Philly native Tommy Capretto has his hands in a lot of jars in the dance music industry. Whether or not he is producing gritty house tracks, he's DJ'ing a gig, being label head of Summoned Record, or getting behind the decks of syndicated radio shows, Capretto is stape in the east coast house scene and making way worldwide.
We got the chance to talk with Tommy about his upcoming tunes, his style of house music, future of his label, tips for new producers and much more so give it a read below!
1) We at EDMSAUCE are really diggin’ one of your latest releases, “Trapped In A Bassline” with Richard Fraioli! What’s the story behind that track and how it came about?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: Thank you guys so much! I met Richard last year during Miami Music Week at his set at Nikki Beach and we just clicked. We were just sitting there talking about video games. Nothing about music or anything. We exchanged info and kept in contact and we decided we should collaborate on something since we're both complete house heads. He was really digging, “Trapped In A Bassline,” which was barely even a concept at the time, and we worked on it sending files back and forth and jumping on Facetime.
2) How would you describe your sound? How do you separate yourself from the rest of the music producers & DJs out there? What exactly is “the Tommy Capretto sound,” if you had to describe it?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: My sound is definitely dirty and edgy. I love very punchy kicks and super fat basslines. I think what I love most while producing is finding or creating a vocal that makes people laugh. I just actually finished up a really hard tune called, “Ratchet.” My manager’s assistant Tori did some voiceovers for my radio show, “Club Capretto” on Dash Radio, and I loved it so much I created an entire original out of it! I absolutely love sampling things for my shows.
3) What’s your DJ-style like (you can give specific examples of portions of your setlist if that makes it easier to explain) as a LIVE performer?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: Honestly, this may sound cliche, but I love dropping acapellas over records. It just makes each set more unique. As a performer, If there's one thing that’s important to me, it's connecting with the crowd.
4) You’re based in Philadelphia. What’s the scene like there? Where else do you play? Got any current residencies?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: I’m based in Philly, yeah. The scene is very open-format. Lots and lots of hip-hop. There are a few venues that cater more to the house-techno scene on certain days. But definitely more open format than anything. I took a break from gigging to get into the studio to finish up some projects. My last event in Philly, however, was with Chus & Ceballos at NOTO nightclub which is a really dope spot.
5) What’s the biggest gig – it can be a festival or a nightclub, or even a private event – you’ve ever played? When/where was it? What made it so special that it stands-out? (Be specific.)
TOMMY CAPRETTO: One of the biggest gigs I've played was an indoor festival at Levels Nightclub in Scranton, PA. It's such a cool spot with multiple levels.
6) You’ve worked with some major Record Labels. Which ones/which releases? What’s different about your approach when working with major labels versus “indie” labels?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: I've done a remix project for Dragonette on their song “Body 2 Body” which was an incredible record. Those three are so talented. They performed the remix on their tour which was amazing. I also did a few official mixes for Capitol and Universal Records on Niall Horan’s “Too Much To Ask,” as well as MNEK and Hailee Steinfeld’s “Colour.” Currently, I'm working on another remix for Capitol Records on Fletcher’s “Undrunk.”
7) What’s the vision behind your Summoned Records label? What’s the label’s philosophy?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: When I think of summoned, I think about summoning up your passion. Summon up your feelings and make what makes you move. My philosophy is to make music that summons people to the dancefloor.
8) Where can fans expect to see you next (i.e. big shows, etc.)?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: For Miami Music Week, I played 418 Mission Miami party at Fire & Ice Lounge in South Beach Wednesday the 27th. I did a set at Robbie Rivera’s Juicy Beach event at The Clevelander Friday, March 29th, and April 25th I'll be opening for Ice-T and Mr. X at Schimanski nightclub in Brooklyn for an EBE Nation event. Stay tuned for more!
9) What upcoming releases (i.e. singles, EP’s, album, remixes, etc.) can fans look forward from you, next?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: My latest release just came out on Rippin Records called, “You Can't See.” I also have another track coming out on Robbie Rivera’s label, Juicy Music, called, “House Is A Feeling.”
10) In your opinion, what’s the most important thing for aspiring DJs/producers reading this to know about the music industry? What essential advice can you give them?
TOMMY CAPRETTO: My ultimate advice is, MAKE FRIENDS! Build relationships with your peers. That’s so important. Most of all, make the kind of music that moves YOU!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommycapretto/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommycapretto/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Gnj51VvVg7QDHqM83nNXz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommycapretto/?hl=en
Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/tommy-capretto/
