Mark Farina Mixtapes

A collection of mixes from one of the most distinctive and enduring figures in American house music, Mark Farina. Chicago-born, San Francisco-adopted, and genuinely one of a kind.

Mark Farina's story starts in Chicago, where at 16 he became obsessed with records and found his way into Medusa's, the city's legendary underage club. In 1988 he met Derrick Carter at a record shop, landed a residency at the iconic Smart Bar, and the following year the two released "Mood" with Chris Nazuka - credited as the first ambient house track, selling over 35,000 copies. Farina relocated to San Francisco in 1992, where he found his second home and developed the sound he'd become famous for. The Mushroom Jazz series - a downtempo fusion of hip hop instrumentals, funk, acid jazz, and curveballs - started as cassette tapes sold over the counter at Gramaphone Records, became a cult phenomenon, and eventually ran to eight volumes on Om Records.

These mixes document Farina across his peak years - the deep house sets, the Mushroom Jazz sessions, and everything in between.