Larry Levan (right) and mentor Nicky Siano share a laugh.

Recalls Birth of the All-Night DJ

By Jim Tremayne
Published in the October 2005 issue of DJ Times Magazine
Volume 18 - Number 10

How did the cult of the afterhours DJ begin and evolve? Who are the unknown heroes from this world? Why do clubgoers still connect with DJs in an almost spiritual sense?

Maestro, an entertaining new documentary by Josell Ramos, zaps you back to the early days of the all-night party and introduces you to its original practitioners. Certainly some (Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan) are more well-known than others (Francis Grasso). And even with sharp interviews with old-schoolers (David Mancuso and Nicky Siano) and relatively newer jocks (Louie Vega, Robert Clivilles), it doesn’t completely connect that pre-disco world to post-rave reality—the political and social implications are perhaps too tricky to negotiate. But it comes close. And with exclusive footage, it does take you back…to the Paradise Garage, to The Gallery, to The Loft and more.

Maestro is a DJ-centric documentary that’s mostly about memories, the kind that last a lifetime. We highly recommend the DVD, which features intriguing “extra features” on Chicago’s late, lamented Ron Hardy and the early years of club audio. (The Maestro soundtrack—a sweet collection of tracks from Booker T & The MGs to Ten City—is available on Sanctuary.) DJ Times recently connected with filmmaker Josell Ramos.

DJ Times: What was it about these DJs made you want to do this picture?
Josell Ramos: The artistry and conviction in the work they put in, like Tee Scott putting together a mixer by hand, or rewiring an amp to make the sound come out better or Ron Hardy doing abstract and experimental moves in the DJ booth. When someone is not afraid of letting go and doing things that others look strangely upon and still do it, we have to commend them. Francis Grasso’s artistry to mix without headphones and knowing when to mix via reading the grooves of a 45 record—amazing. Larry Levan and his command of the DJ booth.

DJ Times: How much of a fan were you of the Garage or any of the other all-night venues that you visit in the film?
Ramos: I remember the great music that was coming out. They weren’t just tracks; they were new beats, new ways of placing chords or riffs in songs. The Chicago stuff that was hitting the streets of New York—if you were a club dancer, you always found your groove with this new music. I remember this song “Trans Dance” by Nitemoves with its deep dark vibe, it really hit the spot when I first heard it.

DJ Times: What were the cultural contributions from these DJs?
Ramos: On the sociological side, they got friends together with strangers that became friends. What they did was make people talk about good music. They allowed people to enjoy themselves full-on on the dancefloors. They gave us reason to say, “Life is great, at this moment,” or “Life is great after all.” It’s not necessarily a drug-induced euphoria, but one of natural courses.

DJ Times: I really enjoyed the DVD extra on Ron Hardy. Because of his sad demise, he often seems somewhat overlooked when people discuss influences of underground DJs.
Ramos: Ron Hardy was always on my mind and, for this, we wanted to do a piece that would have a different reflection than what we already had. It wasn’t until the DVD that it came together for me. I just have a high respect for those who are just not afraid to be, whether they fall on their ass or not. Ron Hardy was that kind of artist. That commercial element that tarnishes a lot of people, didn’t really get to Ron. I say he was a very strong contributor to the evolvement of dance music, head-to-head with any Chicago great.

DJ Times: What is the legacy of Larry Levan?
Ramos: Larry Levan is the legacy. How many could say they directly influenced radio programming, major-label promoters, major singing artists, DJs, sound equipment, 4,000-plus patrons at one time? Have a dance-music genre named after you—“Garage music”? His legacy lives not because of his death, but because his legacy started when he was living.

DJ Times: David Mancuso?
Ramos: He took on his world, many times an abstract world of rhythms, beats and harmony. The elements that were put in place at The Loft raised the bar high! When I think of The Loft, I think of dancers, because The Lofters from my experience have this unbreakable conviction.

DJ Times: Francis Grasso?
Ramos: When I mention Francis Grasso to many people, many just shrug me off, like, “So?” But they don’t realize how much of an important position this man has in the history of dance music—I’m including all dance music. Francis worked seven days a week, mixing, reading grooves of 45 records, with no headphones. He was an important element to David Mancuso, a direct inspiration, the first one known to beat-match records.

DJ Times: Frankie Knuckles? Nicky Siano?
Ramos: What Nicky has left are his actual experiences in the booth at the infamous Gallery where many sought refuge in. It wasn’t just a space or club, but a house of great music. Frankie Knuckles showed the world this is how you do it. How you could globalize it, make it bigger than what you think it is or what it should be. His way of expansion with music and culture helped dance music significantly.

DJ Times: In modern clubland, why do you think the DJ has become the center of the party?
Ramos: There’s always a center when going into an event—and the DJ is it. I think the question is: How could one DJ grab a following of tens of thousands in one space? This goes beyond talents on the decks. It’s promotion, PR, management, and a strong sense of self. It all has to come together. It’s a big business. And many DJs have found a way to get to that level. It’s all about market position, what others perceive you as, that makes a DJ huge in a commercial sense.