Miss Jools: A Gift For Spin by Barry Winters

In eight years behind the decks Miss Jools has steadily built up her
musical knowledge and technical experience, which has gained her the credibility – a vital factor for any aspiring DJ – to become known as one of the leading female DJs within the UK scene. Having moved to London in 1994 from the Southwest, she started a twice-weekly live broadcast show on Girls FM, London’s former pirate radio station. It was here she experimented and adapted her musical style, which now rocks and shakes the dancefloors of clubland. “It was a passion for clubbing really,” she comments. “A lot of friends had decks and had parties at their houses, and I’ve been involved in the scene for some time.”

The Jewel in Jools’ crown (forgive the pun) is her long-time residency at London monthly house night ‘Milk’n’2 Sugars’, which is held at The End. Running for some six years, the event has acted as a springboard for Jools’ success, landing her spots beside house music legends including Derrick Carter, Farley Jackmaster Funk, Dimitri from Paris, Marshall Jefferson and Roy Davis Jnr to name a few. “We have a whole load of American guest DJs coming over, so that’s really good that we can have special guests that maybe you don’t get to see or hear in London,” she remarks. “It is predominantly on the American house tip.”

On top of this, she manages to maintain her own guest slots in and around London. In the summer of ‘97, she secured a residency for ‘Enigma’, a flamboyant Sunday clubbing event. Miss Jools is also resident for top London designer and good friend ‘Alexander Campbell’ and can be found spinning at all of his Fashion Shows. In February 98, Miss Jools started touring with ‘The Gift from the Gods’, a collaboration of four girl DJs which took clubland by storm. She’s also explored both traditional and internet radio mediums, guesting on Radio 1 on Danny Ramplings ‘Love Groove Show’ (which led to a booking at Danny’s prestigious ‘London Calling’ night at Turnmills), plus with Bobbi & Steve on Kiss FM. Internet wise, Jools features weekly on CNSOHOLIVE.

The raison d’etre of Miss Jools is funky American house, but the brush she paints with has a broad stylistic palette. “Obviously I have a certain style of records but I only plan the set when I’m in the venue or the club. My music will go from funky house and it’ll go maybe tougher or whatever. I read the crowd and take it how it goes.” Jools gives big props to producers such as Jay J, JT Donaldson and Junior Jack, as well as the Siesta, Maya and Doubledown labels, keeping up with all of these tunes via her job at Blackmarket Records in London.

This year looks sure to see Jools strengthen her position as one of the most sought after female DJ’s on the circuit. She possesses the ability to work the crowd with a magical funky underground set, and has technical skills second to none. 2002 will also see her attempt to reach the touchstone of ‘next levelness’, production, with a possible first release out mid 2002, depending on her ability to juggle producing, working and DJing.

Miss Jools plays at Sundance, Riverside Centre, Brisbane, Sunday
January 27.