Hello everyone,

By now, those of you who follow my blog are already familiar with Jolly Joker and his incredible techno show, 'LIVE ABSTRACT.' Since 2023, he has shared over 50 DJ sets on HIVE (through NuPulse blog) to a fantastic reception, and rightly so, as the quality and expertise Jolly Joker brings are evident in every single minute of his sets. We also had the honor of having him as a 'resident DJ' on our Discord server for the Rising Star RAVES, a space now rebranded as 'BK MECHA KONTROL.' You can still find all his sets in the 'The DJ Booth' channel.

But today, I want you to meet Vincenzo, the person behind the show, the mixing console, and the lights. He’s a friend I first met back in 2009 on MySpace, and 15 years later, we’re still making noise together. I owe a great deal to Jolly Joker, and conducting this interview is my way of showing my appreciation.

So, let’s find out who is really behind 'LIVE ABSTRACT.'

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NuPulse: You started DJing at just 14 years old in Genoa. What drew you so early to the booth and the 90s club culture?
Jolly Joker: It all started at home in Genoa. I was just 14 years old, and I was always playing around with the family stereo. My mother noticed how naturally I moved with the music, and she came up with the idea of enrolling me in a professional DJ course that lasted three years. Looking back, I think she saw something in me before I even realized it myself. Or maybe she just wanted to save the family stereo from me! (laughs) Either way, that decision changed my life and opened the door to my musical journey.
NuPulse: So, it seems you were a lucky guy; back then, something like that wasn't common. Alright, let’s move on to further questions. Your sound moves between techno, trance, and progressive. How would you define the "Jolly Joker style" for someone who has never heard you?
Jolly Joker: If I had to describe my style in one word, it would be unpredictable. I’ve never wanted to be confined to one particular genre or a fixed formula. My sets can move through the driving energy of techno, the emotional melodies of trance, and the evolving atmospheres of progressive music. I can change the direction of a set, sometimes even the way it develops, but never without musical logic. I don’t choose tracks because an artist is famous. I choose the ones that move me. Often, everything begins with one particular track that sparks an emotion and inspires a musical journey. From there, the selection can take unexpected turns. But I don’t expect everyone to experience the music exactly as I do. If someone recognizes a part of themselves in even just one of the tracks I’ve selected, that’s enough for me.
NuPulse: That is a good philosophy. You have created projects like Live Abstract and Mental Therapy. What do you aim to convey with these sessions? Are they different mental states?
Jolly Joker: Mental Therapy and Live Abstract belong to two different moments in my life, but they share the same desire: to take people on a musical journey. Mental Therapy was a journey with no return, but always with its own musical logic. The destination was never entirely predictable. Live Abstract is much more personal, it was born from a difficult period of my life, when music became a way to transform pain into something positive. In a way, Live Abstract is my attempt to challenge disorder and create a little order within chaos. Every episode represents a different state of mind. There is no fixed formula, because emotions don’t follow one either. I don’t want to tell people what they should feel, I simply invite them to travel with me, and perhaps find something that belongs to them along the way.
NuPulse: Tell us about your strong connections with Miami and Milan. How does the dancefloor and the crowd's reaction change from one city to another?
Jolly Joker: Miami and Milan are two very different cultures, but they share one essential thing: a genuine love for music. In my experience, in Miami people have strong expectations of music itself. They look for the complete experience: energy, emotion, particular sounds, and everything that music can offer. That translates into a much more euphoric and expressive reaction on the dancefloor. In Milan, I have always felt a greater search for musical refinement. The audience is just as warm and passionate, but tends to express those feelings in a more composed way. I don’t see one approach as better than the other. They are simply two different ways of experiencing and expressing the same love for music.
NuPulse: That’s a good nuance to keep in mind. You cite Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, and Tiesto as influences. What have you learned from that golden era of trance that you still apply to your sets today?
Jolly Joker: The golden era of trance, and artists such as Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk and Tiësto, taught me that a DJ set needs more than just good tracks. It needs a journey. Melody creates emotion, anticipation builds tension, and sometimes a pause can be just as powerful as the music itself. You have to know when to let the music breathe and when to release its energy. Today my sound is often much more focused on driving techno, but I still carry those lessons with me. I believe a set should make people feel something, not just dance, I’m not trying to recreate the trance of the past. I take what that era taught me and bring it into the music I select today.
NuPulse: Very good point, feelings is the key, I completely agree. Also I’ve always thought that silence, as an ‘element,’ is essential in music. Let's continue; in your sets, are you more into planning every transition to the millimeter at home, or improvising and reading the club's energy in the moment?
Jolly Joker: I’ve never been the kind of DJ who plans every transition down to the smallest detail. I prefer to improvise, but always with musical logic. Sometimes, even when the dancefloor was responding well, I would deliberately make a sharp turn and take the music somewhere unexpected. It was a game I liked to play with the crowd. I wanted to see how people would react when they had no idea what was coming next. I also believe that sometimes a small mistake can create something magical, and when that happens, I don’t necessarily want to correct it. In the end, I was having fun, and so were they!
NuPulse: Yes, so true. Moving on to production: we know you already have experience producing. Do you plan to continue producing your own original tracks soon, or do you prefer to focus on your DJ sets and remixes?
Jolly Joker: Yes, absolutely. Producing original music is still an important part of who I am. I’ve already returned to the studio, experimenting with new sounds and developing new ideas. But I don’t want to rush anything or promise a release date before the music is ready, and there’s a little secret, although Billy already knows it: quite a few of my own productions are hidden inside different episodes of Live Abstract. I’ve always liked the idea of letting the music speak for itself, without necessarily announcing everything in advance. DJ sets remain an essential part of my musical life, but producing is something I definitely want to continue. When I feel that a track truly represents what I’m trying to express, that’s when I’ll be ready to share it with everyone.
NuPulse: Awesome. If you lock yourself in the studio to produce, what gear or software do you like to use? Are you more into analog hardware or plugins?
Jolly Joker: To be honest, my studio is a bit of a hidden arsenal! Sometimes I have so much equipment and software available that I don’t even know what to choose first! (laughs). I work mainly with Ableton Live and Logic Pro, and I’ve always had a special connection with my Access Virus TI. I also use software instruments such as OsTIrus, Sylenth1, Serum, and Native Instruments. I don’t really take sides between hardware and plugins. I simply choose whatever gives me the sound I’m looking for. In the end, what matters to me isn’t whether a sound comes from a physical synthesizer or a plugin, but what that sound makes me feel.
NuPulse: Totally agree. After so many years, what still makes you enjoy it like the first day when you are behind the decks?
Jolly Joker: What keeps me going is the love I have for music and the joy of sharing it with other people. I still get excited when I discover a track that moves me, and I still love the feeling of not knowing exactly where the next musical journey will take me. But there’s something even more important: the people. Seeing them enjoy themselves, sharing their energy, and knowing that, even for a little while, music has made them happy. I’ve learned never to take those moments for granted, because every journey we share could also be our last and maybe that’s exactly why, after forty years, I still approach the decks with the same passion I had when I was fourteen.
NuPulse: Oh mate we should make a film with your story. Ok Vincenzo, we’re going to wrap up this pleasant conversation with one last question: What can we expect from Jolly Joker in the coming months? Any new dates, projects, or surprises?
Jolly Joker: Live Abstract will certainly continue its journey. It’s a project that means a great deal to me, and I still have many musical stories I want to tell. I’m also working on new original productions. Some of my ideas are already hidden within Live Abstract, and I hope to bring more of them to life in the studio, and I wouldn’t rule out a return to playing in clubs. I’ve been away from that world for a while, but my passion for sharing music with a crowd has never disappeared. There are no confirmed dates at the moment, but I’m keeping that door open. As for surprises, I prefer not to reveal everything in advance. After all, unpredictability has always been part of Jolly Joker. I don’t know exactly where the next journey will take me, but I know I’m not ready to stop travelling. Music is a journey. It ends, and then it begins again.
NuPulse: It sounds very well my friend. Thank you for spending this time with me and the HIVE community; I’m sure everyone will be glad to get to know you a little better. I also hope you feel comfortable here, both in NuPulse and on HIVE. Sending you a big hug from all of us at HIVE!!!