DJ Tomas
DJ Tomas (Umoja Soundsystem/Voltage Music) has played music on radio and in clubs for over 30 years. The Bay Area native got his start in 1986 as a high school radio DJ at KSFH-FM and continued during college at KXLU-FM in Los Angeles.
He began spinning clubs in LA in 1990 and co-founded the Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem, a six-person multicultural, multi-genre music collective. Umoja Hi-Fi DJs spin reggae, jazz, hip-hop, soul, electronic, house, broken beat, Latin and Afrobeat – a unity of culture through music.
On the production side, DJ Tomas produced tracks as Double Identity for his own Voltage Music label, remixed Montreal artist Poirier for Ninja Tune, released music on Ubiquity, Bastard Jazz and other labels. He has five future jazz/broken beat-style singles out as Double Identity, and tracks floating around the internet under his dub/dubstep alter ego Dub I.D.
He currently DJs weekly on NiceUpRadio.com and in clubs throughout Orange County, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and globally. You can hear DJ Tomas mixes on Soundcloud and Podomatic.
Listen to DJ Tomas mixes on YouTube: Invisible Pictures, Soul Texture, En Route
Discography / DJ Timeline
Discography
As Live & Direkt:
No Categories Volume 1 (Ubiquity) 1998
Wish FM 98.1 Compilation (Sunburn) 1998
As Double Identity/Dub ID:
IQU “Teenage Dream – Double Identity Remix” (K Records) 2000
Double Identity “Eastern Voice” 10” single Voltage Music 2002
Double Identity “We Play The Music” single, Voltage Music 2003
Double Identity “You Requested It” 10” single Voltage Music 2004
Double Identity “Can’t Explain” 12” single Voltage Music 2005
Double Identity “Have To Feel It” EP Voltage Music 2021
Bonfire Madigan “Lady Dubs The Dragon” Moonpuss, 2009
Dub I.D. “Congo-I”, Voltage Music 2009
Dub I.D. “Ithiopian Dub,” Voltage Music 2009
Poirier “Enemies featuring Face T – Dub I.D. remix” Ninja Tune, 2010
Neotropic “Party Fears Too – Dub I.D. Remix” Architects & Heroes, 2011
DJ Timeline
1987-1994: Broadcasted “Reggae Music Forward,” a reggae/dancehall show on KXLU 88.9FM (Loyola Marymount University) in Los Angeles.
1989: DJed at legendary L.A. underground reggae/hip-hop spots Le Hot Sol Lounge, Peace Posse and Fortune Cookie and Brass.
1992: Founded Umoja Jazz N’ Ragga Lounge club night w/DJ Daz, running Monday nights for two years. Led to the formation of the Umoja Hi-Fi Soundsystem
1994: DJ residency at Bokaos international restaurant. Founded the club B-Side with DJ Sean Perry, featuring Latin jazz, hip hop and abstract beat DJs and live music. Founded Goa Dub with DJ Jun, a free weekly all-ages, after-hours ambient/downtempo/drum&bass lounge at Nova Express café.
1995: Profiled in Rolling Stone and Option magazine. Relocates back to San Francisco.
1996: Starts weekly downtempo/drum & bass club Hedquarters in San Francisco and does guest slots at The Top, Cosmo Bar, Cat’s Club and Nickies BBQ.
1996: Compiles Dubmission Vol.’s 1 & 2 for Quango records.
1997: DJ residency at Solid. Profiled in Mixmag US. Shares bills with Rockers Hi-Fi, Ben Watt, Lionrock and Morecheeba.
1998: Forms production/remix team Live & Direkt with Andrew Smith, releases tracks on Ubiquity’s No Categories compilation and Sunburn’s Wish FM 98.1 comp. DJ residency at Static experimental techno night. Opening DJ for David Bowie SF shows at the Warfield.
1999: Joins XLR8R Magazine as Managing Editor. Resident at Justice League club night. Opening DJ slots for Pizzicato 5 and Spring Heel Jack’s live shows.
2000: DJ residencies at Joypad, Phusion (26MIX), Global Warming (Club 6), Sushi Groove South. One-offs at the Top, 111 Minna, Justice League, Bulletproof boat parties etc.
2001-2015 Co-hosted of weekly radio broadcast Friday Night Session (Fridays 10pm-12) with Andrew Jervis, DJed in LA at Punky Reggae Party and Dub Club (LA), Afrofunke (LA), Dub Mission (SF), Crucial (SF) and to name a few.
2020 Starts weekly reggae radio broadcast on NiceUpRadio.com
2021-present Relocates back to SoCal, spins in LA, Orange County, Las Vegas and globally. Opens for New Zealand reggae band Katchafire.