AVR #01 – (Hosted by Jake Stellarwell) feat Star Creature w/ Tim Zawada and Jesse Sandwich
Advibe Radio is a new monthly mix series curated and hosted by me, Jake Stellarwell. Each month, I’ll showcase a guest mix along with a brief Q&A. I’ll also provide the first hour or so of selections to get the palette warmed up.
This month, I’ve invited Tim Zawada and Jesse Sandwich, from Star Creature in Chicago, to guest with me. They’ve kindly answered a few questions and provided a nice mix of unreleased SC stuff along with some hot takes from the current catalog. Tim and Jesse are both dedicated DJs and contribute immensely to the scene in Chicago and beyond. Thanks for tuning in and we hope you enjoy.
Tim, you’ve given the Star Creature spiel multiple times, but for those not familiar, you mind giving a brief rundown?
Tim: Star Creature is a Chicago-based record label focused on DJ material, the current sounds of Boogie, Disco, Funk, etc. produced by artists across Earth. We also work with other labels on P&D. SC the label, has released roughly 40 7-inches, mostly on the Boogie spectrum with a few disco cuts here and there. Our 12-inch series is more club friendly with more House and Disco tinged stuff. We have a range of LPs and longer format releases that range from: jazz influenced, left-leaning, spaced-out electro-funk stuff and outsider vibes that blur the line between deep house and instrumental-analog-boogie… definitely something for all taste buds.
Jesse, I know you play a role at the Star Creature HQ, as I often see your IG stories. What is it that you do there?
Jesse: I light incense… and lovingly pack, wrap, label and mail every Star Creature record on Earth and beyond. I also promote unreleased material throughout Chicago via direct audio injections in my DJ sets.
Tim, Star Creature seems to have had a banner year in 2018, congratulations on all your hard work paying off. What made 2018 a standout year for you?
Tim: Well, 2016 is when I started transitioning to a monthly release schedule. I think the last 3 years we’ve released between 25-30 projects throughout, usually 2-3 a month. We wanted to speed up that critical mass to help build this scene along with the other labels and artists doing it.
Jesse, you’re one of the busiest DJs in Chicago, consistently playing multiple gigs every week and holding down recurring concept parties – Night Moves and Disco Estereo. If you had to pick one gig to invite an out of town guest to, which would it be and why?
Jesse: It depends how long they are in town. If it’s Sunday I would send them to Smart Bar for Queen. If it’s the 3rd Tuesday of the month, I would tell them to come join me for Night Moves at Danny’s, as that is my favorite place to select, listen, and vibe with people to dance music. If they are in town for Disco Freakout at the Owl that would be the move.
Tim, you, along with Jesse, Shazam Bangles and Kool Hersh, are a member of the famed Boogie Munsters collective. I know there are some storied parties from previous years, but are there any plans for the crew in 2019? Also, I see you’re launching a Cassette label to release a Chicago Boogie tape by Hersh, mind telling us a bit about this project?
Tim: 2019 will continue on a similar orbit to years past. Astro Tapes actually launched in 2016 as an outlet for long form expressions and all the releases have been from Boogie Munster Crew members. The most recent tape comes to us from Kool Hersh, longtime Munster member and one of the deepest Boogie collectors in the region. He put down a 90 minute mix of independent and private pressed Disco and Boogie from Chicago. The mix is sick, but it also serves as a historical document featuring many unknown and under appreciated tunes. The bands and artists featured on the tape have a big influence on the current state of music and nightlife in Chicago. Although the city is known for House Music, you are more likely to encounter disco, funk, boogie, soul, etc… on a random night out here.
Jesse, any plans for you in 2019 you care to share?
Jesse: I have some plans to expand my sound. Listen more, create more, organize more. I have quite a few things I want to do this year actually, but most of them are not for sharing publicly. All good things of course, but as you know sometimes keeping things quiet until the time is right is best.
Thanks to you both for the mix and the Q&A – mad respect and appreciation to you. Mind giving some background on mix?
Tim: I kicked it off for the first 45 minutes with a preview of some of the upcoming releases, hot mixed some white labels alongside some unmastered demos in production. Just trying to get the beak wet on some nu nu.
Jesse: I went with some things I have been bringing out regularly for a while and several newish releases. Also wanted to shed some light on some lesser known Creature Material that I’m especially fond of.
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