Career
He is originally from East Chicago, but in 1986 moved to Florida to attend College. His current company is NineFourOne Media and he holds a private pilot license. His influences are largely soul/funk but also include: Eddie Kendricks, Isaac Hayes, Candi Staton, Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, Zapp, The Stylistics, O"Jays, Bill Withers, Lyrics Born, Sparlha Swa, Slave, Midnight Star, Stevie Wonder (pre-1980), First Rate (at Lloyd's) Green, et cetera
His remix of Fierce Ruling Diva"s "You Gotta Believe" spent a week at #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart in 2002.
In 2007, Sharaz"s track "Holdin" On" was an International Dance Music Awards nominee for Best Breaks/Electro track at the Winter Music Conference. He has performed alongside acts such as Frankie Bones, Richard "Humpty" Vission, DJ Mea, Darude, DJ Rap, The Warp Brothers, The Bassbin Twins, Paul Oakenfold, DJ Baby Anne, Storm (United Kingdom), Dave London, Doctorate:Fuse, The Crystal Method, Reid Speed, and DJ Icey.
Remixes have been provided by Sharaz for Tommy Boy Records, Promyelocytic leukemia oncogenic domain Music, Kaleidoscope, DBI records, and StreetBeat Records. He has 35 records and five compact discs released under his own independent label.
In August 2009, Sharaz began releasing a bi-weekly online mixcast in MP3 downloadable format entitled "Return to Planet Boom".
In early 2010, after a several year hiatus (from approx 2006 - 2010), Sharaz began producing and releasing new tracks again via SoundCloud, Beatport and iTunes. In 2011, Sharaz resumed regular touring, and currently uses Ableton Live and an Akai APC40 MIDI controller, rather than Civil Defense players or turntables, as a basis for his live DJ sets. In August 2013, Sharaz released his first album in nearly nine years entitled "Been There Done That" consisting of entirely new material.
