MARQUES WYATT

In the annals of dance music, DJ Marques Wyatt has earned his rightful spot in the upper echelons alongside the genre’s brightest lights. Through his tireless efforts, both on the turntables and as the figure head and promoter of some of the West coast’s most stellar parties, including the seminal Deep LA, Marques has been instrumental in putting Los Angeles on the dance music map. He has given LA’s dance scene the coveted credibility in the electronic music industry to rival the likes of New York and Miami.

Born and raised in Santa Monica, California, Marques was exposed to an eclectic array of music from an early age. Jazz, psychedelic funk and soul were in heavy rotation at home courtesy of his father and older siblings. An avid skateboarder, Marques embraced the soundtrack of the Southern California skating culture, with such bands as Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and The Who. The musical immersion of his formative years set the stage for the inevitable introduction to clubland.  

With his seemingly insatiable appetite for music, in the early 1980s, Marques began exploring the Hollywood nightclub scene, becoming a regular at The Odyssey. Electronic music, as we know it, was in its infancy with acts such as Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode and Yellow Magic Orchestra gaining mass appeal. These groups and the clubs that catered to the genre paved the way to what would become the underground dance music. It was at these parties that Marques developed a love for the electronic-oriented sound, sharing the dancefloor with a diverse crowd that included patrons such as Madonna and the Rocksteady Crew.  

Enamored by the DJs who worked the decks at his favorite venues, an 18-year-old Marques began collecting vinyl and eventually started DJing. Initially as a hobby, Marques displayed a natural ability for mixing and programming. Recognizing his flair for spinning, a close DJ friend suggested Marques play out, stating he had the elusive ‘It’ factor. Evidently, the lofty praise was prescient. Marques’ first DJ outing resulted in a resounding ovation from the assembled clubbers — a rare feat indeed. The response spurred Marques to continue down the path that he says chose him.  

While he was happy to play in his native LA, a 1985 trip to New York sealed Marques’ fate and forever bound him to dance music. The young DJ was introduced to seminal clubs such as Danceteria and The Loft, where underground sounds — the very foundation of global dance music — were unveiled to him. The Paradise Garage helmed by the legendary Larry Levan and the late, great Godfather of House Frankie Knuckles at his residency at The World were transformative, spiritual, even life-changing in nature.  

Inspired by what he’d experienced, Marques returned to Los Angeles on a mission, with a clear vision. He was determined to bring the vibe and energy from the underground scenes of the East coast, while adding his distinct West coast influence. A tireless ambassador of dance music, Marques worked hard to elevate LA’s nightlife to stand shoulder to shoulder with the respected underground scenes back East.

With his sonic alchemy, Marques took the sounds of Chicago and New York, as well as the ground-breaking music heard in underground gay clubs in LA, notably Catch One, channeled these disparate influences and brought them to a more diverse Southern California audience.

 By 1988, one of the first parties he helmed was at Helena’s, an A-list Hollywood hotspot, where, as the resident DJ, he frequently blended underground flavors with the hottest blockbuster tunes. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for him to ‘mash up’ a mainstream artist such as Tone Loc with an underground track by Adonis.  

In 1993, Marques really came into his own when he helmed legendary parties like BBC, MAC’s Garage and Does Your Mama Know? At these venues, Marques introduced DJs such as Frankie Knuckles, Claudio Coccoluto and CJ Mackintosh; he also brought lives acts like Jomanda, Adeva, KC Flightt to performance at his packed events. Marques credits a David Morales DJ gig at MAC’s Garage in 1988 with helping him establish his parties as the gold standard of LA clubland. The legendary Morales demolished the dancefloor with a set for the ages and helped cement Marques’ already stellar reputation for attracting the best of the best. A Marques Wyatt-fronted party was also guaranteed to feature a who’s who of attendees. Luminaries such as Prince, Keith Haring, Madonna, Grace Jones and even Nina Simone passed through the doors of his many events.  

As the rave scene exploded across the states in the early to mid 90s, Marques tirelessly traversed the California coast, gaining a reputation for his smooth, eclectic sound. Notable residencies included Love in San Francisco. But soulful and deep weren’t the only styles he introduced to LA. Always ahead of the curve when it came to musical trends, Marques also brought acid jazz to the West coast through Brass, his unforgettable weekly event. The shindig featured high-profile acts such as Jamiroquai and the Digable Planets, as well as the Brand New Heavies, whom he joined on the road as their tour DJ. 

With early 1990s heralding the golden age of the American dance music scene, Marques’ name was synonymous with quality dance music from LA and DJs, whether established or superstars in the making, always hit the turntables of his parties. Having shared DJ duties and witnessed his skills and reverence for the music, guest DJs were eager to have him spin in their respective clubs nationwide. After playing a guest slot at his Prague party, one such DJ, Louie Vega invited Marques to New York to spin the opening set in the main room at Sound Factory Bar. The set was pivotal, giving the LA-based DJ well-deserved recognition in New York. Numerous invites from New York promoters followed, with Marques regularly playing Sound Factory Bar and Giant Step. In the ensuing years, his prowess as a talented DJ led to an invitation by Louie Vega to play the high-profile Masters at Work party in Miami at WMC in 1996. Marques refers to this event as his “coming out party,” as the performance put him on the radar internationally.  

Now a globally renowned DJ, Marques still felt a pull to the city where he got his start and, in 2000, launched Deep LA, a weekly party at the famed Viper Room that instantly was the spot that attracted a plethora of talent. The late, great Prince was a regular and once played keyboards alongside Kerri Chandler in one of the many notable nights in the party’s history.

Still going strong after 21 years, Deep LA has spawned numerous events from coast to coast at Mighty and Public Works in San Francisco and the recently shuttered hotspot Cielo in New York. Any DJ worth their salt graced the decks of the respected party. Legendary names included Frankie Knuckles, Marques’ hero and by then close friend, to the Martinez Brothers and Black Coffee, considered the new school of dance music.  

After a storied DJ career, Marques is highly sought after and has traveled the globe, hitting pretty much every continent in cities as far afield as Ibiza, Tulum and London. He has even traveled to Dubai, Shanghai and Tel Aviv, spreading the gospel of Deep LA. Marques has played festivals such as Burning Man, Coachella and Detroit’s Movement. Industry driven gatherings like Miami’s Winter Music Conference, the BPM Festival, and highly respected venues such as Pacha and Ministry of Sound have all hosted the LA-based DJ. For those unable to experience him live, Marques’ music was in regularly rotation on KCRW. Helming his Deep party, Marques was also featured on the radio station’s Made in LA Summer Series at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. For his contributions to the LA scene and his impeccable skills on the decks, Marques was voted Best DJ of 2014 by LA Weekly.

Not content to just play events on the international stage, Marques is also an accomplished music producer and remixer with numerous releases on revered labels such as Om, Strictly Rhythm, King Street, Nervous and Yoshitoshi. One of Marques’ best known and beloved cuts is the dancefloor-slaying tune For Those Who Like to Get Down on Om Records.

While trends change and the electronic music audiences prove fickle, only an elite few DJs have enduring reputations. Marques maintains a loyal following and respect from his peers the world over. Still, he is constantly working to elevate the music and the industry he loves so much. Even bringing his sound to the seemingly unlikeliest of places. 

In the past seven years, as a long-time practitioner of yoga, Marques has meshed his love of music with his passion for the ancient Hindu practice through his latest concept, Deep Exhale. Marques views music as a spiritual experience — the coming together of mind, body and soul as dancers commune together — so combining his life-long love of music with yoga makes sense.

 During the COVID-19 pandemic, the longing for spiritual and emotional healing was widespread and more crucial than ever. Sensing that need, Marques heeded the call by sharing the yoga/dance experience through a series of COVID-safe residencies at Health and Wellness Resorts on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Deep Exhale was streamed virtually on the Livekick platform to a global community of practitioners. The sessions allowed attendees to flow through a series of poses (or vinyasa) before they transitioned to an exuberant dance celebration.  

Conceived with his collaborator, Cristi Christensen, a world-renowned yoga teacher, Marques’ Deep Exhale concept also offers yoga in the traditional sense. The program features sunrise yoga and deep ritual flow sessions. To accompany the sessions, Marques has crafted a mix series with music geared towards uplifting and healing the soul. Musically, the playlists run the gamut from ambient to tribal soundscapes. In this post-pandemic existence, Marques proffers a transformative experience for all in pursuit of healing, hope and, above all, happiness. 

Collectively, we face a litany of uncertainties in life as well as the ever-present need to feel connected to something greater than ourselves. Through his music, Marques provides a welcoming place where all can embrace life and the hope of good things to come. As he continues his music odyssey, Marques implores us to join him in celebration.