Dr Séculaire

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Mixtape cover art: black background with circular portrait at bottom right framed by narrow white rings; ‘RIGHT ON!’ in large red letters at top left; ‘AHI NA MA!’ in white in centre; ‘right-on.org’ in white at bottom left. White text at top reads: ‘He’s back! Dr. Séculaire welcomes you to London’s late-night vintage Black music dance for party people of ALL identities.’
Listen to the Right On mixtape

Meet your host

Dr Jean-Paul Séculaire is the founder, curator, resident DJ, and host of Right On! It’s his job to keep the dance joyful and safe. He is committed to curating a Queer-friendly, Trans-inclusive space free of bigotry, predatory behaviour, and aggression.

From dancer to DJ

Jean-Paul grew up in London surrounded by Black music. His earliest memories include breakdancing on a sheet of lino in his grand­mother’s living room to the sounds of his uncle’s record collection.

Now a highly regarded selector and collector of vintage vinyl and 78s, Dr Séculaire specialises in non-electronic dance music from across the Black diaspora.

Dr. Séculaire DJing, dressed in black tie.
© Alastair McAskill

Old-school Black music

Although known to play hot jazz, swing, bebop, and jump blues from time to time, his Right On sets focus primarily on the music of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s: calypso, mambo, rhythm & blues, ska, rumba, kwela, high­life, soul, doo wop, samba, funk, Latin jazz, soul jazz, boogaloo, salsa, reggae, mento, spouge, Afro­beat, and more.

From DJ to scholar… and back again

After fifteen years of DJing, Jean-Paul decided to change gears and left London to pursue academic research in Bristol. In July 2024, he was awarded a PhD and proudly returned to London five months later as Dr Séculaire.

On his return, the Doctor immersed himself in the capital’s post-pandemic nightlife, and soon realised the time was right to reinvent and relaunch Right On! He is now looking forward to welcoming new generations of dancers to the club to discover the joys of vintage Black music.

From burlesque clubs to reggae concerts

These are just a few of the highlights of Dr Séculaire’s résumé:

  1. DJing at Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues​—​London’s longest running weekly club night (est. 1980).

  2. DJing at Hellzapoppin’​—​London’s legendary swing dance (est. 1989).

  3. DJing at the Royal Festival Hall as part of The Rest Is Noise festival.

  4. Touring Italy​—​from the Arci Biko in Milan to the Angelo Mai in Rome.

  5. Supporting reggae pioneers Prince Buster and Toots & the Maytals.

  6. Hosting a weekly modern jazz show on Station FM community radio.

  7. Helping sound­track the UK’s burlesque & cabaret revival from ’04–’14 via sets at the Lady Luck Club, London International Burlesque Festival, White Mischief, etc.