Since his first compilation tape at age 12, made as a gift
for his father’s birthday, Don has been driven by a love for
music. In ’88 at underground parties around the St. Louis area
Don began his DJ career, spinning industrial from such labels
as, Wax Trax, Nettwerk and TVT. In the years to come, he
studied the art form then generically known as rave or techno.
By 1990 Don had found House music, at the time only found in
small underground clubs. Shortly after Don began producing house
music, which yielded his first live production in 1993. This
began a six-year period of toning his style and technique. After
meeting a group of local Dub producers with a talent for “doing
it live”, the five performed their debut as the live "Space
House" House music production, 84 Glyde.
Within a year 84 Glyde reached the top of the St. Louis dance
music scene playing headlining slots with likes of ESP Woody
McBride, DJ Digital (Aux 88) and DJ Swamp (World DMC Champion).
After two years as 84 Glyde the group disbanded in late 1998 to
pursue individual goals and projects. Within six months after
the separation of 84 Glyde, Don wrote, recorded and mixed his
first vinyl release, a song of the Tech-House genre entitled “G
Force training kit” under the pseudonym SUB-STANCE.
From October 2000 to the present Don has been working on his
Jazzy House project entitled Urban Jazz Naturals. Urban Jazz
Naturals is a collective of four musicians, Don Tinsley (drum,
synth, bass and sample programming) Mo Egeston (keyboard,
backing vocals), Dawn Weber (lead vocals, trumpet and
flugelhorn), and Christian Oncken (guitar drum, synth
programming, backing vocals). Combining sequencing techniques,
live horns, digital and analog synthesizers, drum machines and
vocals; Urban Jazz Naturals has carved a unique niche in live
performance and studio production. Drawing from many musical
genres encompassing Jazz, Soul and House music among others the
Urban Jazz Naturals took the House music community by storm with
the debut promo “How Can I?” remixed by veteran Producer and DJ,
JT Donaldson.
In addition to two residencies in St. Louis Don is busy
playing guest appearances at dance clubs throughout the U.S.
alongside industry greats such as Lenny Fontana (Ministry of
Sound), Mark E. Quark (Spundae), Q-Burns Abstract Message
(Eighth Dimension) and Demarkus Lewis (Aesoteric) to name just a
few. Don has become known for his ability to excel at many
production / DJ styles of music ranging from Deep House to German Techno and
everything in between.