Performing in a purple dinosaur suit isn’t Mochipet’s only claim to fame — he also occasionally spins real vinyl, collaborates with local jazz ensembles (like The Evan Francis Group, formerly Spaceheater), and creates mashups from bands that are more similar in moniker than they are in tone (e.g., Cash Money Millionaires and Johnny Cash). Also, he knows his music history: The turntablist formerly known as David Wang used to have his own three-hour show on San Mateo’s KCSM, one in a small handful of extant non-commercial jazz stations. Such disparate influences are unusual for a DJ, even in the progressive Bay Area, and it’s no wonder that Mochipet is such a rousing success. Perhaps the biggest testament to his stature as an artist was a 2008 concert at Carnegie Hall, during which a twenty-piece orchestra played Stefan Freund’s arrangement of the Mochipet piece, “Dessert Search for Techno Baklava.” This week Mochipet will unveil a new album, Mochipet Is Evil, which he produced in collaboration with dancehall vocalist MC Zulu. They’ll celebrate with a cast of several other DJs on Friday, Mar. 9, at ICON Ultra Lounge (1192 Folsom St., San Francisco). 9 p.m., $10. IconLoungeSF.com
