
*Pure Trance Vol.20-Last Stage mixed by DJ 19(AVEX TRAX)(1998/JAN)
*Warp Essence Edge#1 mixed by DJ 19 (KSR)(1999/JAN)
*Warp Essence Edge#2 mixed by DJ 19 (KSR)(1999/MAY)
*Trance Essence mixed by DJ 19(KSR) (1999/AUG)
*Warp Essence Edge#3 mixed by DJ 19 (KSR)(1999/OCT)
*Trance Essence Edge#2 mixed by DJ 19(KSR)(2000/JAN)
*Take Off-Mothership DJ Mix Vol.1 mixed by DJ 19 & YODA(POLYDOR)(2000/MAR)
*Trance Essence Edge#3 mixed by DJ 19(KSR)(2000/JUN)
*DJ 19 Presents Essence Phase One(KSR)(2000/DEC)
*DJ 19 Presents Essence Phase Two(KSR)(2001/JUL)
*The Ocean Presents Huge Tunes mixed by DJ 19 & YODA(TOSHIBA EMI)(2002/JAN)
*Bedrock Compiled and mixed DJ 19(PIONEER)(2002/MAY)
*DJ 19 Presents Essence Phase Three(KSR)(2002/JUL)
*Club Tokio mixed live by DJ 19 (CLUB TOKIO)(2003/NOV)*FREE CD
*ageHa Vol.02 mixed by DJ 19 (TOSHIBA EMI)(2003/DEC)
*DJ 19 Presets Addictive Asia (S2S)(2004/SEP)
*DJ 19 Presets Addictive Asia Gate 2 (S2S)(2004/DEC)
*DJ 19 Presets Addictive Asia Gate 3 (S2S)(2005/APR)
*19box Into The Battle Round 1 (19BOX/COLORVE/AVEX TAIWAN)(2005/AUG)
*Resident*003 – Phuture Funk (I/O MUSIC)(2006/AUG)
*Stadium Jakarta Essential (88 MUSIC)(2007/FEB)
*Party 4 The Weekend (CCCR)(2007/APRIL)
*19box Into The battle In Russia – Past To Present – (FREESTYLE)(2008/DEC)

RELEASES:
*DJ 19 / BODY FREE(C'MON)(PARATONE)
*19 KISSES GO TO DISKO / GROOVE ME(19BOX)
*TRANCENTRAL STATION / BE FREE(19BOX)
*WEST END BOYS / WHY NOT?(19BOX)
*TRANCENTRAL STATION / THE FORCE(19BOX)
*TRANCENTRAL STATION / MOTHERSHIP(DANCEVILLE TRAX)
*TRANCENTRAL STATION / TEARS(TRANSMISSION / 19BOX)
*TRANCENTRAL STATION / MOTHERSHIP(NEW REMIXES)(19BOX)
*DJ 19 / PHUTUREFUNK(PANTHER)
*DJ 19 / IC (19BOX)
*DJ 19 / DREAMS/BIG DREAMS(DORIGEN)
*DJ 19 / BREAKIN' OF THE DAWN (19BOX)
*AMBROZIA / COX EP (19BOX)
*DJ 19 / OCEAN DRIVE(19BOX)
*DJ 19 / MONOGRAMISM(PARK LIMITED MUZIK)
*AMBROZIA / COX EP VOL.2 (19BOX)
*DJ 19 VS THOMAS PENTON / IMA(19BOX)
*DJ 19 / KING OF GROOVE(KONAMI)
*DJ 19 VS AUSTIN LEEDS / DIAMOND DUST(19BOX)
*DJ 19 VS AUSTIN LEEDS / DIAMOND DUST(UNRELEASED MIXES)(19BOX LIMITED)
*AMBROZIA / COX EP VOL.3(19BOX)
*DJ 19 VS TRANCENTRAL STATION / IC THE MOTHERSHIP (19BOX LIMITED)
*C-JAY & DJ 19 / NETHER CUTTER(19BOX)
*DJ 19 & KRIECE / XROSS POINT(PARK LIMITED MUZIK)
*DJ 19 4 STEVE MAY / AI(19BOX)
*DJ 19 4 STEVE MAY / PEOPLE ARE(19BOX)
*DJ 19 VS THOMAS PENTON / 3AM DELIGHTFUL(19BOX)
*DJ 19 / MY BRAIN(RETICENT)
*DJ 19 / BREAKIN' OF THE DAWN 2009 (19BOX)
*DJ 19 / SUPER QUEEN(PARK LIMITED MUZIK)
*DJ 19 / MASH UP(19BOX LIMITED)release date TBA

ALBUMS:
*TRANCENTRAL STATION / TEARS(TRANSMISSION)
*DJ 19 PRESENTS AMBROZIA / VELVET(VICTOR)
*AMBROZIA / real 4 life(KONAMI)
*AMBROZIA / lifetime(KONAMI)
*VALID EVIDENCE / This Is A Journey Into Sound(VILLAGE AGAIN)

REMIXES:
*666 / AMOKK!(POLYDOR)
*AYUMI HAMASAKI / TOO LATE(AVEX)not released
*JAY / CONFESSION(BMG)
*MAJI NA DAMU / FUNKY TOWN(BMG)
*H.GARDEN / PASSAGE(19BOX)
*T99 / ANASTHASIA(TOSHIBA EMI)
*MAJI NA DAMU / L3D(BMG)
*MAJI NA DAMU / BWY(BMG)
*MAJI NA DAMU / IHOUJIN(BMG)
*H.GARDEN / ONMYOUJI(PONY CANYON)
*JUNIOR'S MAGIC ORCHESTRA / RYDEEN(HARDBOILD)
*GLOBE / ANGEL’S SONG(AVEX)
*SUZANNE VEGA / LUKA(WHITE)
*SPANDAU BALLET / TRUE (TOSHIBA EMI)
*ROMANTHONY’S NIGHTVISION / NEVER FUCK (OXYD)
*LEE KAVANAGH / E.L.L.I.E (POD)not released
*S.E.N.S / HITO-TO-TOKI-TO-KAZE-NO-NAKA-DE (BMG)
*FITALIC / LOGICAL(19BOX)
*MOMU / BRING IT ON BACK(SPUNDAE)
*SOUL II SOUL / BACK TO LIFE(WHITE)
*OFRA HAZA / IM NIN’ ALU (WHITE)
*KUMI KODA / 1000WORDS(AVEX)
*AKIRA YAMAOKA / SYSTEM ROMANCE(KONAMI)
*RABBIT IN THE MOON / TIME BOMB(ULTRA/HALLUCINATION LIMITED)
*JULIANNE / AND I LOVE TO SAY GOODBYE(19BOX)
*SHAKATAK / NIGHT BIRDS(VICTOR)

DJ 19 COMPILED CHILLOUT CDs DISCOGRAPHY
*Ibiza-Barealic Moods(POLYDOR)
*Chill Out Essence(KSR)
*Reflexion-Breeze(WARNER)
*Reflexion-Afterglow(UNIVERSAL)
*Chill Out Xperience-Aphrodisiac(KSR)
*Chill Out Xperience-Blissful(BMG)
*DJ 19 Presents aosis Resort(aosis/VICTOR)
*Velvet Mode Collection [Disc 2 of AMBROZIA’s VELVET](VICTOR)
*Resident*003 – Phuture Funk [Disc 2] (I/O MUSIC)
*Essence – Shakatak Sessions –(VICTOR)
*Essence – Chillout Sessions –(19BOX)