Melissa Weber spins soul
Melissa Weber, a.k.a. DJ Soul Sister, hosts her weekly show “Soul Power” on WWOZ radio. (Photo by Frank Aymami)
At Tulane University, Weber is the manager of the Newcomb-Tulane College Office of Cocurricular Programs, where she helps produce and present educational events outside of the classroom such as the Reading Project, Ellis Marsalis" annual concert and Jazz at the Rat. Off campus, she is known as DJ Soul Sister.
The multiple “Best DJ” award winner has been honored with the Big Easy Entertainment Award and chosen by readers" polls in OffBeat Magazine and Gambit"s Best of New Orleans contest. She is host of the weekly show “Soul Power” on WWOZ-FM, the New Orleans" nonprofit community radio station, where she has been spinning for nearly two decades.
“When I was around 12 years old, I told myself I wanted to attend Tulane so I could be a DJ on WTUL,” Weber says.
“I wound up with the best of both worlds, as a volunteer on-air DJ on WWOZ and working at Tulane. What a dream! I love education and teaching, so with both Tulane and working with music, I get to teach night and day!”
Effortlessly blending soul, funk, jazz, hip hop and any sound that catches her ear, Weber has “schooled” fans from around the world, inspiring fan mail from the far reaches of Japan, thanks to WWOZ"s live streaming. She"s traveled to London and New York for gigs, and has opened many times for George Clinton, who personally invited her to DJ his 71st birthday party.
On Sept. 19, Weber -- who has never met a brass band she didn"t like -- will celebrate the city she loves with the music she loves at her own eighth annual birthday jam at Tipitina"s, with DJ Maseo of De La Soul.
