It only comes around once a year — so take to the streets of Chinatown and party hard in celebration of Mardi Gras.

Last year's festivities were loud and lively, with colorful beads, musical artists, food vendors and dancers. This year, the formula is similar, but the anticipation has racheted higher because promoters Mark Tarone and Tim Bostock have landed jet-setting producer DJ Sabo for the event.

We caught a phone interview with the deejay in New York while he was in a taxi on his way to a gig at the hip, new Standard Hotel.

More than two years after his first (and only) Hawai'i gig at NextDoor, Sabo promised new tracks for Honolulu Mardi Gras patrons.

"I've got a bunch of new music," he said. "There is a German label called Man Recordings that produced a compilation of bossa nova and baile funk that I'll be spinning."

Sabo, who played at the pre-inaugural Huffington Ball last month, has spun all around the world over the past 13 years, stopping in Brazil, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Austria, Mexico and Kosovo. His mix of baile funk, salsa, Latin house mash-up and Afro beats helped Sabo create a niche for dance lovers.

"I really like this type of music because of the percussion. The rhythm is hard not to dance to," Sabo said. "It's warm, tropical music that makes you feel good and is never depressing."

"I love deejaying because it makes people dance and feel good," Sabo said. "It's very rewarding — especially if they're dancing to a track I made."