East St. Louis Players Bio

 Straight off the streets of their Midwestern namesake and straight into the studio, Bernard Jones and Don Tinsley, come together to bring you; The East St. Louis Players! As individuals these two are bringing down houses, with a quarter-century of deck time, and twenty years of production time between them… Whether playing DJ sets, or performing live. The music and having a good time is always the focus with players better known as BJ & Don T. With tracks in the crates, charts and mixes of the world’s best DJ’s both as solo artists and as a duo, every weekend somewhere in the world somebody is sweating it out on the dance floor to their tunes.

These two teamed up in 2006 and produce a string of quality EPs that would launch ESP onto the global house music scene. You can be sure to hear even more from these St Louis boys while on tour to support their releases, and spread street knowledge that embodies ESP.

So who are these East St Louis Players?

The seasoned, enigmatic character:
            In 1988 Don Tinsley embarked on a multi-dimensional megatrip of musical madness fueled by a love for electronic music. Whether playing funky, techy, jazzy or deep; Live or as a DJ, Don T always aims to please. As an innovator in the jazz house scene and an experimenter with material ranging from techno to trip-hop and beyond, Don's production and DJ style is anything but easy to classify. The interstellar dance floor magnet gets a gravitational attraction magnification when selections of Don T's discography go into orbit on the 1200's. Under the monikers of Monad, East St. Louis Players, Urban Jazz Naturals or his real name, Don T navigates a electrostatic & magnetic musical experience that transcends the inner and outer spaces into a seamless sequence unified by sound, emotion, and spatial imagery that guides the psyche on an unprecedented adventure through time and space.

The talented new-comer, with an animated personality:
            Bernard began his musical background at the age of five, where his Grandmother insisted on his classical training in piano. He stayed in the midst of music throughout his scholastic career, and ended up studying percussion under the tutelage of University of Missouri’s Percussion Director, Chris Hollyday at 15. Bernard Jones learned of the art of DJ-ing through the ranks of local DJ’s, John Millard ,DJ Gizmo and DJ Hugh Tychen. Bernard first started producing House in 2000. Recently, Bernard has paired up with a long-time childhood friend Brendan Woodard aka Aren B, of American Idol fame, to add a new R&B flavor to House that is becoming quite popular.

Between Don and Bernard there is a natural connection that is based on friendship and a mutual passion for music. They have had an uncanny ability to go into the studio with a concept and leave with a complete project. “We just know each other that well… In the DJ scene we always looked to each other for the hot sounds in House. It’s no different in the studio. We just know what we like and how to support each other’s talents.” With that said there is nothing to be left to question. This is a duo well in tune with their talents and abilities, with one purpose…. To move dance floors.