Here Comes Yacht Rock Miami

There is a lot of music you missed in the 70s and 80s, I mean a lot. Thankfully the The Captains and Crew of Yacht Rock Miami are here to remind you and introduce to all this great music. First of all what is ” Yacht Rock”  It is a genre created  in 2005 with the online video series of the same name created by J. D. Ryznar and  Hunter Stair, Dave Lyons, Lane Farnham,  Hollywood” Steve Huey (“Hollywood Steve  The music is described as the music you would probably listen to on a yacht, but it must meet special conditions set by Ryznar and friends. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, musical artists likeKenny Loggins, Steely Dan, Toto, Michael McDonald , Christopher Cross and dozens of others regularly performed on each other’s records, creating a  ” Bounce”  and  a particular style of smooth-music. Ryznar and company created a rating system ” The Yachtski Scale” that rated songs according to input from his ” crew”. 100 to 50  gets a song ‘ On the Boat” Below 50 is considered NYACHT ( not Yacht) they only they decide, after all the created it. The music at the time was considered ” Soft Rock” but, NOT ALL SOFT ROCK IS YACHT ROCK.

In Late 2017 we began  to explore this genre.

Alex Gutierrez: ” I had a Mixcloud account where I routinely posted 70s and 80s DJ sets , Disco and Pop Music, Tattoo asked me if I could blend ” Yacht Rock ” together like I did with the other genres so I gave it a try. At first I wasn’t familiar with the background of ” Yacht”  The Rules and regulations if you will, but I was familiar with the music. Slowly I educated myself by listening to the ” Beyond Yacht Rock” podcasts and reading any article related the style. Enter my friend and fellow DJ Juan Luv who by chance expressed an interest in this genre as well. As older Miami DJs who are still active in nightclubs and events we began formulating a plan on how to present this music to an audience without having to take a Blackboard and an overhead projector to explain the ” Scale” the ” Bounce” and all the elements associated with Yacht. We wanted to entertain, not to lecture. So the Captain’s Hats and Hawaiian shirts came about , it was a visual that said wait a minute , this is different. So we ran with the nautical theme , being here in Miami , people would identify. After all we wanted them to Listen , not Dance. “

Juan Luv: ” My DJing style has always been very eclectic. When approached by Alex , I was already by some coincidence, delving into this style. It was a matter of convincing ourselves that people would actually leave their homes and go out to hear ‘Soft Rock” We thought about it , had conversations, Tattoo an avid fan of the genre would tell us how people flocked regularly to concerts with Soft Rock artists that performed locally. So we decided to organize an event at a local Casino where Alex was doing a Jazz Sunday after several people at that event reacted positively to those tracks, some which fit in to the Jazz format. Our expectations were exceeded , the attendance was surprising , people were actually singing along with songs, we knew we were on to something.  We incorporated a lot of microphone work , involving the public , something the public did not expect but enjoyed . The Nautical look and theme ( we used a lot of props on stage) was an added attraction. People were diggin’ it. We set out to create Yacht Rock Miami, infusing our local flavor but respecting the rules of the creator .”

The Creators ( Ryznar and Company) continue to certify music and adding to the Yachtski Scale. Yacht Rock Miami continues to book gigs in South Florida, but it’s much more than just 2 guys playing records , it has  evolved into a performance using the talents of  Salty Hank  to provide their audience with a fun afternoon of music they never knew they liked.

The Crew Regularly perform at BAR NANCY in Miami the third Sunday of every month , as well as other establishments in South Florida. Yachtrockmiami.com

Yacht Rock Miami Group on Facebook and Instagram for dates and info.