The Secret of SPINH.

"For me, funk is a feeling. It's a great feeling that makes you want to get up and get down!" So says DJ Nickodemus, and the man should know. Seven years ago, he launched Turntables on the Hudson, an ongoing series of epic danceathons at offbeat Manhattan locations, spinning the kind of soulful, streetwise tracks that shrug off genre constraints and instead give a lay a big, sweaty hug to all things funkified. From greasy Motown soul to boogiedown Bronx hip-hop to thumping European house to dark, driving Afrobeat, Nickodemus is one of the underground's craftiest bloodhounds, always on the hunt for untapped veins to transfuse into his mix. "People come from all backgrounds, and dance music goes way beyond one type of sound," he says. "Luckily, the dance community around the world communicates very well and when there's a new record or sound out there, it's a matter of days before music is shared." One of Nick's signature elements is incorporating live players — guitarists, drummers, vocalists — into his sets. "It's hard to find the right cats who know the music you're spinning and know when to play and when not to play," he says. "It's a real dialogue." You can hear that funky conversation all over Endangered Species, his recently released, floor-waxing solo album. Better yet, eavesdrop in person when Nickodemus hits Aquabooty this weekend.

DJ Nickodemus spins at Aquabooty at 11 p.m. Friday, December 2, at Nocturnal, 50 N.E. 11th St., Miami. Tickets start at $20. Call 305-576-6996.