Derrick Carter | |
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 Carter performing in 2023 at a boat party on the Hudson River | |
| Background information | |
| Born | October 21, 1969 Compton, California, U.S. |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
Derrick Carter (born October 21, 1969) is an American DJ, record producer and musician from Chicago, Illinois. [1] [2] He is regarded as one of the best [3] underground house key players currently active and is popular in Europe. [4]
Derrick Carter, born on October 21, 1969, in Compton, California, and later becoming a pivotal figure in Chicago's music scene, embarked on his DJing journey at the tender age of 10. Growing up amidst the diverse influences of punk, R&B, disco and house, Carter developed a unique sound that would later define his career.
His DJing debut occurred in the seventh grade at a friend's birthday party in 1982, marking the start of a journey that would see him transition from a bedroom DJ to a club sensation. By the age of 16, Carter was already making waves in the club scene. His first significant exposure to a live audience was a game-changer, setting the stage for a career that would revolutionize the house and techno genres. [5]
After high school, Carter's journey took him to the University of Illinois in 1987. However, his foray into higher education was short-lived, as the vibrant social scene led him to prioritize partying over academics, resulting in his eventual expulsion. This pivotal moment redirected his focus entirely to music. [6]
Returning to Chicago, Carter took up a job at the record store Imports Etc. It was here, amidst the burgeoning house music explosion, that he honed his skills and networked with the who's who of the industry. His first production, "Fantasy Girl," under the moniker Conception, was a stepping stone to his later EP success.
In 1988, he released an EP entitled "Mood' with Mark Farina and Chris Nazuka as the group Symbols & Instruments. [7] While the record was not a commercial success, it did have a strong influence on the burgeoning ambient techno movement in England. Particularly, this release garnered attention in the UK, particularly influencing the techno and garage movements. This established Carter as an international figure in the underground house scene. [4]
Carter's first international trip in 1991 to perform at club venues marked his entry into the global music scene. His eclectic style and innovative approach quickly gained traction among diverse audiences.
Carter rarely gives extensive interviews and has kept a low profile since his rise to fame. Before establishing the groundbreaking record label Classic Recordings in 1995 with Luke Solomon and Chez Damier, Carter experienced a series of setbacks with other label ventures. Classic Recordings, renowned for its unique catalog numbering system, starting at #100 and counting down, became a symbol of innovation and resilience in the music industry. [8] Carter's DJ sets are firmly rooted in black music of the 1970s, frequently giving nods to old school disco, soul and jazz.[ citation needed ]
As a remixer, he has worked for a diverse range of artists including The Beloved, The Human League, Ricky Martin, Boris Dlugosch, Modjo, DJ Sneak and Röyksopp. After a brief hiatus, he returned to production, remixing artists such as Rosie Brown and Truman Industries.
In 2006, Carter was named No. 53 in the 100 Most Famous Chicagoans according to a survey (relying mostly on Google hits) by the free weekly newspaper, Newcity . [9] Other house music artists making the cut included Felix da Housecat (No. 21) and Frankie Knuckles (No. 41). [9]
Throughout his career, Carter has been associated with various groups, including Conception, Symbols and Instruments, and Tone Theory. His discography includes influential works like "Mood," "Poverty De Luxe," and "Squaredancing in a Roundhouse," along with numerous memorable singles. Carter's impact extends beyond his productions; his DJ sets are celebrated for their creativity and unpredictability, a trait that has earned him a loyal following worldwide. [10]
House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute as a re-emergence of 1970's disco. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground club culture and evolved slowly in the early/mid 1980s, and as DJs began altering disco songs to give them a more mechanical beat. By early 1988, House became mainstream and supplanted the typical 80s music beat.
A rave is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance music scene when DJs played at illegal events in musical styles dominated by electronic dance music from a wide range of sub-genres, including drum and bass, dubstep, trap, break, happy hardcore, trance, techno, hardcore, house, and alternative dance. Occasionally live musicians have been known to perform at raves, in addition to other types of performance artists such as go-go dancers and fire dancers. The music is amplified with a large, powerful sound reinforcement system, typically with large subwoofers to produce a deep bass sound. The music is often accompanied by laser light shows, projected coloured images, visual effects and fog machines.
Detroit techno is a type of techno music that generally includes the first techno productions by Detroit-based artists during the 1980s and early 1990s. Prominent Detroit techno artists include Juan Atkins, Eddie Fowlkes, Derrick May, Jeff Mills, Kevin Saunderson, Blake Baxter, Drexciya, Mike Banks, James Pennington and Robert Hood. Artists like Terrence Parker and his lead vocalist, Nicole Gregory, set the tone for Detroit's piano techno house sound.
Chicago house refers to house music produced during the mid to late 1980s within Chicago. The term is generally used to refer to the original house music DJs and producers from the area, such as Ron Hardy and Phuture.
Microhouse, buftech or sometimes just minimal, is a subgenre of house music strongly influenced by minimalism and 1990s techno.
Deep house is a subgenre of house music that originated in the 1980s, initially fusing elements of Chicago house with the lush chords of 1980s jazz-funk and touches of soul music. Its origins are attributed to the early recordings of Larry Heard, including his influential track "Can You Feel It".
Francis Warren Nicholls Jr., known professionally as Frankie Knuckles, was an American DJ, record producer, and remixer. He played an important role in developing and popularizing house music, a genre of music that began in Chicago during the early 1980s and subsequently spread worldwide. In 1997, Knuckles won the Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical. Due to his importance in the development of the genre, Knuckles was often called "The Godfather of House Music".
Derrick May, also known as Mayday and Rhythim Is Rhythim, is an American electronic musician from Belleville, Michigan, United States. May is credited with pioneering techno music in the 1980s along with collaborators Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, commonly known as The Belleville Three.
Mark Farina is an American disc jockey and musician, known for his Chicago house, acid jazz and downtempo works. His notable releases include Mood and the Mushroom Jazz series, and recently known also from house compilations El Divinio. He is primarily identified with the house music scenes in his hometown of Chicago, and San Francisco, California. Farina currently resides in Dallas, Texas.
Joshua Winkelman, better known by his stage name Josh Wink, is an American electronic dance music DJ, label owner, producer, and remixer. He is a native of Philadelphia, United States. A pioneering DJ in the American rave scene during the early 1990s, Wink was the most prominent exponent of the tribal forms of techno and house in the U.S. In 1995, he released several hits, including "Don't Laugh", "I'm Ready", and "Higher State of Consciousness," which topped the dance charts in Europe. He has had many club hits such as "How's Your Evening So Far?" and "Superfreak (Freak)" and has also gained much attention for his remixes of Stabbing Westward, FC Kahuna, Paul Oakenfold, Moby, Towa Tei, Ladytron and Depeche Mode, among others.
Walter Gibbons was an American record producer, early disco DJ, and remixer. He helped pioneer the remix and 12" single in America, and was among the most influential New York DJs of the 1970s.
Dimitri from Paris is a French music producer and DJ of Greek descent. His musical influences are rooted in 1970s funk and disco sounds that spawned contemporary house music, as well as original soundtracks from 1950s and 1960s movies such as Breakfast at Tiffany's, La Dolce Vita and The Party, which were sampled in his album Sacrebleu. Dimitri fused these sounds with electro and block party hip hop he discovered in the 1980s.
Justin Boland, also known as J Boogie is a DJ, music producer, radio host, music director and music curator from San Francisco with over 25 years of experience in the music industry.
Jesse Saunders is an American house music artist, DJ, record producer, film producer, and entrepreneur. His 1984 single, "On & On", co-written with Vince Lawrence, was the first house record to be pressed and sold to the public. Since his emergence as a DJ, Saunders has run several independent labels and worked extensively in music and film production, as well as artist promotion and management. He is also a long-time member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time (4/4) and often characterized by a repetitive four on the floor beat. Artists may use electronic instruments such as drum machines, sequencers, and synthesizers, as well as digital audio workstations. Drum machines from the 1980s such as Roland's TR-808 and TR-909 are highly prized, and software emulations of such retro instruments are popular.
Isaiah Major best known as DJ Rush, is an American musician, DJ and record producer of electronic music, who played a significant role in the early Chicago House scene.
Wade Randolph Hampton is an American DJ, film and music producer and recording artist. He is known for his contributions to electronic music and his involvement in the development of the North American rave scene.
DJing is the act of playing existing recorded music for a live audience.
Honey Redmond is an American DJ, producer, and electronic musician. She was born in Chicago and is based in New York City and Berlin.
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