For San Francisco, it's a very cosmopolitan sound, sophisticated and jazzy but dance-floor conscious. Though better known among global dance culture than in his own hometown, DJ Mark Farina comes as close as any single performer to encapsulating the sound of San Francisco. First hitting the decks as a Midwestern teenager, Farina drew his inspiration from the booming Chicago house culture of the late '80s.
Jazz still provides a strong influence for Farina.
Instead of slamming nonstop, Farina ebbs and flows, creating a sound that's a marked departure from the up-tempo hard trance and funky house that now dominates the Bay Area rave scene. 400 S. First St., San Jose. 2000 Metro Publishing Inc. MetroActive is affiliated with the Boulevards Network .