Vinny Da Vinci is one of the most important figures on the South African dance music scene, and has helped galvanize deep club culture in his various capacities: as a partner in the inimitable House Afrika Records emporium and producer of many of their top-selling compilations including, 5 of the “House Afrika: Deep House Sounds” series, What’s Phat Pussy Cat Vol.1 and 5, the “Africanism Vol 1, 2 and 3 ”, all of which he mixed and compiled, as a producer alongside longtime friend and partner DJ Christos, in the groundbreaking DJs At Work projects, as a deejay on the leading edge of deep and jazzy underground house scene. He was also co-owner of one of the best clubs in South Africa, Club Carnalita from 2000 till 2003.

Vinny was raised in a musically inclined family in Atteridgeville and Mabopane, Pretoria. He got a feel for compiling and mixing while preparing tapes to play at house parties and school functions – these were engineered in a cut-and-paste manner, as he had no mixer. His deejaying career took a back seat after he matriculated and had to work in a clothing store. But he developed an even keener interest in deejaying at a club called Ship Ahoy in the late eighties. Vinny began investing in vinyl after watching the legendary Dj Correy from Atteridgeville blend records together on a pair of Technics turntables, and his break came when the resident dj of another Mabopane club, Cherry’s, failed to pitch up, and he was asked to stand in. He impressed the owners immensely, landed a residency. He soon quit his day job to become a full-time DJ.

Vinny then did stints at the legendary Club Gemini, an institution that was instrumental in breaking music by the likes of Soul II Soul, Mr. Fingers and Frankie Knuckles in the townships. Gemini was the Pretoria club until 1992 when it closed down. Cherry’s wasn’t far behind and shut its doors in 1993; Vinny’s entire record collection (sans a box he’d packed for a gig) was locked up in the store room after their closing weekend and later flogged at a flea market by the unscrupulous owners. Many lesser talents would have thrown in the towel there and then, but Vinny persisted, borrowing records from friends until he got himself back on his feet.

He struggled on and eventually secured a residency at The Arena (a small club) in Hillbrow Johannesburg in 1995. It was a period of radical political and musical change: a new genre of dance music called kwaito emerged when house became embroiled with local ghetto-centricities, and bashes with anywhere up to 20 000 attendees became common. Vinny then moved to Jo’burg and hooked up with his long time partner, Dj Christos. Christos was then resident at Caesar’s Palace, (a big club in Braamfontein Johannesburg), was dishing up deep house to a predominantly ‘white’ crowd. Vinny played for mostly ‘black’ crowds. This was an interesting time in the history of South Africa as blacks and whites weren’t ‘allowed’ to interact in any environment. Racial discrimination was at its height. Their friendship culminated with the formation of DJs At Work in 1998 – their intention: " to change the face of music in this country." This they’ve achieved with the release of five critically acclaimed, platinum-selling studio albums to date and a slew of top-notch deejay mixes (Dj’s At Work ‘Summer Rawkus’ and the Channel O ‘House Explosion’ compilations).

Vinny Da Vinci became one of the partners in House Afrika Records in 1996. House music and kwaito was enjoying a resurgence of interest with the arrival of YFM, a young vibrant youth radio station that broke all the rules. Along with his new crew, Vinny contributed to this upswing with his involvement in House Afrika’s first landmark CD collection, “Fresh House Flavas Volume 1” mixed by Dj Fresh. He further aided proceedings with a residency at South Africa’s equivalent of the ‘Paradise Garage’, Pretoria’s Club Ellesse, which became both the hub and driving engine of local house culture. DJs At Work were a permanent fixture at Ellesse – a spot where "you could get away with playing almost anything" – until the club closed down.

After over 18 years behind the decks, Vinny continues to specialize in his patented deep house style, continually breaking new music and “educating” his audience while at the same time entertaining. He’s deejayed with the biggest visitors to our shores, including Louie Vega, Frankie Knuckles, Dennis Ferrer, Charles Webster, Alix Alvarez, Mr V, Alexkid, Frankie Feliciano, Kenny Dope, Franck Roger, Jojoflores, Jazzy Jeff, Jef K…the list is endless. He has played in nightclubs across the country and basically any other place that he’s booked. He‘s also been to neighboring South African countries like Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique and now his services are even required up north Africa. He was in Kenya in 2004 where he says “house music is only just beginning to take off, but it’s going to take a long time because hip hop, r’n’b, ragga and reggae are the order of the day”

Vinny’s skills have been recognized by international entities as well. He has wowed the crowds annually since his debut in Ibiza Spain in the year 2000 at the world famous nightspot, Pacha (where he plays every year in the summer at the DEFECTED party). He has also been going out the annual music conference in Miami every year since 2000 as well. Vinny has also toured Europe (going to Ibiza, Mallorca, London and Zurich in Switzerland) where he says that it was one of his best gigs ever outside of South Africa. Vinny’s music taste is wide, but he’s renowned and revered for spinning a brand of smooth, easy and individual house that’s simply fathoms deeper than the competition.

Dj Vinny Da Vinci had a concept club night at a small venue called Oneonefive (which was one of the best underground clubs in South Africa) , Downtown Johannesburg. The night was called the Deep Soul Sessions and it happened every first Saturday of the month (and ran for 5 years) where he featured guest djs (both local and international) every month. This was one of the best nights ever in the history of the dance culture in South Africa. Unfortunately due to the recent closure of ONEONEFIVE (early in 2007) , the night has a new home at Club 676 (Zambezi Lounge) in Wynberg Johannesburg. So yeah, brace yourselves, DEEP SOUL SESSIONS is back, bigger and better with a vengeance!

Check www.houseafrika.com for more event info.

Vinny Da Vinci and four of his dj friends (Oskido, Christos, Fresh and Greg) have a new force to be reckoned with in the business called DJU (United Djs). This mainly to focus on doing big events, giving back to the younger generation in terms of empowering them with the knowledge and tricks to the trade, ensuring that the South African dance music industry becomes one of the best in the world
using their skills and experience.

Check www.samc.dj for more info.

LOOK OUT FOR VINNY DA VINCI’S DEBUT SOLO STUDIO PROJECT IN 2008.

Here is a list of projects Vinny produced and done: (since 1998)

Compilation Albums

Fresh House Flava Vol1,2,3,4,5 and 6 – Mixed by Dj Fresh
Fresh House Flava Special Edition – Mixed by Dj Fresh
House Afrika Deep House Sounds Vol 1,2,3,4 and 5 – Mixed by Vinny Da Vinci
What’s Phat Pussycat 1 - Mixed by Vinny Da Vinci
What’s Phat Pussycat 5 – Mixed By Vinny Da Vinci
What’s Phat Pussycat 2 - Mixed By Tim White
Africanism Vol 1,2,3 – Mixed by Vinny Da Vinci
A Journey Through Guidance – Mixed by Iggy Smallz
Another Late Night – Mixed by Iggy Smallz
Plus 8 – Mixed by Positive K
Wicked Sounds Midtempo – Mixed by Kanunu
House Afrika 1 – Mixed Kanunu
Midtempo Millenium Mixdown – Mixed by Glen Lewis
Numero Uno – Mixed by Glen Lewis
Dj Club Classics – Mixed by Dj Christos
Wicked Sounds Vol 1 Mixed by Dj Christos
Magic Rhythms – Mixed by Dj Christos
Oskido’s Church Grooves 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 – Mixed by Oskido
Channel O House Explosion – Mixed by Djs At Work
Channel O House Explosion – Mixed by Dj Christos
Summer Rawkus – Mixed by Djs At Work
Sunday Sessions
Sunday Sessions Vol.2 – Mixed By Charlie B
House Afrika Gets Large
Mix It Up – Mixed by G-Force
Dj Vetkuk v/s Mahoota 1,2,3 and 4
Clashes Of The Heavyweights – Mixed By Mgiftana
We Love Buzzin’ Fly – Mixed By Kanunu
House Afrika Anthems – Mixed By Tim White and Oskido

Original Albums

Dj’s At Work Vol 1,2,3,4
Revelations House Hymns1
Mzansi House – Various Artists
Cruisin’ By Ntokozo …Vinny Da Vinci Co-Producer
Lovelife Generation – Dj’s At Work

Launches are planed nationally kicking off on the 1 June until mid September.

This should be a best seller this coming summer!!!!!