A double-CD of 1.5 hour live set by DJ Larry Levan remastered from reel-to-reel tapes recorded live in his Paradise Garage DJ booth in 1979. Also on limited boxed, unmixed 3XLP available at better DJ/dance specialty sho... more »ps. This project is released in conjunction with the highly respected UK label, Strut Records.« less
A double-CD of 1.5 hour live set by DJ Larry Levan remastered from reel-to-reel tapes recorded live in his Paradise Garage DJ booth in 1979. Also on limited boxed, unmixed 3XLP available at better DJ/dance specialty shops. This project is released in conjunction with the highly respected UK label, Strut Records.
CD Reviews
Absolutely flawless!
John England | Seattle, WA 98125 United States | 01/26/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Those who heard Larry live knew it was NOT about the tightest beat mixing, it was all about the flow and energy of the crowd and the message in the music, something that 95% of today's DJ's have forgotten. This truly takes you back in time to the late 70's, in New York, in a VERY mixed club crowd, in one of the best nightclubs ever to grace us and transforms you from merely listening to the music to being a part of it. If you want a greatest hits package, this ain't it! But if you want to hear what it was REALLY like, not just the Top 40 hits, you will not find a better package than this. Househeads will truly enjoy this, they get it!"
Classic
07/09/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i would have to agree with one of the other's review the mixes are not as smooth as they can be but you get the message in the music he has some good classics on here it's worth the buy"
Makes you wish the Paradise Garage never closed....truly.
emadex | 06/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a true representation of Larry Levan on a classic Friday or Saturday night at the "G" as patron affectionately called one the best clubs in New York history - the Paradise Garage. Anyone who wants some foreplay into a disco orgasm should pick this up. Bougie Bougie alone, should get you off in true Paradise Garage form. Long Live the G!"
Pure class!!
emadex | 06/27/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great album for Larry Levan fans or just those wanting to hear the mixing skills and music taste of one of the most influential deejays of dance music - from disco to garage to house and beyond.
The mixes may not be as 100% beat perfect as you would get on a CD mixed by one of today's' deejays, but remember that this is a live set with the minor flaws adding to the authenticity and charm. No studio software creation of perfect (and sometimes bland) mixes here. To my mind - and unlike the Studio 54 style - Larry never seemed to pick tracks purely on their "mixability" but rather selected his tracks on musical merit and then did a good job mixing them anyway.
I particularly like his very subtle use of two copies of Stephanie Mills "Put Your Body In It" where Larry starts the record not at it's rather cold intro but at much later vibey break and then continually mixes the same break over and over (if you listen at around 54 seconds and 1 minute 10 seconds and 1 minute 30 seconds into this track you can just pick this).
It's easy to see how he was such an influence on the current house style of sampling and repeating key elements of classic disco tracks. Check out the end of Trinidad by John Gibbs and the U.S. Steel Band where Larry first cuts in My First Mistake by The Chilites. Definitely the inspiration for "Needin U" as released by another Paradise Garage stalwart, David Morales!
This is an astounding set, all the more impressive when you realize it was recorded in 1979 and a piece of history well worth owning.
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1