Who else worships Chicago house?

[billy_bob]

Seeing as this thread is here, can anyone clarify for me what the sub-genre of this stuff is that's characterised by the repeated piano riff? Or was it a mutation that mainly came in with the mainstreaming of the 'real' Chicago house towards the end of the 80s/early 90s? Very little of the original stuff seems to feature it, although it somehow seems characteristic of it in my memory.

Trying to find a compilation for a friend, but what she's after seems to be either (i) a very small sub-section of house or acid house (ii) a slightly naff dilution that only really appears on cheesy 'Chart Hits' or 'Club Anthems'-type compilations interspersed with a load of total shit, or (iii) a different genre whose name I don't know. Anyone help?

 

[ska invita]

I dont really agree with what your saying there....Pianos stabs are at the heart of the original house sound...earliest house is just disco done with electronic kit....one theory has it this is the tune that really popularised the piano riff sound...there are loads of others

 

[billy_bob]

I dont really agree with what your saying there....

I'll add possibility (iv) which is that I really don't know enough about the genre to know what I'm looking for. So if you say I'm wrong, you're probably right. If you can recommend a CD compilation that does deliver what I'm after I'd be very grateful!

 

[ska invita]

I'll add possibility (iv) which is that I really don't know enough about the genre to know what I'm looking for. So if you say I'm wrong, you're probably right. If you can recommend a CD compilation that does deliver what I'm after I'd be very grateful!

what you want is "house piano anthems" - lots of lists out there:
house pinao anthems - Google Search

Perhaps THE definitive house tune is definitely one - and from Chicago:

 

[mwgdrwg]

My first exposure to Chicago (apart from TOTP) was my mate who i used to sit in in Maths lent me this MEGA (lol) double tape pack in 88:

Various - The Greatest Hits Of House
Four side of tape, subdivided:
UK House
S.O.U.L. (The Sound Of Underground London)
US House (Chicago’s In The House)
Deep House

The UK tape was a bit shit, especially compared to the US tape:

US House (Chicago’s In The House)
Jungle Brothers I'll House You
C2 –Marshall Jefferson Move Your Body
C3 –Farley "Jackmaster" Funk Love Can't Turn Around
C4 –2 Puerto Ricans, A Blackman And A Dominican Do It Properly (Fierce Club Mix)Remix – Robert Clivillés
C5 –Adonis The Poke
C6 –The Todd Terry Project Bango (To The Batmobile)
C7 –Raze Jack The Groove
C8 –Chip E. And House People Godfather Of House

Deep House
D1 –Nitro Deluxe This Brutal House
D2 –Fast Eddie* Acid Thunder
D3 –Nebula (2) Deep Space
D4 –Sterling Void Runaway
D5 –Housemaster Boyz And The Rude Boy Of House* House Nation
D6 –Adonis Do It Properly (No Way Back)
D7 –Terrajacks Houseplan
D8 –Drum And Bass I Love U

I made a copy of that tape and played it to death for years after- found a vinyl version one day in a charity shop too! The thing is lots of the tracks have short radio edits, which have now become the definitive mixes in my head. Anyhow, the Chicago tunes win on that tape hands down (NY in second place) - I didnt even know what was what at the time, but looking at that list now...all about Chicago

I love how a city can have its own sound, even once a style has gone international....

From that tape this is one tune I havent heard anyone play since (in oldskool sets and the like)- nice keys and vocal piece
Sterling Void - Runaway

Spoiler

Still got that on vinyl. My first house purchase when I was 15

 

[billy_bob]

what you want is "house piano anthems" - lots of lists out there:
house pinao anthems - Google Search

Guess I should have thought to google that. But thanks

 

[fredfelt]

Taking liberties on genres, this gettotech tune always makes me smile, dance like fool

dj assault ass-n-titties - Google Search

 

[Orang Utan]

Taking liberties on genres, this gettotech tune always makes me smile, dance like fool

dj assault ass-n-titties - Google Search

That's from Detroit. You're definitely taking liberties!

 

[Moronik]

I'm a big fan of Chicago House. I was never so much into house when I was younger but now I can't get enough of it!
I preferred Techno, but once I discovered the proper house I realised how much of the Techno I liked was influenced by older Chicago House.
For me its the huge kick drum and that awesome jacking percussion. Love it.

Plenty of new stuff coming out these which crosses over between the genres of House and Techno.

 

[Moronik]

Seeing as this thread is here, can anyone clarify for me what the sub-genre of this stuff is that's characterised by the repeated piano riff?

Do you have an example?

 

[cantsin]

proper Chicago / neo Chicago - Dj Rahaan, 'beat that shit' shouts, people slapping walls, boompty, disco, jackin....

2004, but feels like it could have been 1984...the spirit lives on, always

 

[danski]

proper Chicago / neo Chicago - Dj Rahaan, 'beat that shit' shouts, people slapping walls, boompty, disco, jackin....

2004, but feels like it could have been 1984...the spirit lives on, always

I love that vid. One of the best examples of people having a good time on the internet. Fact.

 

[Orang Utan]

I love that vid. One of the best examples of people having a good time on the internet. Fact.

here's another:
Pictures and videos of people dancing

 

[mwgdrwg]

This was my first unforgettable exposure to house music. I remember watching Top of the Pops, not knowing what it was but loving it. Still amazing.

 

[ska invita]

This was my first unforgettable exposure to house music. I remember watching Top of the Pops, not knowing what it was but loving it. Still amazing.

hah me too man - and i know from other posts over the years weve had some other key musical overlaps - life eh! its a funny thing
i remember clearly Darryl falling on his back and his shoes flicking into the air in the last part of that...blew my little mind still does tbh!
RIP Darryl Pandy

 

[Spandex]

According to the book Last Night a DJ Saved my Life, the first Chicago House record is Your Love by Jamie Principle, but as it was so well produced nobody was inspired to make their own music by it as everyone assumed it was another import from Europe.

The track that made people rush out, buy the equipment and start making their own tracks was On and On by well known local DJ Jessie Saunders. People who heard it thought "I can do better than that", and most of those who tried did.

I love a bit of Chicago house. Too many classics to choose a favorite, but this one always makes me shake by booty:

Glenn Underground/Boo Williams - Cloudburst

 

[Orang Utan]

According to the book Last Night a DJ Saved my Life, the first Chicago House record is Your Love by Jamie Principle, but as it was so well produced nobody was inspired to make their own music by it as everyone assumed it was another import from Europe.

The track that made people rush out, buy the equipment and start making their own tracks was On and On by well known local DJ Jessie Saunders. People who heard it thought "I can do better than that", and most of those who tried did.

I love a bit of Chicago house. Too many classics to choose a favorite, but this one always makes me shake by booty:

Glenn Underground/Boo Williams - Cloudburst

On and On is based on the Mach One tune that Rahaan is playing here:

proper Chicago / neo Chicago - Dj Rahaan, 'beat that shit' shouts, people slapping walls, boompty, disco, jackin....

2004, but feels like it could have been 1984...the spirit lives on, always

 

[cantsin]

On and On is based on the Mach One tune that Rahaan is playing here:

yep, reminds me of some zany jazz funk weekender from early 80's UK, the way everyone's doing the vocal during the cut out section...

but in a Chi Town basement, all makes sense

 

[cantsin]

hah me too man - and i know from other posts over the years weve had some other key musical overlaps - life eh! its a funny thing
i remember clearly Darryl falling on his back and his shoes flicking into the air in the last part of that...blew my little mind still does tbh!
RIP Darryl Pandy

it was kinda everyone's Ist significant exposure to House over here, being #1 in the charts in 86', a year before the holy 4 came back from Ibiza bearing the truth ( Rampling/Holloway/Oakenfold/Walker) and 2 years before everyone suddenly got on one.

Can still remember first ( consciously ) hearing early house ( possibly FJMF etc ) at a Shake n Fingerpop ( rare groove / funk / disco ) warehouse party 86/87, people were talking about it ( just like they had about Go Go from washington a year or so before ) and we were all vaguely interested, but House then sounded kinda hollow / unfunky ( in a big, not very full warehouse , early doors - they probably wouldn't be playing it peak time yet ) .

We were all dabbling with speed on and off, and though that worked with House /techno a few years later, we deffo needed something else to open the right pathways at the start.

(after this early exposure, I then fooked off to college, and missed the whole of 87/88/, as mates were euologising Shoom ( if they could get in ) and Clink St etc ....big regret ) .

 

[ska invita]

it was kinda everyone's Ist significant exposure to House over here, being #1 in the charts in 86',

Sorry to be pedantic but it got to #10
and while i was looking it up, this got #49 in 89 - a housey version of Stevie Wonders Always (the only other time FJF got in the UK charts - apart from a 96 remix of Love Cant Turn)

tell us a story about Shake n Fingerpop cantsin! Have heard it talked about....Norman Jay played that didnt he?

 

[Fez909]

 

[Fez909]

Timing! This just appeared in my inbox (new releases alerts): RON TRENT PRESENTS - PRESCRIPTION : WORD, SOUND & POWER - RUSH HOUR

Might have to jump on that....

 

[cantsin]

Sorry to be pedantic but it got to #10
and while i was looking it up, this got #49 in 89 - a housey version of Stevie Wonders Always (the only other time FJF got in the UK charts - apart from a 96 remix of Love Cant Turn)

tell us a story about Shake n Fingerpop cantsin! Have heard it talked about....Norman Jay played that didnt he?

ah, am confusing with arguably even better 86' Chi-House anthem that was #1 in UK / in 86 : ( again, was almost seen as a novelty record at the time, like '19' the year before )



re : Shake n Fingerpop ( + Family Function) seemed to be Norman Jay, and his mate, um, Judge Jules ( pre cheezy house incarnation) , likes of Jay Strongman guesting( though he had his own hipper, West End warehouse thing going on, which involved some rockabilly along side the rare groove ) , all based in warehouses around King X a lot of the time -

Music, "Rare Groove" = lots of Funk , P Funk, loads of James Brown, the odd rare revival smash ( Jackson Sisters / Miracles , My Big Stuff, Charles Wright ' Express Yourself') , Go Go, Hip Hop biggies, some disco ... , brilliant dance music basically, most of which none us had ever heard before, very mixed crowd, top dancers, lots of Ma1 Flight Jackets, Levis Red Tags, quiffs, spliff + speed, Red Stripe, original guerilla marketeers attempting to make us all drink Sapporo beer - the whole visual aesthetic v much intertwined with the Face ( 'Hard Times') and the Wag.

Which was all a whole lot of fun, and a top intro to dancing in non club spaces etc , but i think because it was :

a : all so stylised / Face centric , with those 80's yuppie undertones
b : wholly reliant / based on old music

the scene such as it was had little chance of withstanding the acid house storm that was brewing ( of which Love Cant Turn Around / Jack your Body were the advance musical guards ) .

 

[Fez909]

 

[ska invita]

Just discovered this thanks to Fez's tunes Moodymann has djd Spotify playlist (search Moodymann Jukebox in Spotify)

What a dancefloor bomb! Damage... Could easily play that next to new tunes
Tyree in 1988
(bit muffled audio on this video)

 

[Fez909]

search Moodymann Jukebox in Spotify

Or just click the link:

 

[stethoscope]

My first exposure to Chicago (apart from TOTP) was my mate who i used to sit in in Maths lent me this MEGA (lol) double tape pack in 88:

Various - The Greatest Hits Of House
Four side of tape, subdivided:
UK House
S.O.U.L. (The Sound Of Underground London)
US House (Chicago’s In The House)
Deep House

I think we've had this conversation before, but this tape comp was very much my introduction to house (I've still got my LP copy too)

As you've already mentioned, Sterling Void - Runaway is one of my all-time faves and a piano monster!

I used to really hammer Chip E - Godfather of House from the 'US Side' though, which was a slightly brutal fade-edit of the original...



I still get goosebumps thinking back to that whole 87-89 era (including the commercial-crossover UK productions)

 

[moody]

Taking liberties on genres, this gettotech tune always makes me smile, dance like fool

dj assault ass-n-titties - Google Search

thats like "miami bass"?

 

[ska invita]

Listening to a lot of Chicago House at the moment. Came across this one...at first listen its slightly on the cheese spectrum, but i keep coming back to it and now its right there on the anthem spectrum....love the little chipmunk Ay's...surprised its not played out more....i think it would be tricky to mix, could do with a bit of an edit....see what you reckon
Todd Terry - 88



possible gay rights subtext in the lyrics ('romeo and juliet they had to pay the price')

 

[stethoscope]

A Better Way is an all-time fave

* pulls out old Deep Heat 1-5 LPs