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When it comes to D.C.-area cultural exports, it’s a lot easier to be proud of Marvin Gaye and the Washington Color School than new-age music. But why not be proud of new-age music too? The acoustic guitar style John Fahey honed growing up in Takoma Park inspired a few years’ worth of better-than-you-think records on Windham Hill, and there are plenty of gems in the genre that label pioneered. Washington Post music critic Chris Richards will tell you that: Since 2010 he’s been spinning new-age sounds at Glide, a monthly DJ night at Café Saint-Ex dedicated to relaxation music of all sorts. Inspired by Brian Eno’s ambient records, he’s dug deep into chill-out tunes to find lost classics like J.D. Emmanuel’s 1982 album Wizards. The vibe is as relaxed as the playlist is well-researched. “I think people find it refreshing,” says Richards, “to listen to a type of music in public that isn’t clamoring for our attention.”
Glide begins at 9 p.m. at Café Saint-Ex, 1847 14th St. NW. Free. saint-ex.com. (202) 265-7839.