In my previous post in tribute to producer, DJ, musician and all around good human, Nectail Díaz bka Sumohair, I mentioned that this month’s show would be dedicated to him and that “Tristeza” would be the mood. As the time to get the show together grew closer, I knew that I didn’t only want sadness to be the mood, but to also have something more uplifting, to recognize that even with the sadness at his passing, how beautiful Sumo’s spirit was, and so I added “Esperanza,” or “hope,” as that is the perfect mood to mix with “Tristeza” at this moment, and the perfect mix of moods to share as much music as I could in the hour I have at Artform Radio & Worldwide FM.
This show is an attempt to do my part to not only pay tribute to Sumo, but to preserve a piece of his legacy. Part of that legacy is a fierce belief in artistic freedom & independence. This is the only show, and likely will be the only show, in my entire career where every single song was self-released by the artist. In paying tribute to Sumo, it was important to me to not only have Sumo’s music, but to also have Sumo’s voice in this show. The last time I heard his voice, the last time I saw him and had a chance to talk with him was after Son Rompe Pera had played a free show in DTLA last Summer. Leaving the show on my way back to my car I ran into him. At the time I thought it was interesting, because I had also run into him leaving a show earlier that same Summer at the Ford, and might have even said something about that happy coincidence. I don’t have a lot of distinct memories of that night, aside from giving him a ride to his spot in Koreatown and talking about music, LA & culture on the way there. At the time it didn’t seem all that noteworthy, as I saw Sumo often, at Subsuelo parties and other events that Summer, as the City started to return to some semblance of normality post-Pandemic. I fully expected there would be many more opportunities to talk and become better friends. There was no way to have known that would be my last conversation with him, that instead of the beginning of something deeper, that was all there would ever be.
While I would have loved to have had the opportunity to interview him, to pick his brain and ask him my own questions about his craft, his use of tropical sounds, repetition, improvisation & our shared love of studio banter, in a more formal setting for posterity, that chance never came to be. But in the wake of his passing, and the many tributes others were posting online, I came upon this near 90 minute interview Sumo did in 2020 with Ray Ricky Rivera and his co-host Julio Trejo. I reached out to Rivera online to ask for permission to use clips from the interview, which he graciously allowed. So in this tribute show, presented in a single set for the hour, you’ll periodically hear Sumo in his own voice, over his own productions, talking about his chosen name, how he and Fabi Reyna came to meet and form Reyna Tropical, their storybook start as a live band opening for their heroes Bomba Estereo, their approach to making music, his approach to DJ-ing and the vision behind the art he created. Having known him briefly it’s a great relief to not only have his music, but also his voice and his philosophy preserved, at least for as long as these digital files remain and are shared. While sadness over his loss has been the prevailing emotion felt over the past month, there’s also a large measure of hope that his legacy, a truly visionary one, despite the relatively short amount of time he was with us, will continue on, and most importantly, continue to inspire others to create music and culture for the communities they represent and love. A hope I’m sure Sumo shared, and one that I imagine would cause him to smile, seeing how deeply he has touched so many with his joyful and inspiring sounds.
Moods In Free Time: 032 – Tristeza Y Esperanza – Tribute To Sumohair
Playlist – Moods In Free Time -032: Tristeza y Esperanza – Tribute To Sumohair
{opening theme} The Visitors – The Juggler – In My Youth (Muse)
~~~~ Break ~~~~
Reyna Tropical – Tristeza – Sol y Lluvia EP (Self Released)
Sumo Hair – Acapulco Gold – Single (Self Released)
Los Mirlos – Sumo Hair Rework (Si Tu Quiere Dembow) – 7 Discos 7 Versiones EP (Self Released)
Sumohair – Mister Yellowman ReWorked (Zunga Zeng) – Single (Self Released)
Reyna Tropical – Niña – Reyna Tropical EP (Self Released)
Sumo Hair – Ela Me Mata – Single (Self Released)
Reyna Tropical – No Me Quieres – Reyna Tropical EP (Self Released)
Sumo Hair – Marimba Streets – Single (Self Released)
Reyna Tropical – Mas y Mas – Reyna Tropical EP (Self Released)
QUITAPENAS, Niña Chispa & Sumohair – Ahora Queiro – Live Sessions At Red Bull Studios in LA (Self-released)
Sumo Hair – Brown Es Bonito – Single (Self Released)
DJ Sumo Hair – Excerpt – In Search Of Esperanza Vol. 1 (Self Released)
Sumo Hair – Coconut Water – Afro Mexico EP (Self Released)
Reyna Tropical feat. Y La Bamba – Encerrada (Self Released)
Sumo Hair w/ Fabi Reyna & Happy Colors – Revolucion (Self Released)
~~~~ Break ~~~~
{closing theme} Tony Williams – Wild Life – Believe It! (Columbia)