Music and conversation with one of the world's great DJ-producers

This event takes place in the British Library Theatre.

‘Little’ Louie Vega is one half of the Masters at Work musical production team, the man behind Elements of Life and one of the greatest club DJs in the world. His trademark soulful house sound also shows the jazz and Latin influence of his Bronx upbringing.

Louie joins Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy in conversation and a playback of his favourite tracks.

The event is presented in association with Worldwide FM, an award-winning internet radio service that highlights underground music, culture and stories from around the globe.

“Little” Louie Vega, as he is sometimes affectionately known, is a leader in global dance music who has painted an award-winning career from a palette mixed with everything from house, salsa and afro-beat, to techno, jazz, hip hop, gospel and soul. Born in the Bronx into a musically gifted family (his father is a jazz saxophonist and his uncle is salsa king Héctor Lavoe). By the 80s he was deejaying at seminal New York City clubs including Studio 54, and in 1991 his breakthrough album with Marc Anthony appeared, featuring hit single ‘Ride on the Rhythm’. The same year Vega teamed up with Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez to form production duo Masters at Work. Their prolific career together includes acclaimed albums Nuyorican Soul and Our Time is Coming, and productions and remixes for Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Madonna, Jamiroquai, Tito Puente, India, Janet Jackson, Tania Maria, George Benson, Black Eyed Peas, Femi Kuti, Jocelyn Brown, and Earth Wind & Fire. Over the years that have followed, Vega has released hundreds of singles, albums including Grammy award winning Starring… XXVIII and multiple compilations. He has travelled the world as a DJ, broadcaster and producer, collaborating with everyone from George Clinton to Kendrick Lamar, while his Elements of Life project on the legendary Fania records has become a live show mixing Jazz, Latin, Soul, R&B, Gospel and Blues sounds.

Classic Album Sundays, founded by Colleen Murphy, is a long running series of events (not always on Sundays!) and a rich website that tells the stories behind the albums that have shaped our culture and our lives.

Part of the British Library’s 2022 Season of Sound, a range of talks, discussions and performances celebrating the Library’s sound archive of over six million recordings.

Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of this event. We are committed to the safety of our event bookers. Find out how we are welcoming you to the Library safely. 

This event will not be live-streamed.

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