Summer Setlist In Suburbia

Good music and good friends are the essence of summer, the spirit of life. DJ in the Hood, a creation of my brother, sums up what it mean to have a good time during the more favorable months of Central New York. Anyone who knows my brother, Andrew understands his true passion and considerable talent when it comes to music. His uncanny ability to pick songs and make playlists has a way of setting the mood for any occasion. 

Image courtesy of Andrew Mort

Last summer, Andrew was looking for another opportunity to share his love of music, so we came up with the idea to set up his speakers up and have a casual gathering in the driveway. This neighborhood musical experiment came to be known as DJ in the Hood. If you have ever been to a Mort party it should be no surprise that this event, that we host every few weeks in the summer, quickly reached a high level of popularity. My mom's ability to throw a party rivals that of Jay Gatsby himself. What had started as a simple idea became a sensation on Halfmoon Circle. As the summer of '13 went on, friends, family and neighbors alike constantly asked when the next DJ in the Hood would be. The event went on hiatus for the winter but came back this year stronger than ever, now with its own Facebook page.

I think what really draws people to DJ in the Hood is how positive the atmosphere is. The late poet Maya Angelou once wrote: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." 
This suburban gathering of tunes and lovely people has a way of making one feel both happy and relaxed. Each DJ in the Hood is a little bit different; from my brother's music selection to who attends, every time there is something new. Lately Andrew has taken to giving each party a unique musical theme, a creative title and a somewhat elaborate logo. Graphic design also happens to be a talent of his. The themes he coordinates are not so much a specific genre or time period but rather a certain vibe.

Image courtesy of Andrew Mort

For example: our last event was entitled DJ the Hood: Hoodstock which Andrew played music, that in his opinion, reflected the musical spirit of Woodstock. The music on his playlist ranged from the 70s all the way to modern-day. Despite the ease that Andrew seems to have with arranging songs, each playlist requires a lot of thought and effort. My brother puts the music together with the mood and the crowd in mind. The pay off for this labor of love is the enjoyment of others, people simply jamming out to the music speaks louder than any compliment can. Andrew shares music with others because he truly loves it himself. As summer continues so will DJ in the Hood with all of its great company and stellar tunes. The extraordinary melody that is our lives is always worth sharing on these priceless summer nights.

P.S. Girl of the Week:

Phoebe Tonkin

P.P.S. Song of the Week:

Hooked On A Feeling by Blue Swede