Story by Janet Mercel & Sean B. Nutley on 6.3.24
Interview by Sean B. Nutley
Have you ever wandered through a hot new resort or your favorite hotel hangout, Shazaaming the tunes wafting over the property thinking, why are these tracks so good? The mastermind behind those perfect playlists might be Joel Isaac Black (aka DJ Hazy Pockets) who’s busy elevating the hospitality music scene to an art form, one hotel at a time.
Originally hailing from California and Texas, Black’s curated playlists, year-round culture programs and wildly popular events set the mood at properties like the cōmodo in Bad Gastein, Austria and Mamula Island in Montenegro. Black’s après-ski parties and global DJ line-ups draw a vibrant crowd of locals, world travelers, and music aficionados. His creative agency, Wild Mountain Honey, sources and builds immersive music experiences and collaborations for luxury hotels and restaurants all over the globe.
At the eco-chic Swiss ski resort CERVO Zermatt, Black’s soundscapes enrich the resort’s identity, offering a unique musical ambiance that evolves from morning to night and shapes guest experience. “Music is a living pulse for all activities at any hour of the day,” he says. “It gives us the ability to momentarily tap into something bigger than ourselves, an endless spectrum of human emotions and compulsions. Music is instant magic and transports us humans to spaces of pure feeling. It is power.” At A Hotel Life, we couldn’t agree more.
Against the stunning Swiss Alps, Black recently curated an Against the stunning Swiss Alps, Black recently curated an après-ski event with Bushwick-based DJ Laura Lynn. AHL Contributor and event producer Sean B. Nutley was there to chat with Black during a rare quiet moment.
How did your journey into music and DJing begin?
Joel Isaac Black: My father is a fantastic blues guitarist and harmonica player, and his music was a constant presence in my childhood home. I was drawn to the performative power of playing music and the subtleties of sounds. I remember selecting songs for specific chores around the house. I’d have a “washing dishes” song, or “sweeping the floor” sequence. Those were my first forays into primitive soundtracking. I recall having a pretty clear motivation that there was always a perfect song that could turn a mundane activity into a colorful cinematic performance.
How did your career evolve from there?
JIB: I’ve been in bands as a drummer and songwriter since I was 12. After high school in Texas, I studied English and Literature in Los Angeles and worked at Amoeba Records, soaking up all kinds of music. In 2010-2011, I recorded a wild soul-gospel-rock record with a friend, and we eventually moved to Berlin, drawn by its freedom and music scene. I never really left.
Your playlists are attention grabbing, emotional, full of nostalgia and unexpected tempos in mixes.
JIB: The goal is to create that perfect moment for guests, where it all just clicks, and a great song in a gorgeous space is an emotional high. That’s what I am going for. The Bazaar restaurant and lounge space in the hotel has an evening soundtrack that contains a great deal of music from myBerlin-centric electronic music colleagues. Their moods fit the space so well.
Do you curate playlists for Cervo based on the time of day?
JIB: Yes, I create unique playlists for different areas and times to match the intended feel of each hotel space. I aim for music that is so good that it can function as a gentle and pleasant background soundtrack for guests not actively listening, and ALSO be a great topic of conversation for the engaged and deep listeners among the guests.
Does FOH hear reactions from guests about your playlists? Any standout tracks?
JIB: Guests often give great feedback, but the overall experience plays a big part in that. I cannot take full credit for the reaction, it’s the sum of all elements— music, design details, incredible service, the warmth of the whole hotel. Any savvy hotel owner or designer understands that the sum of all the elements combine for a greater whole, and music is a hearty contributor to the memorable mood. While I don’t aim for one-track reactions, the time a guest spends in each area requires a broader approach. At Cervo, David Axelrod’s Capital Records recordings are a favorite of mine– cinematic, groovy, jazzy, playful. They wrap you up as you bask in the Matterhorn views and contemplate the majesty of nature.
How do your playlists build a relationship between guests and a property’s design and specific environment?
JIB: Music-memory builds strong emotional bonds. When I can create a sonic mood that combines with all the other great elements of design and curation, I think the guest experience is unrivaled. Guests fall in love with it all and that’s a powerful, lasting thing they take with them…until they come back for their next visit! All hotels have a vibe, a soul, and an inherent feeling that provides cues for my work. I can really amplify this honest expression of hospitality with music, and that’s my calling.
Cervo’s natural and architectural design inside and out are very unique. How do you capture the aesthetic of the design of each space using sound?
I would describe it as an ability to project myself into hypothetical sonic spaces– to really “hear” and “feel” what it’s like in a certain room with music or sounds. I slip into my own imagination, and have a very powerful and tangible gut feeling of what it needs to fill these spaces. I audition a few prospective musical ideas, and usually end up manifesting versions of these ideas for my clients. Every artist has some parallel practice, however, mine is this well-honed sonic voyage.
They should sell Joel Isaac Black/Hazy Pockets mixes, like Stéphane Pompougnac for Hotel Costes! They’d be a top seller.
JIB: That’s very kind! As a music composer and label owner, I advocate for better rights for musicians. A physical copy of music is still an incredibly valuable item. In our Spotify world, digital platforms are the primary mode of distribution, however, a physical keepsake should come along soon…
Find DJ Hazy Pockets playlists at Cervo Spotify and on IG @hazypockets @thewildmountainhoney
The post Joel Isaac Black: Hotel Music Curator and Creator of Vibes appeared first on A Hotel Life.