by PETER LIGHTBURN

As the yin to Kenny Dope’s yang in the famed Nuyorican house duo Masters at Work, “Little” Louie Vega continues to bridge NYC’s glorious club-music heritage with contemporary sensibilities while staying true to his Latin roots. For many years, MAW have brought a special boriquan flavour to African-American rhythms in a way that is palpable and far-reaching. Whether it’s with a sonic transmission job on a Luther Vandross or Musiq tune, a dynamic pairing with Eddie Palmeiri, a world-class label (MAW Records) or just a groove that body-slams the senses, Louie simply wants to rumble the dancefloor of the global village. The LLV juggernaut will roll into Aria this week, with a possible stop at CKUT’s venerable mix show Utopia’s Paradise. Be excited, be very excited!

Mirror: You have an album coming out that Timmy Regisford is pumping at NYC’s Shelter club.

Little Louie Vega: That upcoming album is called Elements of Life, which is special because I made it for my son Nico and my wife Nané. It has a world feel to it and is in six languages. It is a continuous album of specially made segueways and it combines things that are almost impossible, but it works. Friends on the album are guitarist Raúl Midón, who sings in Spanish and English, Nanee, who sings in English and French, and cameos by Blaze and Ursula Rucker, who did some beautiful spoken word at the top of the album. Salsa sensation Domingo Quinonez did a tune by my uncle, who is Hector Lavoe of the Fania All-Stars, the greatest salsa singer of all time.

M: What is your connection to New York’s Paradise Garage and other legendary institutions like the Loft, Better Days, Zanzibar?

LLV: These places played a major role in my club music education, beginning with the Garage in 1980 at age 15. Larry Levan would play amazing new music by the Peech Boys and Gwen Guthrie on reel-to-reel months before release. I saw Willie Colon perform “Set Fire to Me” with a full band, as well as D-Train - you were educated while having a good time. I was raised with Loft music because my sisters were regulars there in ’72. I’d check out Tony Humphries at Zanzibar for his sound and Bruce Forest at Better Days.

M: As a label owner, what has to be done to stay afloat in these uncertain economic times?

LLV: Consistently putting out great music. Our new label Ken Lou will focus on other hot producers from around the world. We signed so much stuff, including a Stacy Kidd track with Byron Stingly, stuff from Portugual and South Africa.

Soul purpose

M: Your sound is a perfect fit for R&B and neo-soul acts like Musiq, Jill Scott or Maxwell. How are the labels responding to this?

LLV: More and more people besides myself are remixing R&B artists - Daryl James and Maurice Joshua have always been doing them. We really mesh well with the neo-soul flavour. We’ve done Musiq Soulchild, straight - up R&B with Kenny Lattimore, gospel with BeBe Winans, and so many different artists that tend to go well with us because they are musical and melodic, and so are we. The labels should work R&B on the dance tip for radio worldwide. Since so many kids love dance music around the world, why can’t they hear great songs with great grooves?

M: You’ve worked with R&B and jazz stalwarts such as Roy Ayers, George Benson, Jody Watley and James Ingram. What did you learn from them and what was involved in these collaborations?

LLV: I’ve learned a lot from the many artists that we’ve worked with, everyone had their own unique style. I felt it was important for young people to be exposed to these wonderful mentors and pioneers, like Patti Austin, Luther Vandross and George Benson, through the marriage with house, because they did the uptempo thing with disco. Collaborating with James Ingram in the studio, I learned so much from just watching him write a song. I never knew he played the organ and it was just amazing the way he came up with that solo on “Lean on Me” and scatted over it.

M: You play out all over Europe and America. Do you have to adjust your DJ style between these two locales?

LLV: I don’t have that problem because I’m brought in for my own energy and musical style, which spans three decades. I sprinkle in classics that I think the kids need to hear in my sets, and I don’t focus on hits.

M: Why is it important for you play out?

LLV: It is important to spread your music. There aren’t too many guys pushing the soulful sound, in comparison to the progressive sound. We need to be out there supporting it and representing it, so that the other DJs can be inspired. :

At Aria on Saturday, Dec 14, midnight, $25

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