South Africa's love for house music flourished in the early ’90s as the Apartheid era ended, pushed primarily by DJs in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria. Now, it's a focal point, filled with local styles and stars. Martin Guttridge-Hewitt heads to Gauteng to learn the story of the scene’s origins, and the risks its pioneers [...]
From his underground hit ‘Madness’ in 1990 to remixing legends like Michael Jackson and Chaka Khan, the Grammy nominee reflects on Chicago's music legacy, the birth of house music, and his latest venture into the world of documentary with BET.com. Terry Hunter has been one of the seminal purveyors of house music across the globe. [...]
Soaring ascents, the kind that can take an artist from obscurity to stardom in what seems to be the blink of an eye, don’t occur often, in dance music or elsewhere – those who are lucky enough to have that experience often disappear just as quickly. But there’s little chance of a quick fade for [...]
If we had to pick one word to describe electronic dance music in the '90s, it'd be variety. "In the U.S. and the U.K., in particular, electronic dance music was in this constant state of mutation," says World Cafe correspondent John Morrison. "There were new subgenres and micro-genres popping off. Just in that 10-year span, we saw the emergence [...]
DJ and World Cafe correspondent John Morrison explains how disco is the nexus from which most veins of contemporary dance music originate. Over the past few years for Black History Month, World Cafe has dug into different genres and their importance in the Black music canon over the decades. With DJ and World Cafe correspondent John Morrison as our guide, we’ve explored the “Black Roots [...]
Known as The Godfather of House Music, Frankie Knuckles helped revolutionize electronic music in the '80s. - The Frankie Knuckles Foundation If the grandeur of disco reigned supreme in the '70s, the following decade belonged to the homespun productions of rogue DJs. "In the '80s, you got the introduction of relatively affordable music-making equipment," says World [...]
Overview Kerri Chandler is a name that every house music enthusiast should know. With a career spanning several decades, he has established himself as one of the originators and key figures in the genre. Born and raised in New Jersey, Chandler's musical journey began in a family deeply rooted in jazz. His father, a respected DJ, [...]
1 In Music e-meets Barbara Tucker and the BCREW for a tête-à-tête with this powerhouse female group putting the Gospel in House Music. [This interview was first published in October 2022] What made you decide to join the BCREW and what would you like to see in the future for THE BCREW? BARBARA TUCKER: [...]
The prolific gospel-trained vocalist worked with the likes of Masters At Work, Kerri Chandler and En Vogue, and was part of the early Jersey house scene Legendary house vocalist Michael Watford has died. The American singer's son Solomon Watford announced the news on Sunday, 28th January, via Facebook, confirming the date of his passing [...]
Released on 30th January 1989, New Order’s fifth album is a sun-flushed pinnacle of dance rock, directly inspired by the hedonistic energy of Ibiza’s burgeoning club scene of the time. 35 years on, with the help of the album’s engineer Michael Johnson, Ben Cardew reflects on its legacy, and its influence on the acid house [...]
