DJ ESCAPE RELEASES BRAND NEW MIX CD PARTY TIME 2004

Jeff Jonas (a.k.a. D.J. Escape) keeps the party going with his latest Party Time release, "Party Time 2004". The fourth in the popular series, '04 is the first Party Time release on Escape's new label, Effin Music. Party Times 2000-2003 were all released on the now defunct Groovilicious/StrictlyRhythm label.

"The series has become almost a trademark of mine," says Escape. "When Groovilicious and Strictly Rhythm folded in 2003, I didn't know if I'd be able to continue the line. I'm incredibly grateful to have found another label who believes in the series as much as I do."

Effin Music's belief in the project must be extraordinary because Escape doesn't play around when it comes to "Party Time". The two words are more than just the title of his top selling dance mix series; they are also his long-held mantra in life.

As a boy, Escape grew up listening to the music of the rising Hip Hop scene in Queens, New York. "I began spinning at 13 with D.J. Skribble," says Escape. "Sticking with what I knew, I played mostly Hip Hop and Reggae." But at 18, a night out at New York's Palladium changed everything.

It was the mid-nineties and Palladium, with Junior Vasquez in the booth, was New York City's hottest dance club. Jeff was immediately transfixed by Junior's pulsing underground house sound and awed by the crowd's reaction to it. The crowd seemed to be more than fans of the music, many were loyalists, especially as the night wore on and the mere "partying visitors" were weeded out, leaving an after-hours crowd consisting mostly of gay men that were truly committed to the music.

"The straight boys were looking for a piece of ass. They found what they were looking for and were out by 3am. But the gay boys knew the music and they stayed until the lights went up in the afternoon. The music was part of their lives, just as it was mine."

After making the transition from Hip Hop to Dance and then building a reputation in New York, Escape got his big break DJing at Liquid in Miami. "My residency at Liquid got me noticed," he says. "It opened doors to Miami's popular circuit parties which was where I really needed to be. My music was and still is more adapted to the gay circuit party community. About ninety percent of my gigs are for gay crowds."

Though not gay, Escape knows what gay men like. "I play a lot of vocals and tribal, base-driven beats. I usually begin high energy, then flatten it for a while, then peak again and watch everyone tear up the dance floor."

He mixes in familiar vocals with his newer tracks. "I'll play some stuff no one has ever heard of, but nothing too left field. I strive to be cutting edge, but at the same time, I want to relate with the crowd and give them what they want to hear."

Escape believes the trick to being a good spinner is feeling the audience. "I just take everything on the fly," he explains. "I feed off the crowd. When the crowd is having a good time, I find where I am going to go."

In the studio, Escape has released eight mix CDs: Ultimate Afterhours Volume I, Ultimate Afterhours Volume II, Party Time 2000, Party Time 2001, Party Time 2002, Party Time 2003, Circuit Party Volume 8 and now, Party Time 2004. In addition, Escape has produced original tracks including club anthems "Everybody Get Up", "People Get Down", "Wer*ship", "Music Take Me Higher", "Be Quiet" with Junior Vasquez and "Finally 2000" with Cece Peniston.

His next two album releases will be Bangin' 3 (Tommy Boy Records) in August 2004 and Party Time 2005 (Effin) in February 2005.

Also due out this summer is the Escape v. Gomi remixes of John Mellencamp's "Jack And Diane", Jessica Simpson's "Take My Breath Away", and Kristine W.'s "The Wonder of it All."