Say or think the name Peanut Butter Wolf, look at that pic, and tell me if it doesn’t prompt a snicker or at least put a “WTF” look on your face. After I got a listen of this San Jose-based DJ (aka Chris Manack) who pastes reggae, hardcore hip-hop, soul from the past century, with a bit of the old-fashioned scratching a la Public Enemy thrown in, however –  I’ve learned that if anything, it makes for an appropriate moniker. The sweet and soothing melodies of 80′s R&B pop, jazz, and old school soul that Wolf blends so awesomely with more aggressive hip-hop beats, foul-mouthed and borrowed from some of the genre’s most notorious acts. He’s one of those few DJs who can manage to resonate with his crowd and keep his hand on the pulse from second to second: the Parisian masses seem to know every soul and R&B obscurity before it leaves the subwoofer. You kind of have to listen of his show on Red Bull Music Academy Radio to really get a taste of the performance. Whatever it is, it’s working well.