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The legend
of the New York club scene, Junior Sanchez needs no introduction.
His releases on Strictly Rhythm and now Cube, have received massive
critical acclaim worldwide. Junior decends on Room for his exclusive
Melbourne appearance.
A union of
mind and body characterizes Junior Sanchez’s attitude toward
the sound he creates and the results he seeks. “Music should
make you move and at the same time make you think,” he declares.
Precocious beyond his twenty-three years, his constant desire to
reinvent his sound has earned him respect worldwide as one of the
most innovative young DJ/producer/remixer's today.
Junior’s
upbringing contributed to his artistic philosophy and flexibility.
His family from Bahia, the musical center of Brazil, moved frequently
within New Jersey exposing Sanchez to a wide variety of taste and
attitudes. “I have never listened to just one type of music,”
he reminisces. “Between moving and having five older brothers
and a sister with diverse tastes from ABBA to freestyle to disco
to industrial new wave, I learned to appreciate all kinds of music
early on. I began to see how they all worked together.”
Another source
of musical inspiration was his mother whose huge collection of records
and no-nonsense work ethic provided the foundation and inspiration
to purse his dreams. “She made me believe anything was possible.
Even when I was young, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel.”
That light first shined through a producer named Tony Rodriguez,
a roommate of one of Junior’s older brothers. Rodriquez had
produced “Fly Teta” under his name Jose Chinga. The popular
Latin freestyle track influenced Junior in more ways than one. “Tony
started it for me. He gave me my first crate of records and showed
me what a studio was made of.”
Junior’s
attraction to the music business grew and he found himself promoting
parties for famed New York clubs Limelight and Shelter. As a member
of the NASA (Nocturnal Audio Sensory Awakening) Babies, a collective
of young DJs and party promoters, Junior became well known within
the New York club scene. Along with DJs such as Jason Jinx and Odie,
Junior was exposed to new, more experimental sounds. “The New
York underground enlightened me and expanded my understanding of
house music, more minimal based dance and techno.”
While only
seventeen, Junior did A&R for independent New Jersey label Rufftrax,
signing producers like James Christian and B.O.P. His ear to the
street brought him to a rising star when he met the up and coming
producer Armand Van Helden in 1992. Their bond was forever cemented
the day they realized they had been sampling each other’s work.
This relationship has generated a positive ripple in the latest
generation of Latino producers. The two formed the Mongoloids, a
collective of house producers/DJs committed to creating imaginative
music and sustaining strong friendships within the cutthroat music
industry.
While working
with Erick Morillo at Double Platinum Studios, Junior met Harry
Romero. Mutual respect led to creative energy. The duo joined forces
and formed Nitebreed Productions, named after the Clive Barker horror
movie about a civilization that lives underneath a cemetery. The
dark enrapturing elements of their creative collaboration made this
an appropriate choice.
Junior’s
first solo project “Junior Sanchez Presents The Bionic Traxx”,
released in early 1996 on Strictly Rhythm also marked a musical
maturation for him. “Finally I had gained access to the equipment
I long sought. This allowed me to reach new levels of creativity
and to develop my own distinct sound.” In 1997 Junior began
touring with Roger Sanchez and DJ Sneak as the S-Men trio mesmerising
crowds with their six-deck wizardry.
Junior's 1999
UK top 40 anthem "B With U" featuring soul diva Dajae
has generated worldwide recognition and demand for his talents.
Junior's latest endeavor is starting Cube Recordings, his own label
which has released tracks by Felix da Housecat, Rhythm Masters,
Christian Smith, and Sebastian Leger in addition to some of Junior's
own productions.
When Junior
is not DJing at clubs, festivals, and raves around the globe or
at his residency at New York City's new red hot club Centro-Fly,
he is busy building beats and dishing up new flavors. “I know
it sounds like a cliche but if you work hard at anything and you
believe in it, you can achieve it. It is all about having the drive."
Cream presents
Junior Sanchez
Saturday
October 4th
Room 680
674 Glenferrie Rd Hawthorn.
10pm-7am.
Tickets available from www.oracleevents.com.au
Limited on the door.
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Feature