Thisis Essential.
ESSENTIAL is Miami's premier deep, soulful, and contemporary disco house music event, held annually during Miami Music Week (Winter Music Conference). Founded by Grammy-nominated DJ/producer Jay-J and Miami promoter Mark Brickman, the inaugural ESSENTIAL was a two-day event at Eden Roc Miami Beach in 2014. The event has been a cornerstone of Music Week for over a decade.
Born from Jay-J's legendary “Jay-J and Friends” events — which ran for 10 years prior at iconic Miami venues like Shore Club and other old-school South Beach spots — ESSENTIAL carries that same spirit of community, curation, and quality sound into a new era.
Wherethegrooverunsdeep
ESSENTIAL takes it back to what matters — the music, the dance floor, and that irreplaceable connection between artist and audience. We celebrate the deep, soulful, and disco-rooted side of house music: warm basslines, lush vocals, and productions that move both body and soul.
From classic deep house to contemporary disco house, the sound at ESSENTIAL reflects a lineage that stretches from New York's Paradise Garage through Chicago's warehouse scene to the sun-drenched grooves of Miami. It's music that has a loyal, passionate following — music that speaks emotion, harmony, and joy.
Our crowd comes for the music, plain and simple. No gimmicks, no bottle-service ego — just world-class DJs, live musicians, and soulful vocalists delivering the kind of sets you remember for years.
What sets ESSENTIAL apart is the live element. On any given year you'll find a vocalist commanding the stage, a trumpet player weaving melodies over deep grooves, a keyboardist adding harmonic color, or a percussionist driving the rhythm. It's house music the way it was meant to be experienced — alive.
AJay-J&MarkBrickmanProduction
Jay-J
Jay-J is a Grammy-nominated house music DJ and producer from San Francisco. With over 70 releases on his own label Shifted Music — launched after his formative years at Moulton Studios in San Francisco — Jay-J has been a defining voice in deep and soulful house for over two decades. His catalog also spans releases on Defected, Large Music, and more. Before ESSENTIAL, he hosted “Jay-J and Friends” for 10 years at venues like Shore Club, bringing world-class guest DJs to Miami during Music Week. ESSENTIAL is the natural evolution of that legacy.
Mark Brickman
Mark Brickman is a Miami-based music promoter, DJ, and producer who has been a driving force in the city's house music community for years. With numerous releases on Midnight Riot and Rambunctious Records, Mark brings both creative vision and deep industry connections to ESSENTIAL. As co-founder, he ensures every edition delivers an unforgettable experience — from the sound system to the last record of the night.
KeyFacts
- Genre
- Deep house, soulful house & contemporary disco house
- Location
- Miami, Florida — Wynwood & South Beach
- When
- Annually during Miami Music Week / WMC
- Capacity
- 300–500 guests
- Running since
- 2014 (10+ years)
- Founded by
- Jay-J & Mark Brickman
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