Underground Techniques - 3194 - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News

Winter has arrived, the snow will be falling soon and there is plenty of great music to add to your holiday shopping! For those planning on attending the Winter Music Conference in '05, prepare yourself for plenty of excitement. Celebrating 20 years as the most singular event to attract those in the dance industry, it will be showcasing new talent and professionals from all over the country.

With its focus on DJs, international artists and industry professionals, it becomes one of the largest publicized events in the business. For more information and updates, visit www.wmcon.com .

By the time this magazine is in your hands, your's truly, along with the Joel Hall Dancers. will grace the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theatre for Music and Dance at Millennium Park for the 2004 production of Nuts and Bolts, under the direction of Joel Hall. Celebrating their 30th anniversary with a re-styled version of the holiday jazz version of the Nutcracker, complete with new costumes, choreography, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, choir and myself mix house music at varying times. Visit www.madtchi.com .

It's official! Chicago's own Greenskeepers have signed to OM Records and will be releasing their second full-length album, Pleetch Jan. 25, 2005. Founding members DJ James Curd and Nick Maurer bring fun back to the dance floor. Contributing talents to the album include two of Superjane's most wanted, DJ's Heather and Colette and jazz lyricist Stine Kinck. The first single from the album is entitled 'Lotion.' For more information on this dynamic duo, visit their site at www.greenskeepersmusic.com .

CD Releases

Disco Kandi 05.04 – Various Artists

( Hed Kandi )

The Hed Kandi camp releases another fine collection of delicious vocal house and discofied soul to keep our hips shaking and feet tapping in time with each tune. CD one starts it all with a bang, featuring the Mousse T remix of Martin Sloveig's vocal stormer, 'I'm A Good Man,' featuring the vocals of Lee Fields, followed by Joey Negro's alter ego, The Sunburst Band with 'Fly Away.'

Adding sabor Latino with 'Felicidad' by Mambana, 'Clorophilla ( Put A Little

Love ) ' by Stonebridge featuring Isabel Fructuoso. Belezamusica revamps and gets funky with the remake of the Roy Ayers classic, 'Running Away,' which keeps the groove close to the original without over doing it and 'Boogie,' the latest release from Brand New Heavies gets remixed with plenty of TLC by Eric Kupper.

CD two goes more for the tech-house groove sound unleashing 'My, My, My' by Armand Van Helden, which has been blowing up the charts along with Danny Krivit's re-edit of 'Strings Of Life' by Soul Central. I always have a rule that if someone remakes a classic tune, that it should be done well and Inaya Day does so with the Vanity 6 hit, 'Nasty Girl' and Seamus Haji provides us with a good slab of electronica on 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life.'

Depeche Mode – The Remixes 81-04 ( Mute/Reprise ) Import

If you are a fan of '80s bands like I am, this is one collection you don't want to miss out on. One of electronic music's most innovative and definitive bands, Depeche Mode releases a collection of classic tunes and rare releases that spans the past 20 years.

Take a moment and put CD one into your player and reminisce when you heard 'Never Let Me Down Again,' 'Policy Of Truth,' 'Strangelove' or 'Just Can't Get Enough.' Now insert CD two and recall where you were when you and your friends would sing along to 'Personal Jesus' and 'Everything Counts.'

Just when you think it's all over, Timo Maas comes along and revamps 'Enjoy The Silence,' in a dark, haunting style. CD 3 finishes up the collection with newer remixes of 'Halo' by Goldfrapp, 'Lie To Me' by LFO, 'I Feel Loved' by Danny Tenaglia and 'It's No Good' by Club 69, which was never released as a single until now.

Brazilution 5.2 – Various Artists ( Ministry Of Sound )

This is another one of my favorite CD series collections that I enjoy listening to from beginning to end. Brazilution is a compilation of electronic Brazilian flavors that warms your soul and spanks your pallet. Jazzinho, 'Mi Siento Muy Feliz' by Sound Surgeons and 'So Sei Viver No Samba' by Cibelle compile the sol side of bossanova and jazz like textures including 'Constelacao.' The luna side comes alive and takes you directly to the dancefloor to get wild and lost to the sensual rhythms of 'Samba De Ile' by Banda Favela, 'Natural High' by Ive Mendes and 'Bruja' by Loa Amigos Invisibles.

San Francisco Sessions Vol. 5: JT Donaldson & Lance DeSardi ( OM Records )

As a DJ, I enjoy listening to the style and techniques of other DJ's from the way they mix tracks to the style of the groove selected that makes everyone on the floor jump and shout. I received this two-CD set in the mail along with the remixes of Kaskade's 'Steppin' Out,' which, by the way, is the bomb, and couldn't stop bopping my head all the way through.

JT Donaldson and Lance DeSardi are no strangers to the scene, as they are quite busy in the underground dance scene. JT has been producing house music since 1997, having worked with such labels as Cajual, Distance, Seasons and Viva, to name a few; while Lance, having done the same also for labels, which include Seasons, Dufflebag and Panhandle. The two are known mostly as Undercover Agency, having produced an album for Seasons and produced for Naked Music as well.

Now living in the Bay Area, they drop their first ever-double disc showcasing some downright funky house to grip your hips, snap your fingers and let your body go. Tracks featured here include 'Love Hate' by Freaks, 'Night Of Music' by Savannah, 'We Can Funk' by Alexander East and that boompty style of Derrick Carter's remix of 'Kennedy' by Kill Hannah.

Small Town Underground 3 –

Kevin Yost ( I Records )

Kevin Yost is back with another powerful DJ mix compilation. The third installment of his series continues with a mixture of creative jazzy house and percussive beats, showcasing his unique style and ability to push the groove forward without compromise. Tracks featured include 'Close To My Skin' by Big Sexy, 'Star' by Perfectly Frank, 'Spanish Side Step' by STP and 'Bongo Madness' by the man himself. For more information on club dates and other releases, visit his site at www.kevinyost.com .

Additional CD Recommendations

Pure – Boney James

Outrun The Sky – Lalah Hathaway

OM Lounge 9 – Various Artists

24th St Sounds – Miguel Migs

Housekeepin' - DJ Sneak

2 World's Collide – David Morales

DJ Harry T's Picks

My Puerto Rican Roots ep – Eddie Matos

There 4 Me – Mark Grant

Something For Nothing – Una Mas ft. Kathy Brown

No Assembly Required ep – Justin Long & Dan X