Podcasts about west end records

New York, 1976: Ein leidenschaftlicher Disco-Fan aus Massachusetts, Mel Cheren, gründet ein Plattenlabel, das später zu den einflussreichsten in der Geschichte der Dance Music zählen wird – West End Records. Für viele gilt es als das stilprägendste Label dieser Ära. (superfly.fm)

Hey Hey beautiful people here is this weeks Radio Rewind in High Definition Sounds

Hey Hey Beautiful People I'll be Back once again like a Renegade master this Sunday . The paradise sessions - Discos Revenge returns this Sunday with @markymmp on @cruise_fm 10am - 1pm UK cruise FM. Paradise 623 reworked Wow wow wow so todays show was a fantastic journey where Salsoul met Westend records and reworked them.. Hand picked and a special selection delivered in the Style of the paradise Garage,, I hope you enjoy the journey TRACKLIST 2:30 M.F.S.B. - K-Jee (2007 Remastered Saturday Night Fever Version) 6:30 Marc Sadane - Baby Won't Cha 11:00 Boogie Boots - The Feeling (2020 Rework) 25:30 Tom Browne - Funkin' for Jamaica 29:00 Tony Momrelle - Back Together Again 32:30 Komiko - Feel Alright (Original Mix) 33:30 Komiko - Feel Alright 41:30 MFSB - Mysteries of the World 43:30 The Shapeshifters - Slippery People (feat. Ramona Renea & Fiorious) [7" Version] 49:00 Aurra - A Little Love (Steve "Silk" Hurley Remix) 53:30 Skyy - Here's To You (Dimitri from Paris DJ Friendly Classic Re-Edit) [2017 Remaster] 55:30 Skyy - Here's To You 1:00:30 Barbara Mason - Another Man (Dr Packer Radio Edit) 1:04:00 Barbara Mason - Another Man (Dr Packer Edit) 1:06:30 Mahogany - Ride On The Rhythm (Michael Gray Radio Edit) 1:17:00 First Choice - Double Cross (Danny Tenaglia Remix) 1:19:30 Salsoul Orchestra - Sun After the Rain 1:34:00 Double Exposure - Everyman (Joey Negro's Salsoul Strut) 1:38:00 First Choice - Double Cross 1:46:30 Bunny Sigler - By the Way You Dance (I Knew It Was You) [Larry Levan Remix; 2017 - Remaster] 1:53:30 North End - Kind of Life (Kind of Love) [MAW Remix] [2016 - Remaster] 1:58:00 DJ S - Silky Music 1:59:00 Raw Silk - Do It To The Music (2012 - Remaster) I love you all Marky MMP

ey Beautiful people!!! This weeks rewind in Full HD . Hey Beautiful people!!! Back once again like a renegade master. Yes I'm back so try to contain yourselves. I hope you can join me this Sunday at the new time of 10 am UK on Cruise FM. Yes that's right now 3 hours of Paradise. This week in the feature hour we have on of my favourite record labels West End Records with some huge Paradise Garage favourites… As per usual I'll be bringing a taste of Paradise to the weekend. The vinyl frontier with cuts from my recent Vinyl excursion plus new music and a few cheeky bootlegs. I hope you can join me on this special weekly journey .. Here are the listen links on the award winning Cruise FM. , Now Live between 10am and 1pm I love you all.. XX Track Listing 1 Prime Time Mtume 2 Heartbreaker Leroy Burgess 3 Takes A Little Time (12" Extended HQ) Total Contrast 4 Tossing and turning. Windjammer 5 Pick Up The Pieces Average White Band 6 Just Call (Alex Di Ciò Re-Edit) Sherrick 7 Gwen McCrae - Funky Sensation (Alkalino rework) Alkalino 8 Mine All Mine (12 Inch Extended) Cashflow 9 History Mai Tai Em 10 Give Me Your Love (Dr Packer Rework) Active Force 11 Hangin' On A String Loose Ends 12 West End 25th Anniversary Intro Cevin Fisher 13 Serious, Sirius, Space Party (Masters at Work Mix) Ednah Holt 14 Heartbeat (Club Version) (Mixed by Larry Levan) Taana Gardner 15 Chillin' Out (2012 Remaster) Inez Brooks 16 Rescue Me Sybil Thomas 17 Let Me Feel Your Heartbeat (2012 Remaster) Glass 18 Just In Time Raw Silk 19 Is It All Over My Face (MAW Remix) Loose Joints 20 Hot Shot Karen Young 21 When You Touch Me (MAW Re-Edit) Taana Gardner 22 Kind of Life (Kind of Love) MAW Paradise Edit North End 23 Don't Make Me Wait NYC Peech Boys 24 When You Touch Me (Larry Levan Mix) [2012 Remaster] Taana Gardner 25 Beautiful Chris Ballin 26 NIGHTS (The Realm Remix) Rich Beggar 27 Clouds Across The Moon (Ben Liebrand Rework) Rah Band 28 Stomp 2023 (Rod Layman Remix) Brothers Johnson 29 Nights Over Egypt - Masters At Work Main Mix Incognito/Jocelyn Brown/Maysa/"Little" Luis Vega/Kenny Dope/Masters At Work 30 Look At The Stars (Dave's Starshine Club Mix) Dave & Maurissa, Dave Lee ZR, Maurissa Rose 31 Self-Love (Terry Hunter's Club Mix) Terry Hunter, Estelle, J. Ivy, Chantay Savage 32 Space Cowboy (David Morales Mix) (Dr Packer Remix - Extended) Jamiroquai 33 My Body (Louie Vega Remix Synth Bass) Luther Vandross 34 Galaxy 2023 (Original Mix) The MuthaFunkaz 35 Unfinished Sympathy (Dr Packer Remix - Extended) Massive Attack

Réecoutez le Manhattan Show by Manhattan Funk Magical Funk Vol.1 du dimanche 14 mai 2023  Edition Magical Funk N°1 sélectionnée par Christophe Auger et mixée par Manhattan Funk. Cette sélection de morceaux intemporels du funk des années 80 vous emmène dans un voyage musical à travers des rythmes groovy et des mélodies accrocheuses.Le premier morceau de cette sélection est "Mr Magicien" de Mystic Merlin, sorti en 1982 chez Capitol Records. Cette chanson est un classique absolu du funk, avec son riff de synthé entrainant et ses vocaux énergiques. Le suivant est "The Good Guy's Supposed to Get the Girls" de Philip Bailey, sorti en 1983 chez Columbia Records et produit par George Duke. Cette chanson a une ambiance plus douce, avec des harmonies vocales douces et une instrumentation riche. "Don't Turn Your Back on Love" de Freddie James, sortie chez Arista Records et mixée par Tee Scott, est un morceau dynamique avec des guitares funky et des rythmes de batterie entraînants. "Crazy" de Manhattan's, sorti en 1983 chez Columbia Records, est un autre morceau funk très réussi, avec une basse profonde. "Never Say Never" de Melba Moore, sortie chez Capitol Records en 1983, est une autre chanson remarquable de la sélection. Elle offre une ambiance plus douce et romantique avec des arrangements subtils. "Love's Gonna Get You" des UK Players, sorti chez RCA en 1983, est un autre morceau entraînant avec des percussions exotiques et des claviers funky. Evelyn Champagne King est une autre icône de la musique funk, et son morceau "Stop That" sorti chez RCA en 1982. "Square Biz" de Teena Marie est un instrumental présent sur le 12" face B, sorti chez Motown en 1981. Ce titre offre une ambiance plus jazzy avec des solos de claviers et des sections de cuivres impressionnantes. "What Have You Got to Lose" de The Jammers, sorti chez Salsoul Records en 1982, est un morceau groovy et entraînant avec des guitares funky et des sections de cuivres vibrantes. "Summer Grooves" de Mirage, sorti chez Flamingo en 1980, est un autre exemple de morceau funky avec des arrangements subtils. "The Kool People (Tender Mix)" de Jimmie Gray, sorti chez JKO Records en 1984, est un titre plus doux et atmosphérique avec des voix douces. "Plaisir Fou de Toi" de Plaisir, sorti chez Carrere Records en 1982, est un autre morceau funky avec des riffs de guitare accrocheurs et des claviers entraînants, digne représentant de la production Française."Love Town" de Booker Newberry III, sorti chez Polydor en 1984. Cette chanson a un groove funky entraînant avec des rythmes de batterie percutants. Les voix soulful de Booker Newberry III donnent une touche émotionnelle à la chanson et la rendent inoubliable. Ensuite, "Time" de Stone, sorti chez West-End Records, est un autre morceau funky emblématique de cette sélection. Les harmonies vocales ajoutent une dimension supplémentaire au titre, la rendant encore plus mémorable. Enfin, "Joy and Pain" de Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, sorti chez Capitol Records en 1980, est un autre morceau emblématique de cette sélection. Cette chanson a une instrumentation riche avec des cordes douces, des guitares funk et des claviers hypnotiques. La voix de Frankie Beverly est incroyablement expressive et soulful, ajoutant une touche émotionnelle supplémentaire à la chanson. Dans l'ensemble, l'édition Magical Funk N°1 est une sélection de morceaux incroyablement bien choisis qui capturent l'essence de la musique funk des années 80. Grâce à la programmation experte de Christophe Auger, cette sélection de morceaux funky est à ne pas manquer pour tous les fans de musique funk et de danse. 

Réecoutez le FG Chic Invite Glitterbox avec Jayda G du samedi 11 mars 2023  Tracklist :  Peech Boys - Life Is Something Special [Island Records] 00:00 Garfield Fleming - Don't Send Me Away [Becket Records] 04:20 Raw Silk - Do It To The Music (Club Mix 2012) [West End Records] 07:23 Crazy P - Stop Space Return [20/20/ Vision] 12:10 Guy Cuevas - Obsession (The Nassau Mix) [Trad Vibe] 16:55 France Joli - Gonna Get Over You [Prelude] 20:48 Jayda G - Circle Back Around [Ninja Tune] 26:12 Kiki Gyan - Keep On Dancing [Soundway Records] 29:21 Michael Boothman Touch - Waiting For Your Love [Touch Production] 34:13 King Tutt - You've Got Me Hung Up [Fun City Records] 37:10 Joe Cardwell - People Make The World Go Round (Kenny Dope Remix) [Soulstar Records] 39:47 House Of Jazz - Hold Your Head Up [Urgent Music Works] 44:32 Benjamin Brunn - No Kicks [Third Ear Recordings] 47:54 ESG - Dance [Fire Records] 52:30 Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero (Jayda G Remix) [Republic Records] 56:47 

Podcast from Defected Records Peech Boys - Life Is Something Special [Island Records] 00:00Garfield Fleming - Don't Send Me Away [Becket Records] 04:20Raw Silk - Do It To The Music (Club Mix 2012) [West End Records] 07:23Crazy P - Stop Space Return [20/20/ Vision] 12:10Guy Cuevas - Obsession (The Nassau Mix) [Trad Vibe] 16:55France Joli - Gonna Get Over You [Prelude] 20:48Jayda G - Circle Back Around [Ninja Tune] 26:12Kiki Gyan - Keep On Dancing [Soundway Records] 29:21Michael Boothman Touch - Waiting For Your Love [Touch Production] 34:13King Tutt - You've Got Me Hung Up [Fun City Records] 37:10Joe Cardwell - People Make The World Go Round (Kenny Dope Remix) [Soulstar Records] 39:47House Of Jazz - Hold Your Head Up [Urgent Music Works] 44:32Benjamin Brunn - No Kicks [Third Ear Recordings] 47:54ESG - Dance [Fire Records] 52:30Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero (Jayda G Remix) [Republic Records] 56:47

After the success of the Prelude Records special I did 3 weeks ago I decided to do a feature on West End Records for this weeks Revolve Radio Show. Featuring music from the label covering House music on West End Tracks to those big classics mixed by Larry Levan and played at the Paradise Garage. […]

Music from Shall Not Fade, Ugly Music, West End Records, Hooj Tunes... Turned On is supported by my Patreon followers. If you want to show your love for my podcast and what I do, you can subscribe to my Patreon for less than 50p per episode to support me and in return you can enjoy perks like guestlist benefits for my gigs, free downloads, exclusive mixes, exclusive previews of my tracks and extended versions of my club sets. If you want to support me in another way, please give this podcast a 5-star review, repost it on Mixcloud or SoundCloud or buy/stream my music. If you use Spotify, follow my new bonus podcast series Turned On Extra, featuring themed shows that incorporate full tracks from Spotify's music library. The first two episodes focus on Todd Edwards and Kerri Chandler. Follow me on Songkick to receive alerts when I'm playing near you  Bookings: info@bengomori.com Discover more new music + exclusive premieres on SoundCloud  Follow the Turned On Spotify playlist, with over 2300 tracks played on this show and in my sets. Subscribe to RecordReplay, my £10 budget second-hand vinyl mixtape series. Subscribe to Monologues, my podcast series where producers mix only their own productions. Turned On is powered by Inflyte – the world's fastest growing music promo platform. Tracklist: Fontaines D.C - A Hero's Death (Soulwax Remix) [Partisan Records] Sparque - Take Some Time [West End Records] Cave Dwellers - Word Is Out [Ugly Music]  Underground Evolution - Walk On Water [Ugly Music] Sharam Jey & Nick K. - Cool Touch [Hooj Tunes] Sharam Jey & Nick K. - Don't Lie [Hooj Tunes] Josh Gabriel - Wave 3 [Nebula] Ruf Dug - Manc Sunset [Shall Not Fade] Phil Asher Tribute: Suba - Você Gosta (Restless Soul Keep Mix) [SSR Records] Joakim Lone Octet - Reve 1 (Restless Soul Mix) [Future Talk] Sara Parker - My Love Is Deep [Blak ‘n' Spanish Mix] [Manifesto] Phil Asher presents Focus - Having Your Fun [Restless Soul]

Bobbin Headcast 90 – By Husky – 08/10/2020 Follow us on the social links below www.facebook.com/bobbinheadmusic www.soundcloud.com/bobbinheadmusic www.twitter.com/bobbinheadmusic www.instagram.com/bobbinheadmusic Track listing 1. Scruscru – S For Sexy Edit – Boogie Angst 2. Magnifik Feat MCKY – Dance With Me (LJ Hawk Refixxx) – Bobbin Head Music 3. The Salsoul Orchestra – Ooh I Love It (Love Break) (Dimitri From Paris Classic Re-Edit) – West End Records 4. Chanelle & Eric Kupper – One Man (Michael Gray Remix) – Big Love 5. Moon Rocket Feat Kelli Sae – Always Have Me – Moon Rocket Music 6. Husky Feat Red London – Heaven (Mo’Cream Remix) – Bobbin Head Music 7. LTS – Paradise (Nathan G Remix) – Luvbug Recordings 8. Lebedev (RU) – Jazz Piano - Cyanide 9. RawBeetz – Trouble Sleeping – i! Records 10. Husky Feat Tasha LaRae – Good Life – Bobbin Head Music 11. Crispin J Glover – Thin Ice – Century City Music 12. Risk Assessment & DJ Romain – This Must Be Deep (JT Donaldson & Saison Remix) – No Fuss 13. Husky Feat iDo – Go Don’t Stop (Johan S Remix) – Bobbin Head Music 14. CASSIMM & Rion S – Hey Trevor – Altra Moda Music 15. Pelvis Moves – London Compton – Club Sweat 16. Juliet Sikora & Ashibah – Pain In My Brain - Kittball

We have already reached Episode 6 of 8 in this first season of the brave educator podcast. Dawn Tallman's voice is so magical; and if you don't already know, Tim'm is happy to introduce the world to the power and healing wonder of that voice on the Monday, June 8th episode. In this episode, the two vocalists, songwriters, musicians, and househeads talk about how music, and especially house music, has held a special place in helping them through scars and bruises on the healing journey. The episode features two songs that have continued to inspire Tim'm: Wipe the Needle's "Release" featuring Dawn Tallman, and a song from her long-awaited and highly celebrated 2019 project, For Me, called "Celebrate Myself". As the two talk on the same day that countless protests were happening in the country in the fight for Black Lives, the episode also captures the raw emotion of Tim'm's experience, just before their interview, of being stopped and interrogated by police in what was an all-too-familiar instance that called upon his calm and composure amid such righteous rage. Dawn Tallman is marketed as "The Queen of Gospel Energy" by her record company. She was born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, and started singing in church and later on was featured in a great number of R&B and dance recordings. She has cooperated with a great number of recording artists and DJs and made part of various ensemble groups traveling internationally. In 1997, she was featured on "Set My Spirit Free" with Kings Of Tomorrow (K.O.T.), in 1999 in remix of "Wake Up" remixed by Hex Hector and in 2000 in Soulstar Syndicate EP Take Me (Mind, Body & Soul). The song charted on SNEP, the official French Singles Chart. In 2005, she was part of U.D.A.U.F.L., an acronym for Underground Dance Artists United For Life, a collaboration of Dance music acts put together by the producer duo Blaze. In 2006, she was featured in DJ Disciple single "Work It Out", released under DJ Disciple's Catch 22 Recordings label, becoming a dance hit record. It was played in Ibiza in 2006, BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong the track appeared on a number of labels and compilations such as Xtravaganza (UK), Blanco Y Negro (Spain), Poole Music (France), Networks (Italy) and United (Belgium). It was a charting hit in Spain. In 2008, "Work It Out" was re-released with remixes by Klass for House Trained Records. In October 2006, Dawn Tallman released a single through West End Records entitled "Save a Place on the Dance Floor For Me" written by West End Records founder Mel Cheren and Warren Rigg and produced by DJ Gomi. In 2015, she was featured on Bob Sinclar's "Feel the Vibe" charting in France, Belgium and Italy, as well as going to number one on the US Dance chart. She released a long-awaited and celebrated project, For Me, in 2019. #dawntallman #househead #blackgirlmagic #blackboyjoy

Podcast from Defected Records 1. Double Dee featuring Dany - Found Love (Full Mix) [Epic]2. Mistura - Think Positive (Joey Negro Club Mix) [Z Records]3. Soulmagic - Soulmagic (Saison Remix) [Soulfuric Recordings]4. Michael Wycoff - Diamond Real (Tee Scott 12" Remix) [RCA Victor]5. Eleanor Grant - Loving Your Good Thing Away [Catawba Records]6. Aeroplane featuring Tawatha Agee - Love On Hold (Dr Packer Remix) [Glitterbox Recordings]7. Boris Dlugosch - Keep Pushin' (Purple Disco Machine Vox Mix) [Peppermint Jam]8. Aftershock - Slave To The Vibe (12 Club Mix) [Virgin]9. Kings Of Tomorrow - Finally (Original Extended Mix) [Defected Records]10. Spirits - Don't Bring Me Down (Marshal Jefferson 'Never Going Down' Mix) [MCA Records]11. Mix Masters - In The Mix (Instrumental) [DJ International Records]12. In-Sync featuring Jerry Edwards - Sometimes Love [Easy Street Records]13. Jean Jacques Smoothie - 2 People (Dr Packer Remix) [Glitterbox Recordings]14. Qwestlife featuring Alena - Can't Stop (Boogie Mix) [Glitterbox Recordings]15. Qwestlife featuring Andre Espeut - Universal Love (Extended Mix) [Glitterbox Recordings]16. Stanley Clarke - Heaven Sent (Get Down Edits) [Epic]17. Fred Wesley - House Party (Edit) [RSO]18. Northend featuring Michelle Wallace - Tee's Happy [Emergency Records]19. James Brown - Give It Up or Turn It Loose [Polydor]20. Loose Joints - Is It All Over My Face? [West End Records]21. Brass Construction - Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing [United Artists]22. Eddie Kendricks - Girl You Need a Change of Mind [Tamla]23. Bobby & Steve featuring Gwen Yvette & Peppe Citarella - Let's Go All the Way (Bobby & Steve's Fully Extended Disco Mix) [Groove Odyssey]24. Mothers Favorite Child featuring Tanya Tiet  - Reflections Of A Disco Ball (Joey Negro Club Mix) [Z Records]25. Sandy Mercer  - You Are My Love (Walter Gibbons 12" Version) [H&L Records]26. Coffee – Casanova [De-Lite Records]27. Margaret Grace - Hope You Feel Better Remixes (Danny Krivit remix) [Save Your Soul]

Welcome to this West End Records special of the Word Is Love Show. Covering Disco, Funk, Rare Groove, House, Latin and Soul, this is an up beat and easy going vibe. Expect Classic tracks by NYC Peech Boys, Taana Gardner, Brenda Taylor, First Choice and Mahogany. There may also be some tracks that you have not heard before being thrown down. All tracks are selected and mixed by @thefunkassassin with Love. Recorded on what would have been the Godfather of Disco, Mel Cheren's 87th birthday on the 21st January 2020; we celebrate Mel's legacy of being part responsible for opening New York's Paradise Garage in 1977 and being the founder of the infamous West End Records back in 1976. The show will take you on a journey through the label and the signature tracks Larry Levan played that rocked the Paradise Garage dance floor back in the 70's and 80's. Get down and do your thang! For all past shows click here ==> https://soundcloud.com/thefunkassassin/sets/the-word-is-love-soul-funk Thank you for listening. Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_funk_assassin/ Spotify: open.spotify.com/user/g2fac3ls3k8e1ucxe4fqe7g89 Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheFunkAssassin/

BOOGIE STATION # 80 -- SPECIAL WEST END RECORDS -- The underrated gems vol.1.

Music from Madhouse Records, Mysthery Records, West End Records, Piv Records… Bookings: info@bengomori.com Discover more new music on our SoundCloud page http://soundcloud.com/turned-on Follow the Spotify playlist http://bit.ly/turnedonspotify Turned On is powered by Inflyte – the world’s fastest growing music promo … Continue reading → The post Turned On 228 (fixed!): Kevin Over, Ross From Friends, Black Loops, Mr. Beatnick, Skudge, Ossie appeared first on Turned On.

Hello dance disciples and welcome to a very special happy birthday tribute episode dedicated to the dance music legend, Larry Levan. Larry Levan was an American DJ best known for his decade long residency at the NYC night club Paradise Garage between 1977 and 1987. Levan was revered for his musical journeys, and an overwhelming message of love and positivity that broke down barriers in the dance music scene and beyond, gaining a cult following in the gay and straight communities, who referred to his sets as "Saturday Mass".  Levan was a true pioneer in the dance music industry, and continues to be an inspiration today. It is because of his legacy, that the section of King Street between Varick and Hudson in NYC, where the Paradise Garage used to live, be renamed Larry Levan Way. The initiative was passed and on May 11, 2014 - 20,000 people, including myself, gathered to 84 King Street / Larry Levan Way - to celebrate his life, his music, and his legacy. This sermon is dedicated to him on his birthday, as well as all that revolutionary post-disco music that he developed and nurtured alongside house music at the Paradise Garage, that came to be known as the style: "New York garage."  I've included some of Levan's all time favorite tracks, as well as selections from prominent NYC disco + garage labels like Salsoul & West End Records-- of which have been sampled across musical genres time and time again. Happy Birthday Larry Levan July 20, 1954 - November 8, 1992 And thank you for inspiring my Saturday Mass podcast. Love & respect, Miss Sabado @misssabado - - TRACKLIST: Taana Gardner - Heartbeat [1981, US, West End Records] Orlando Johnson & Trance - Turn the Music On [1983, EU, Ariola] Jago - I’m Going to Go (Frankie Knuckles Remix) [1985, Italy, Full Time Records] Gwen Guthrie - It Should Have Been You [1982, US, Island Records] Jimmy Ross - First True Love Affair (Larry Levan Mix) [1981, US & CAN, Quality & RFC Records] Celestial Choir - Stand on the Word (Larry Levan Mix) [2003, US, Bootleg] *Although the above track is listed as an unreleased mix on release, the original version is reportedly featured on the 1982 album "The Choirs Of First Baptist Church Of Crown Heights Inc - Somebody Prayed For This." Womack & Womack - Baby I’m Scared of You [1983, US, Elektra Records] Man Friday - Love Honey, Love Heartache [1986, US, Vinylmania] Patrice Rushen - Haven’t You Heard [1979, US, Elektra] Instant Funk - I Got My Mind Made Up (Original Larry Levan 12” Mix) [1979, US, Salsoul Records] First Choice - Let No Man Put Asunder [1983, US, Salsoul Records] Risco Connection - I’m Caught Up [1980, CAN, Island Series] Inner Life - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (The Garage Version) [1981, US, Salsoul Records]

Tracklist for #124 1.OpenYourHeart - Madonna.SteveThompson 2.Trapped – ColonelAbrams.RichardBurgess 3.TurnMeLoose - WallyJumpJr.ArthurBaker.Jr.Vasquez.BoydJarvis. 4.SoSweet - LoleattaHolloway 5.DonQuichotte - Magazine60 6.BeyondTheClouds - Mr.Fingers (JackTrax 7.I'llNeverLetYouGo - WillIAmS 8.SevenWays - Hercules.MarshallJefferson (DanceMania) 9.RideTheRhythm - FrankieKnuckles (TraxRecords) 10.TimeToJack –ChipE 11.ICan'tTurnAround - FarleyJackmasterFunk&JessieSaunders 12.J'aiD'AdoreDancing - MarkImperial.RalphiRosario.LarrySturm (D.J.International) 13.DancingInOuterspace - Atmosfear http://www.theparadisegarage.net/pg/klewisonllevan.html Excerpt from article by Kevin Lewis From when it opened in January 1977, to its last party in the Autumn of 1987, the Paradise Garage was the clubbing focal point of New York. A place where dance artists like D-Train and Loleatta Holloway would come to perform. And the place where people like Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Grace Jones and Keith Haring would all hang out. It was the testing ground for labels like West-End and Salsoul, and producers like Francois Kevorkian and Levan himself. It was all these things, and much, much more. For the 2,000 regulars, Larry Levan was like a God. They even tagged his late-night sessions ‘Saturday Mass’. He did things with records that other DJs just didn’t do. He would tell a story with his music. Sometimes sending the crowd crazy, and minutes later, making them break down and cry. There was, and still is, no DJ like him. He was an insanely talented genius, both behind the turntables and in the studio. And he made the Paradise Garage the legend that it is. “He was the inspiration for all the important DJs in New York today,” says Mel Cheren, owner of disco-giant West End Records and executor of Levan’s estate. “People like Junior Vasquez, Frankie Knuckles and David Morales became DJs because of Larry.” Judy Weinstein, director of Knuckles and Morales’ Def mix organization agrees: “He was brilliant. A true genius. He was, and still is, the best.” And, as for why, six years after his death, Levan and the Garage are still placed at the pinacle of the clubbing world, fellow disco producer and regular guest DJ at the Garage, Francois Kevorkian, says this: “The reason why it is so important is because everyone and their mothers were there every week-end checking it out. It was so obviously and blatantly superior to anything else going on. You had the best sound system around, the most talented DJ you can imagine with amazing records that no-one else could get. Things he’d made himself and things others had made exclusively for him.” And yet it was more than just that. Levan was obsessed with perfection. He would spend hours re-arranging the speakers in the club until the sound was absolutely perfect. Then change it all again the next week so that the crowd didn’t get bored. “He was a technical wizard,” explains Weinstein, who got to know Levan working at Dave Mancuso’s NY Record Pool. “He could re-build a radio from scratch. He helped Richard Long create the Garage sound system. Larry would tell Richard what he wanted and if Richard told him that they couldn’t do it, he would keep on at it until it was invented for him. Larry would always find a way to make things happen.” David DePino, Levan’s best friend and the DJ who used to warm up for him, remembers his perfectionism on a different level: “He never wanted it to become stale, he never wanted it to become regular. He always said, “The people won’t come. They’ve gotta know that it’ll be different.’ And they did. People never came into a stale place. I’ve seen nights where everyone was rushing around to get things open and they’d forget something like cleaning the mirror-balls. It’d be one o’clock and Larry would run on to the dance floor with a ladder to clean all six mirror-balls. The record would run out and everyone would be standing there waiting. Not booing, nothing mad, just waiting. And when he finished, he’d go up and put the next record on and people would go mad. They loved that. The fact that even though he was the DJ, he’d spend half an hour cleaning all the mirror-balls.” He produced his music with a similar passion. There were times he would be in the studio week after week as he tested new versions of songs on the Garage crowd. Some records took over a year to complete. His passion for DJ-ing lead him to play on three turntables working studio effects and his own special edits into the mix. He invented the now commonplace trick of a capella mixing. The presentation of the music and the pure entertainment of his crowd was paramount. He would use video clips on the huge screen above the dance floor to accentuate certain records and, as the night wore on, he would upgrade the turntables to ones with state-of-the-art needles for the ultimate aural experience on the floor. Communication with the dance floor was his motivation. His message was one of love, hope, freedom and universal brotherhood. And the set of songs he played was the dialogue he used. He’d even leave gaps between certain parts of the journey. So if he played three songs in a row about music, and the next one was about freedom, he’d leave a short pause or drop in an effect. “He built sets with stories that went into one another,” explains Kevorkian. “I’m not saying that he only played vocals, but there was a concept there was a concept that he studied and became an amazing practitioner of. He was able to truly use songs, and when I say songs, I mean songs. I’m talking about songs with a voice speaking to you and inspiring you, not some crappy sample repeating 175 times until you’re made to feel like you’re very stupid because it has to be repeated that many times until you understand it. Songs with lyrics. And he used those lyrics to talk to people. It was very, very common for people on the dance floor to feel like he was talking to them directly through the record. And it was a two way thing. Not just the DJ saying, ‘Here is the law,’ or the crowd saying, ‘We’ll only listen to this,’ there was an unspoken mental energy flowing back and forth. I think, more than anyone else I’ve known, he was the one that could pick this up more than anyone else.” That ability to talk to the dance floor is one of the main reasons why Levan is still revered today. He created something so special between the hours of midnight on a Saturday night and whenever the club closed on Sunday afternoon, that the crowd came back religiously, week after week, for more. “You had 1000-1200 people actually on that dance floor communing together,” continues Kevorkian. “Sharing their energies together to the music. Singing the lyrics and ad-libbing on top of the music. Today I see 1200 people on the dance floor each in their own little mental head-space. Isolated from each other most of the time. Sometimes clubs get off a little, but not at the level of the Garage. And if you haven’t seen it, I’m sorry to say, but you can’t understand it. It’s like telling me you’ve seen a bicycle ride and I’ve seen race-cars and rockets. It’s a whole different thing.” “If there were 2,000 people in there every Saturday,” adds Depino, “a good thousand of them knew each other by name. And it was the same, year after year.” The one thing, however, that really made Levan different from DJs today was that people actually loved him. Not just the hero figure. They loved Levan the person. They loved the fact that he would stop the music and spend half an hour cleaning the mirror-balls. They loved the fact that on membership days, when Michael Brody, the owner, would hold interviews for those wishing to join the club, Levan would open the back door, let the huge queue of hopefuls into the club and start playing the biggest records of the week (much to Brody’s annoyance). They loved the fact that he would put on a record, then run straight down to the dance floor and join in the party. They loved it when he hooked up his radio the sound system and played the Garage mix show on WBLS back to the crowd. They loved the fact that his passion for the party was completely all-consuming and that sometimes, he was just plain crazy. --Lee Lewis

Enjoy This Week's Tunes: Forrrce "Keep on Dancin'" (mp3) from "Keep on Dancin'" (West End Records) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This Album Sounds of Inner City "Mary Hartman, Marty Hartman" (mp3) from "Keep On Dancin': A Trib