Roland recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Here, DJ Mag Tech speaks to two Roland users and collaborators — musician Ken Ishii and artist/designer Yuri Suzuki — to reflect on the pioneering company, which was instrumental in crafting the sound of a generation When Roland released the TB-303, TR-808 and TR-909 back in the early ’80s, little [...]
WORDS BY NEAL ANDREW EMIL GUSTAFSON AND JESSICA FORTUNE FENNER A strong relationship exists between the spiritual sounds of Chicago and the mechanical sonics of Detroit. The decades-strong alignment is rooted in their history of shared traditions within the Black American musical diaspora, their proximity, and their midwestern heart. Both cities contributed significantly to [...]
It's billing itself as the only underground house spot in the city. Downtown Monterey is getting a new micro-club called Compact Disco. Opening on Friday, July 21st, in the Californian city, the club will host daytime listening sessions on its custom, in-ceiling sound system, as well as club nights powered by a more dance [...]
The funky, retro-themed Jolene Sound Room opens on the legendary Flagler Street with plenty of nods to '60s recording studios and '70s aesthetics The owners of Club Space Miami - Bar Lab Hospitality, Space Invaders and Link Miami Rebels - have joined forces to launch a new venue, Jolene Sound Room Miami. This unique, basement space in Downtown Miami comes [...]
Six agents demystify some of the key ins and outs of the artist-agent relationship. The multifaceted and often opaque world of the electronic music industry can be a confusing place to navigate for upcoming artists. Independent musicians often wear multiple hats: manager, publicist, booking agent etc. While the independent route can be lucrative and [...]
Desiree Taylor, 47, from Baltimore, came to Chicago for the first time with eight friends who go to house music festivals every year for the “funkier” and “more soulful” approach of house music. The Chosen Few picnic got off to a rainy start Saturday, but the rain couldn’t dampen the good vibes that brought thousands [...]
As a producer, songwriter, DJ and vocalist, Roland Clark is probably one of the busiest artists in dance music. The New York native came to prominence with house cuts such as Who Keeps Changing Your Mind, under the alias South Street Player, as well as I Get Deep, released in 2000, while over the years he has loaned his iconic [...]
Chicagoans rarely suffer from a shortage of music festivals, but few such events make me feel like I’m participating in the city’s cultural fabric like the Chosen Few Picnic. The long-running house-music celebration began informally in 1990, and its roots extend even further back. Wayne Williams founded the Chosen Few DJ collective in 1977 [...]
Founder Joe Shanahan never intended to be in the live music business. But his passion for house music transformed his Chicago venue into a nightlife hotspot and a "beacon of hope" for US dance music. The story begins on the North Side of Chicago in 1982. In the aftermath of Disco Demolition and the advent of [...]
Founder Eric Williams said the annual show, which started as a small gathering of neighbors in a Wicker Park alley, has gotten too expensive to produce. The final edition will be July 29-30 at Oakwood Beach. OAKWOOD BEACH — After almost 20 years, one of Summertime Chi’s favorite street festivals is calling it quits. [...]