|
by Don Crispy
David Morales
 |
| "I
just go with my feelings-it has to make me feel
warm." |
One of the founding fathers of New York house, David Morales
makes a rare appearance in Tokyo for two nights of spiritual
beats at the stalwart club Yellow in Nishi Azabu. The first
night celebrates the tenth anniversary of King Street Sounds,
for whom Morales has just dropped Mix the Vibe, while the
second will offer a "Past-Present-Future" house
set.
Born in 1961 in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican immigrants, Morales
clawed his way to the top of clubland from humble beginnings.
He dropped out of school at 14 and worked a day job as a cook
while DJing nights at seminal clubs like Paradise Garage.
Hooking up with early DJ management outfit For the Record,
Morales gradually built a reputation as one of New York's
hottest DJs.
Joining forces with Frankie Knuckles to form the remix team
Def Mix, Morales was one of a few visionaries to take '70s
disco to a new level, which came to be known as house. Many
of the trademarks of today's dance music, such as vocal
breaks and piano and strings riffs, were pioneered by Morales
and Knuckles in the late '70s and early '80s.
In the '90s Morales became known, even more than a
club DJ, as remixer to the stars. He dropped dance remixes
for, among others, Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Jamiroquai and
Michael Jackson. While only occasionally issuing material
under his own name, he did score a clubland hit with the 1994
single "In de Ghetto."
In a brief email interview, Morales told Metropolis that he
sees house music as "very healthy" at the moment.
He has a new record coming out on Definity Records with DJ
Pierre called Make It Hot, and a remix due of Bobby D'Ambrosio's
next single, "Optimistic." He currently has
a residency at New York's Discotheque, and is slotted
for a residency at the legendary Pacha in Ibiza this summer.
Despite his prodigious reputation, Morales doesn't
consider himself a DJ. On his website he comments, "When
I say I don't consider myself a DJ, I don't
mean I'm no longer playing out. I play records because
I love to and I want to share my love of music with others.
I don't do the DJing for money... I do [it] because...I
like to create a trip for people, a voyage. I never know what
I'm doing, so it's like a voyage for me too.
I'll start here and end up there and wow…!"
Meanwhile, on the local front, DJs Ken Hidaka, Yukalicious
and the Mighty Beezer along with special guest DJ Raphael
of veteran club jazz unit UFO, are launching a new night of
"serious dub, funk and grooves" this Saturday.
Three Aces and a Queen takes place at French lounge/DJ bar
Le Faubourg in Aoyama, and at ¥1,000, says Beezer, it's
the best bargain in town.
David Morales@Yellow, 6/5, 10pm,
¥3500; 6/7, 10pm, ¥4,000. Tel: 3746-2368.
www.club-yellow.com
Three Aces and a Queen@Le Faubourg, 5/31, midnight, ¥1,000.
Tel: 5467-3636
Credit:
Yellow
|
