After Dinner Speakers: Paul Oakenfold, Natasha Kaplinski, Pauline Collins

Seminal house DJ Paul Oakenfold was one of the founding fathers of the acid house scene that swept London in the late '80s and paved the way for the rise of electronica in the '90s. Today, Oakenfold remains one of the most respected and sought-after DJs/remixers in the business. Born in London, England, in 1963, Oakenfold began spinning records at age 16. From the basement of a club in Covent Garden, he polished his skills and, in the late '70s, headed for New York, "the heart of the dance world at the time," he says. Oakenfold spent more than a year there, studying the stylings of legendary disco DJ Larry Levan. Upon returning to England, Oakenfold took a job as an A&R consultant, spreading the hip-hop ethic throughout the U.K. and working for record labels such as Profile and Def Jam. During this time, Oakenfold was responsible for signing hip-hop powerhouses Salt 'n Pepa and Will Smith. In 1987, during an extended trip to Ibiza, an island off the Spanish coast, Oakenfold discovered the exotic rhythms of Balearic-styled trance, a combination of house, soul, disco and island music. Oakey returned to the U.K. with this new sound and took up residency at some of London's biggest dance clubs, including his influential Spectrum Club at Heaven. Oakey played an instrumental role in 1988's acid house Summer of Love, a turning point in England's house music scene. In addition to his numerous DJ gigs, Oakenfold has spent many hours in the studio remixing songs for the likes of U2, the Rolling Stones, Snoop Dogg, Smashing Pumpkins and Bjork. Oakenfold also established his own highly successful record label, Perfecto Records, home to Grace and Man With No Name, among others. In 1998, after 10 years of uninterrupted success in the U.K., Oakenfold released his first full-length mix CD in the United States. Tranceport, an 11-track collection of Oakenfold's best remixes, hit American record stores in early November 1998. Oakenfold spent that fall on an American club tour. Oakenfold ended 1998 on a high note when he was voted "Best DJ in the World" by DJ magazine.