While her name often pops up in gig lineups, Bay DJ Sam “Miss Jay” Jennings’s music has not always been understood, which is why she started regular Sam Jam Sessions just over a year ago – and is holding an anniversary party this weekend.
“Miss Jay will celebrate a year of Sam Jam Sessions at the Roof Garden Bar in Winston Ntshona Terrace on Saturday from 5pm.
“The sessions are basically to get the crowd to understand and enjoy my music as a DJ in an environment where they can wind down and converse, unlike in a club,” Miss Jay said.
“The event has grown since its inception. My biggest crowd was in December and I’m happy that I always see new faces at each session.
“I also introduce something new at each session.
“For example at one session I featured live art from Four Blind Mice, where they made paintings while the crowd vibed to music and enjoyed food and drinks.”
Since she started in 2009, the Mthatha-born DJ has opted for the more underground, non-commercial hip-hop, often referred to as “conscious rap”, which has a narrower market in PE.
Following years of studying the Bay club scene and learning to compromise here and there, Miss J’s style has become more versatile, catering to a wider audience.
She now holds the Sam Jam Sessions once every three months (starting in May 2017) and invites other artists as well.
“I’ve since learnt to try out a lot more music so there’s a bit of something for everyone.
“When I started Sam Jam Sessions, there weren’t a lot of events open to the kind of music I play so I thought to cater to a crowd that is open to hearing a variety of music in an event versus listening to one genre,” she said.
Miss Jay, who also has a day job as a customer liaison officer, never planned a career as a DJ but found she always took charge of the music at friends’ gatherings, and realised she stood a chance behind the decks.
“I always wanted to be the one to decide what gets played and people enjoyed my song selection to a point where they started asking why I don’t DJ.
“I eventually bought my own stuff and started practising. About two years into the game, I suffered my first blow when I was invited to play at [a club] where people just started drifting away and left the dance floor when I played.
“I eventually got to understand that it was a thing of playing the wrong music for the wrong crowd,” the artist said.
Saturday’s ’90s-themed throwback session will feature live performances by VJ Nakasa, Isaac Wilson and Prince Infinite. Miss Jay, Safecutz, Zandilla and Suli Soul will DJ, while JBux and Zolisa Marawu host the event.
● Tickets are R80. There will be a cash bar and food on sale. Inquiries: e-mail samantha.jennings85@gmail.com