Mark Farina: House Music and Mushroom Jazz

The talented, Chi-town native Mark Farina got his start at the young age of 16 when he landed a job at one of the cities most famous all-ages nightclubs called Medusa’s, which has since closed down. Around this time, Farina made friends with emerging DJ’s Chris Nazuka and Derrick Carter and there developed his interest in experimenting with genres like house, disco, trip-hop and more.

Soon, after relocating to California, he established a cult-like following for his new trademark sound mushroom jazz. Farina is known today for his beat matching abilities and for mixing a variety of sounds like R&B, French and Latin but most popularly he’s famed for his Chicago house, downtempo and psychedelic jazz works.

The first to release a glimpse of this trippy concept was OM Records with Farina’s Mushroom Jazz which has since been followed up by several more volumes of the collection. Mushroom jazz is Farina’s earthier take on acid jazz but remains just as deep, soulful and funky as can be heard in the mellow, coffee shop grooves like “Life” and “Western Addition” or in the frequently remixed downtempo hit “Dream Machine.”

Over the years, Farina has worked with big names in EDM like Kaskade, performed hundreds of shows worldwide each year and notable platforms like MUZIK and BPM Mag have recognized him in their global Top DJ’s lists. More recently, in 2018, Farina released the upbeat collaboration with Homero Espinosa titled “Your Fantasy” and “Head in the Clouds,” the types of tracks guaranteed to elevate your mood and keep you moving. Take a listen:

Farina’s sound really provides something for anyone who’s looking for a break from that aggressive drum and bass. Diving right back into the 90’s, he often combines his sound with East Coast hip-hop, jazzy piano lines and urban beats which can be found in almost every continuous Mushroom Jazz mix along with many other hit singles like “Radio” or “C’Mon Playa.” But don’t worry, Farina’s also got tunes like “Don’t Cry My Love” or “Relight My Fire” and other synthy, disco tracks for all the 80’s babies out there – After all, Farina did get his start in the heart of the not-so-mellow 80’s industrial scene.

In November, Mark Farina is bringing this legendary, psychedelic combo of jazz and electronic music to our very own Shady Park in Tempe. Don’t miss your chance to get groovy, grab your tickets here!

Connect with Mark Farina: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud