Quick Facts
Biography
Nik Weston is a DJ, music producer, record label owner of Mukatsuku Records and music buyer for Juno Records. Based out of London, UK, he was from the late 1990s to 2007 a key player in the promotion and distribution of Japanese recording artists and their releases outside of the country, as part of the late 1990s into 2000s revival in the jazz dance, soul-jazz and electronic Japanese music scene. He is a keen advocate of the vinyl record format.
Career
Nik Weston first entered the London dance music scene in 1994, when he started the club night Phony. He and two other friends then started a club night in Soho called Mukatsuku in 1997. It ran for 2 years from 1997 - 1999 upstairs at two floor room Club in London China Town called The Clinic, and was nominated by London Evening Standard Newspaper as 'club night of the year'.
He started the label Mukatsuku Records in 2006 after DJing as part of the Mukatsuku Crew since 1997. Weston started up a promotional company called Mukatsuku PR in 2001, doing consulting and promotion for labels such as Verve Records, Impulse, Sonar Kollektiv, Schema Records, and Ricky Tick amongst others.
As a DJ, he's played over 30 countries and supported Gilles Peterson, Jazzanova, and others. Since 2001 Weston has put out over 100 releases on various labels in the US, Europe and Japan, and over 34 releases on his own Mukatsuku Records.
Discography
Production credits
| Yr | Release title | Artist(s) | Label | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Inner Flight | Jazztronik | Counterpoint Records | A&R |
| 2002 | Moshi Moshi - Nu Sounds From Japan | Various | Fuego Records | compiler |
| Music & Movement One | Various | Climate Records | compiler | |
| 2003 | Take Me Aosis - A Nite Out In London | Various | Aosis Records | compiler |
| Light Years | Calm | Lastrum | translation | |
| 2004 | Habit | Butti 49 | Exceptional Records | liner notes |
| 2006 | "Even Though / What You Do" | Paul Mac Innes and T.B.O.I. | Mukatsuku Records | A&R |
| 2007 | The Opensouls EP | Opensouls, The Tornadoes, Tyra Hammond | Mukatsuku Records | A&R |
DJ mixes
The following releases Weston compiled and/or did the DJ mix as a presenter, sometimes also handling A&R.
- 2003: Nik Weston Presents Sakura Aural Bliss (Kriztal Entertainment)
- 2004: Exceptionally Remixed (Exceptional Records)
- 2004: The Sound Of Club Brasil Vol. 1 (Club Brasil)
- 2005: The Sound Of Club Brasil Vol. 2 (Club Brasil)
- 2005: Nu[new] Style Vol. 3 - Living In The Music: Nik Weston (Nuro)
- 2006: Routine Jazz Presents - Diggin For Gems (Routine Records)
- 2007: Nik Weston presents Jabberloop - Ugetsu (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2007: Nik Weston presents West/Rock/Woods - Love Cats (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2007: Nik Weston presents Hanna & Beatr8 - Better Than Nothing (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2007: Nik Weston presents Guynamite - Guynamite (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2008: Nik Weston presents Guynamite - Guynamite EP 02 (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2008: Nik Weston Presents The Funky Instrumentals 45 Volume Two (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2008: Nik Weston presents Gagle - The Funky Instrumentals Volume Three (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2008: Nik Weston presents Big Horns Bee / Big Bang - The Big 7 Inch (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2009: Nik Weston presents Grant Green / Orquesta De La Luz - Funky Instrumentals Volume Four (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2009: Nik Weston presents j.a.m / Jazztronik - Japanese Jazz With Attitude (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2009: Nik Weston presents Kaleta & Akoya Afrobeat - The Spirit Of Fela Is Alive And Well! (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2009: Nik Weston presents Guynamite - Born In '82 EP (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2009: Nik Weston presents Jazztronik - Disco Boogie (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2010: Nik Weston Presents Hundred Strong Ft. Amp Fiddler Vs Guynamukat - Stylin' Free EP (Guynamukat Remixes) (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2011: Nik Weston Presents Mixed Grill - Brand New Wayo - Nigerian Afro Funk Boogie Badness (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2012: Nik Weston Presents Afro Funk Gems Volume 1: Music Of West Africa (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2012: Nik Weston Presents Afro Funk Gems Volume 2: Music Of West Africa (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2012: Nik Weston presents Wganda Kenya & M'Bamina - Afro Funk Gems Volume Three (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2013: Nik Weston presents African Souls Band / Wganda Kenya - Afro Funk Gems Volume Four (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2013: Nik Weston Presents GUYNAMUKAT -Archway Riviera Tropical Jam EP (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2013: ik Weston Presents Wganda Kenya/ Fruko Y Sus Tesos -Colombian Funk & Latin Gems 45 (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2014: Nik Weston Presents GUYNAMUKAT V’s Eufoquestra - Ogun EP (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2014: Nik Weston Presents Marcia Hines /Jackie Wilson - Lost Soul & Funk Gems Vol 1 (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2014: Nik Weston Presents Orlando Julius And His Afro Sounders - James Brown Rides On (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2014: Nik Weston Presents Loleatta Hollway/Ron Henderson And Choice Of Colour - Lost Soul & Funk Gems Vol 2 (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2014: Nik Weston Presents Marco Di Marco/ Jazz Collective - Two Sides Of Club Jazz (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2015: Nik Weston Presents Jo Togo/Sookie – Afro Funk Gems Vol Five (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2015: Nik Weston Presents Sharon Revoal/Swan Silvertones –Soulful Funk & Gospel Soul (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2015: Nik Weston Presents The Chapparrals/The Diddys –Lost Funk Soul & Disco Gems Volume Three (Mukatsuku Records)
- 2015: Nik Weston Presents Courtial/Sounds Of The City Experience –Lost Soul & Funk Gems Volume Four (Mukatsuku Records)