With the field of house music DJs continuing to expand exponentially, it’s become increasingly difficult for any one talent to stand out. That is unless, of course, you’re Chad Jack, who will be spinning at Stingaree on Sunday, Sept. 17.

In what almost seems like overnight, this extremely gifted young DJ/producer has infiltrated New York City’s formidable nightlife scene with his brilliant remix work and recurring gigs at three of the city’s most popular nightclubs: Roxy, Avalon (formally Limelight) and Spirit.

Born and raised in Michigan, Jack first discovered his passion for dance music while listening to radio-mix shows he tuned in to that were broadcast from nearby Chicago. Inspired by industry pioneers like Farley Keith, Fast Eddie, Bad Boy Bill and the Hot Mix 5, Jack found a creative outlet for his newfound interest behind the turntables.

After eight years honing his craft as a hip-hop battle DJ in Michigan – performing theatrical tricks using turntables as instruments a la the DMC mixing competitions – Jack packed up the vinyl in the summer of 1995 and moved to New York City to further his musical education and career. His focus soon shifted from hip-hop to house music, and he began experimenting on his computer, creating his own remixes of popular songs.

While working at Eight Ball Records, the self-taught DJ and aspiring producer befriended industry legends Victor Calderone and Hex Hector. Empowered by their advice and encouragement, Jack worked even harder to take his artistry to the next level.

The rookie producer focused his attention on mastering the Logic software program, which he uses to create and manipulate music for his live sets. His unreleased mixes of Missy Elliott’s “Work It” and Whitney Houston’s “Fine” generated a great deal of buzz around New York, but it was the birthday present he made for Junior Vasquez in 2002 that truly set Jack’s career into overdrive.

When he handed a CD containing his mashup of Vernessa Mitchell’s “Reap” and Whitney Houston’s “Whatchulookinat” to the person guarding the DJ booth at Earth, he wasn’t sure if Vasquez would ever see or hear it. But just two hours later, Vasquez played his mix and the crowd went absolutely wild. Jack has since remixed Chicola’s “Imagetcha” and Purple Kitty’s “Bang On” for Junior Vasquez Music, as well as an updated version of Vernessa Mitchell’s “Trouble Don’t Last Always.”

While his production work is indeed impressive, Jack’s extraordinary talent and showmanship is perhaps best appreciated during his live DJ sets. Clearly influenced by his hip-hop and early Chicago house origins, yet confident playing any genre of dance music, Chad admits, “It’s more about how I play the records as opposed to which records I play.”

While his distinct style and sound will inevitably continue to evolve over the years, the one thing the ambitious DJ/producer plans to make sure never changes is when someone walks into a party that he’s playing at, they shouldn’t have to ask who’s behind the decks – they’ll immediately know it’s Chad Jack.

Rocket: What are some trademarks of your famous showmanship?

Chad Jack: With vinyl, I still occasionally like to do some old school “2 copy” tricks – repeating, scratching, etc.. I also do a lot of sampling and looping, and multiple layering, especially with acapellas.

Rocket: Do you scratch?

CJ: Yes, but it really depends on the crowd and the party. Not so much as of [late], though.

Rocket: What music elements characterize your style?

CJ: I’d have to say my early Chicago/Detroit house roots, as well as my hip-hop/turntablism influences.

Rocket: You consistently play two of the biggest clubs in N.Y.C. What are the things about each space that you like and that make your DJing experience there different from the others?

CJ: Roxy: I don’t feel so “scripted” when I play. I have a lot more freedom to play what I want, which is usually less vocal and more cutting-edge house.

Spirit: legendary space with an amazing sound system. I’m more comfortable in the DJ booth at Spirit. However, the crowd is very young, so I tend to play more vocals and more familiar tracks than I’d personally like too. But it’s still a fun night.

Rocket: What are the hot music trends and tracks on the N.Y.C. club scene now?

CJ: Hmm… that’s a tough one because there are so many different DJs with different styles in N.Y.C. But I have been hearing a lot of electro house lately, along with tribal, of course.

Rocket: What can San Diego expect on Sept. 17 that’s different from what they’ve experienced before?

CJ: I’ve never been to San Diego, so I don’t know what they’ve experienced before. But I tend to play less of the predictable “circuity” stuff, I suppose.

Rocket: How do you keep the crowd and energy up?

CJ: I try not to play records that don’t work. If I throw a record on that’s not getting the response that I’m looking for… I get rid of it really fast!

Rocket: Who are some artists to look out for?

CJ: Deepa Soul and Heather Leigh West, great vocalists who I plan on working with in the future.

Rocket: What’s your advice for aspiring DJs?

CJ: Stay true to yourself. Remember that you can’t please everyone, so don’t try to. Always keep things moving forward by finishing what you start. In other words, never give up! It’s a competitive industry, but with hard work, goals and determination, you can make it happen!

Be sure to catch Chad Jack at Stingaree on Sunday, Sept. 17. Doors at 8:00 p.m. For more information on Chad Jack, visit www.chadjack.com. For more information on Stingaree, visit www.stingsandiego.com.