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Kevin Saunderson is one of the three legendary Detroit dj's and producers who
invented techno (the other two being Juan Atkins and Derrick May) and changed
forever the face (and sound) of dance-music.
Born in Brooklyn in 1964 (the ninth child in his family),
Saunderson moved as a child to Detroit where he
eventually hooked up with high-school pals Derrick May and Juan Atkins and
started spinning at local radio stations. Soon, he started producing his own
extended singles, under nicknames such as Kreem (Triangle of Love),
Reese (The Sound, Bounce Your Body to the Box,
Rock to the Beat), E-Dancer (Pump the Move),
Inter-City, Tronik House, Essaray, Kaos, etc.
His collaboration with Chicago singer Paris Grey (real name Shanna Jackson),
christened Inner City, started in 1987 with
Big Fun (Virgin, 1988), which later became a world-wide hit and was soon
followed by Good Life.
They thus pioneered the techno boom of 1988.
The demand for his music was high not
only in US clubs but around Europe. He became a strong influence on continental
and UK dj's who launched the European version of techno
(Inner City will go on to gain eight UK top 40 hits in five years
as well as two hit albums with combined sales of more than 6 million).
What was unique about Saunderson's dance-music was the German flavor: his
music owed more to Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream than to rhythm and blues
(unlike, say, Chicago house, and, of course, hip hop).
Inner City's charts attack continued with Ain't Nobody Better.
The album Paradise (Virgin, 1989) was the
first full-length released by a Detroit techno dj.
The pop and soul flavor of Fire (Virgin, 1990) was paramount to
betrayal of the techno aestethics,
but Saunderson continued his more experimental work as the Reese Project,
inaugurated by Hope & Clarity (SIX6, 1992).
While the singles kept coming (Watcha Gonna Do with My Lovin,
That Man, Back Together Again), albeit with lower and lower
quality, the third album Praise (Virgin, 1992) ignited hopes of
return to the grand form of 1988 thanks to the surreal techno jam
Ahnongay. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the exception, not the rule.
Do Ya and Share My Life climbed the charts in 1994.
Hallelujah and Pennies From Heaven were also dancefloor favorites.
Hiatus (1996) confirmed Saunderson's decandence as a god of techno.
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(Translation by/ Tradotto da Marina Troiani)
Kevin Saunderson e` uno dei tre leggendari DJ e produttori di Detroit che
inventarono il techno (gli altri due erano Juan Atkins e Derrick May) e
cambiarono per sempre volto (e ritmo) della musica dance.
Nato a Brooklyn nel 1964 (nono figlio), Sauderson si trasferi` da bambino a
Detroit dove infine incontro` i suoi amici Derrick May e Juan Atkins e
inizio` a lavorare per le radio locali.
Ben presto comincio` a produrre propri singoli, sotto nomi d'arte come Kreem
(Triangle of Love),
Reese (The Sound, Bounce Your Body to the Box,
Rock to the Beat), E-Dancer (Pump the Move),
Inter-City, Tronik House, Essaray, Kaos, etc.
La sua collaborazione col cantante dei Chicago Paris Grey (vero nome Shanna
Jackson) ribattezzata Inner City, comincio` nel 1987 con Big Fun
(Virgin, 1988), che piu` tardi divenne un successo mondiale a fu seguito ben
presto da Good Life.
Si deve a loro l'esplosione del techno nel 1988.
La sua musica non fu acclamata solo nei club statunitensi, ma anche in tutta
Europa. Influenzo` notevolmente la musica continentale ed i DJ anglosassoni
che lanciarono la versione europea del techno (Inner City piazzo` otto
successi nelle classifiche inglesi top 40 nell'arco di cinque anni e
produsse due album che vendettero oltre 6 milioni di copie).
La singolarita` della dance-music di Saunderson era il richiamo a quella
tedesca: doveva maggiormente a Kraftwerk e Tangerine Dream che al rhythm and
blues (diversamente, quindi, dai Chicago, e, ovviamente, dall'hip hop).
La scalata delle classifiche da parte di Inner City continuo` con Ain't
Nobody Better.
L'album Paradise (Virgin, 1989) fu il primo realizzato interamente da
un DJ techno di Detroit.
Il sound pop and soul di Fire (Virgin, 1990) fu un lapalissiano
tradimento dell'estetica techno, ma Sounderson continuo` il suo personale
lavoro di sperimentazione con il Reese Project,
inaugurato da Hope & Clarity (SIX6, 1992).
Mentre i singoli si susseguivano (Watcha Gonna Do with My Lovin,
That Man, Back Together Again), sebbene con sempre minore
qualita`, il terzo album Praise (Virgin, 1992) lascio` sperare un
ritorno alla migliore forma del 1988 grazie al techno jam surreale di
Ahnongay. Sfortunatamente si rivelo` un'eccezione, non la regola.
Do Ya e Share My Life scalo` le classifiche del 1994.
Anche Hallelujah e Pennies From Heaven furono i preferiti
delle piste.
Hiatus (1996) confermo` la decadenza di Saunderson come dio del
techno.
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