Soul Power an international booking agency and record label have over the years built a strong empathy with music lovers lusting for soul. A family consisting of the enigmatic Gwen McCrae, Marva Whitney, Funky Drummers (James brown drummers) and plenty more, it holds a fusion of performances by legendary acts followed by DJ sets of infallible soul, jazz and funk music.

In an era characterised by catchy hooks and soul-styled vocals, Soul Power's DJ Baba and Pari have embarked on an international crusade to revive the once ephemeral era and bring back the funk.

What was the main purpose in creating Soul Power?
DJ Pari: Usually, people go to concerts but when the DJ starts playing afterwards people leave - so our goal is to create a whole soul party, where people dance before and people stay afterwards even when the shows end. Even if they don't know the artists that are performing they can expect that the Soul Power event is gunna be a great show and they are gunna have a good time. They get the whole package, by having the music you hear from the DJ fitting in with the music that is played on stage.
DJ Baba: The main thing is Soul Power; the program is the basis to keep the whole thing together, from DJ's to concerts.

How did your DJing careers begin?
DJ Pari: For me, it was actually quite funny. I was a big Prince fan back in the day and through that I got introduced to funk and then the whole acid jazz thing had started. We actually came to London to buy records because it was the only place where you could get that stuff. But when you get into acid jazz and you really love soul music you naturally just graduate to the original music - new music doesn't really matter so much anymore because the roots are the most romantic stuff that is where it is really at.
DJ Baba: I started in '87 when I was 17 years-old. I went to famous club with a couple of records and we asked this guy if I could play a few records, he said ok you can but you only get one night and we'll see what happens - from that so we ended up playing for a couple of years - so that is how it started. Then I quit for a long time because I DJed there every week, so it was too much. So I then did parties and that was fun and it developed to the point that we were djing at our own concerts.

How did you get your DJ names - Pari and Baba?
DJ Pari: I use to date an Iranian girl and she called me that. I don't really know exactly what it means, I think it means cool or balanced, or in tune with yourself, something like that.
DJ Baba: Because it is my name. It's my first name - Baba it is an African name.

What has been best club/event you have DJed at?
DJ Baba: You cannot compare that with just one word. Everything, you know, if anything, it is always the last show you did. Actually it is Paris always. The French people are really enthusiastic, for them it is really a new thing. It may be black music and they may not be into that music but they really appreciate it. It is always at its peak.
DJ Pari: I think the most memorable experience was Lyn Collins tour because she passed away only three weeks after the tour, we were getting really close and I made plans with her and everything. But I think my personal experience was the James Brown aftershow party we did last year - when the whole James Brown band came and played at our party. Also, I think the show we did with Bobbi Byrd and Vicki Anderson at the Supernatural Festival in Amsterdam was kinda special because it was dress rehearsal for a tour. Gwen and Marva Whitney are definitely highlights.

As DJ's what would be the one main track you would have to play in your set?
DJ Baba: It is different, favourite tracks, yeah, right now my favourite track is BB King, supernatural. I don't play it all the time, but sometimes there are different crowds.

You both had your individual careers - how did you both meet? And how did the SoulPower concept come about?
DJ Pari: When I moved back from the states I moved to Germany, I lived in Berlin for a couple of years and then I moved to Hannover. The first thing I did when I got to Hannover was look for a club where I could DJ and I ran into him (DJ Baba) over there. We just decided that we wanted to get something going, we were lucky enough - that is how the whole SoulPower idea came to being. We were lucky that we found a venue in Hannover where I had DJed already back in the '90's Palo Palo - that was the main slots for acid jazz in the early '90's in Germany. The club had Jamirqoui, Galliano, James Taylor and plenty more who played at the Palo, but after acid jazz kind of died out, the Palo became more of a R&B club and everyone was really frustrated with that. They thought it was time for reviving funk in the city - so we started putting a band together and flew in all these artists' for a monthly soul party.
DJ Baba: The thing was he (DJ Pari) came back to Hannover, so he hadn't been there for a long time and I came back from another place. I started DJing in a bar actually in the red light district. It was a bar that wanted to put Friday soul DJ's - Pari had a Friday and I had a Friday and so that is how we met.

With today's music scene are people more accommodating to SoulPower events?
DJ Baba: I think Germany is really hard, but every time we go there we get a feeling that it is getting better - people appreciate it more what you do. You can find good places, good people, but more networking.
DJ Pari: But something is happening, after acid jazz died down, funk was literally dead, there was nothing going on. Even today, like shows that Bobbi Byrd did in the '90's it brings this whole view - you bring Vicki Anderson, Lyn Collin, Marva Whitney, Martha High and Pee Wee Ellis a show like that is unaffordable today, nobody would book it. But I think it is happening, it is coming back. What we are trying to do is stay on top of things, so when things are getting really big then we will be in a real good position.

What artists' appeal to you the most?
DJ Pari: The two artists we have our priority on right now is definitely Gwen MC Crae and Marva Whitney. There are appealing for a lot of things, but first of all it has to be that they are re-managed by SoulPower, second of all they are more involved then just concerts, we do record production with them. There is a new album with Gwen, right now we are producing a new album with Marva..

And finally, in regards to your careers, what artist would you say has inspired your profession and why?
DJ Pari: James Brown because when it comes to ambition, drive and serious funk and soul, that is the man, nobody can touch him. He is and will always be the most influential artist of the 20th Century - many people haven't realised that, but he is not only one of those soul artist, but he had such an impact on pop culture that is untouched by anybody. I mean Elvis Presley or The Beatles had a huge impact but James even right now, even today, you see what's on MTV, everything with James Brown beats, samples, guitar leads and dancers. So it is always gunna be James Brown.
DJ Baba: It is James Brown, for me that is the roots. I mean my parents listen to his songs when I was a kid.

Related Links:
> www.soulpower.info
> www.soulbrotherpari.com/