Floripa is the perfect place for dinner, drinks and dancing at the weekend. Book a table, sample our petiscos and carne (including the incredible Picanha Steak!) with some fine Brazilian wines, then move onto cocktails at the bar and eventually the dancefloor. Why move around from place to place when you can be in the warm all evening and late into the night…Check out our new offerings on the Menu page.
Tonight our guest is a man who knows his Balkan and his Brazilan — Around the World in 80 Ways was one of Russ Jones ‘The Hackney Globe Trotter’ aptly named club nights and for Russ – a firm lover of good sounds, funky eyewear, bicycle racing and vintage Volkswagens- it is more like a way of life.
Russ is behind some of London’s most successful clubs including London Calling and No Room for Squares in the mid 90′s. Guest deejays included, Gilles Peterson, James Lavelle, Fabio, Bukem & Norman Jay. Later on Russ moved London Calling to the infamous Blue Note and subsequently became the Artistic Director of the infamous venue. Around the same time Russ also helped to set up the celebrated Brazilian record label ‘Far Out Recordings’ with DJ/producer Joe Davis and worked with acts like Marcos Valle, Joyce, Four Hero and Roni Size.
Fast-forward to the 21st Century and Russ has become pretty much the preeminent ‘global beats’ and world music DJ in the UK and with an international reputation and following. From his seminal club night Future World Funk (est. 1999) he has gone on to compile over 13 compilation CDs including the very influential FWF series(sold in there tens of thousands around the world), two volumes of Gypsy Beats and Balkan Bangers (produced with Felix from Basement Jaxx) which received props from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Huw Stevens, Mary Anne Hobbs and Osun Lade and now a follow up with a twist – Arriba La Cumbia – The new sounds of cumbia from around world which in turn has morphed into a very successful monthly club night. Running in London (and as a one off at festivals across Europe) it highlights the best in live cumbia/tropical bands and with guest djs from around the world. Always championing new music Russ also had a hand in signing Panjabi MC for his world-wide hit single Mundian To Bach Ke which lead to the bhangra phenomenon crossing over to many a dance-floor.
DJ gigs has literally taken Russ all over the world from Beijing to El Salvador, Moscow, New York, Singapore, Lebanon, Japan, Australia, 30,000 people in Gran Canary and all across Europe. Festivals are always a favourite and Russ has hosted and programmed stages and played at Glastonbury, Bestival, Montreaux, Womad, Big Chill, Womadelaide, Paradise Gardens, Love Box, V, Chicago World Music Festival, Isle of Wight, Stokefest and in 2010 he hosted his own five week African music festival Afro Cup for the football World Cup at The Rich Mix in east London. If this is not enough there also a few remixes under his belt including mixes for Bollywood Brass Band, Mahalia Rai Banda, Zulu 9.30 and Ska Cubano. Over the last couple of years he has been hosting his own radio show at soasradio.org/hgt which was recently sighted by Time Out London as podcast of the week and there have been guest mixes, interviews and shows on BBC Radio 1, 6Music (The 6Mix), The World Service and the Asian network.
In the huge amount of spare time that Russ has he likes to admire his glasses collection, ride bikes, polish his car and sleep.
