You have been doing this for a while now. When did you start and what kind of music did you start with?
My love for music and vinyl goes back to when I was young around 1975. My mom was a big vinyl collector back then so she would always take me record shopping with her. That's how i got into music and buying records. We bought all kinds of music back then like Brazilian bossanova samba batucada, Cuban son and jazz, Spanish music, American jazz, r&b, soul, boogie, disco, quality rock & roll, and world instrumental music. My mom had a really awesome record player and stereo system so she would host record/ listening party's every other weekend with a few of her close friends. I was pretty much the one changing the records on the turntable depending on what my mom wanted to hear, she would tell me what records to play in order. I would stack 3 to 4 records on the turntable then the record player would drop one at a time and play each one straight thru. That's basically how i got started playing music for other people. Then around 1978 my cousins on the south side of Chicago got a couple turntables and a mixer for their birthdays. This is when we got into mixing dance music and into the whole Chicago Underground Dance Movement. We started a mobile DJ team named On & On Dance Productions around 1979. We would play a lot of house/ basement dance parties around Chicago at first. Then we started doing the bigger gigs at halls, ballrooms, and high school dance parties around Chicago in the early 80's when everything started to blow up. Our choice of music then was r&b, soul, boogie, disco, slow jams, high energy, and Italo disco. Then around 1983 is when the whole house music movement started to take off and we were right on top of that from the beginning - the rest is history! I have countless stories about that period from '83 to '89.
What is still keeping you inspired?
The thing that keeps me inspired is the art and sound in music. The ability to create mixes with records by blending one record after another and creating a continuos mix for hours. Also, the art of dancing is a big part of my inspiration and passion. I was always a dancer from the beginning and all the memories of dance parties in the late 70's and all thru the 80's and into the early 90's rave scene is still an inspiration to me until this day. Also, fashion and contemporary art are a big inspiration for me today.
What are some of the biggest changes you have seen since you have been around? Give me the good and the bad...
The biggest changes have been in the quality of dance music and the way its being made. back then people actually played instruments, composed, arranged and created beautiful pieces of music. People back then would come out to hear the music and dance, drinking was not a priority like it is today. Now mostly everything is digital and instant, most everyone is sampling or letting a computer make it for them and not composing or arranging. The sound is different with no soul or substance just a bunch of noise. Also now everyone wants to be a DJ on a laptop which hardly requires any skill whatsoever. Back in the day DJ's had to earn their respect by playing outstanding sets with vinyl, turntables, reel to reels, and tape decks. Now everyone is all about the fame but what about the music?? Where is the vibe and the sound? Sorry to say but the music is not there anymore with no vibe. Plus most people are not coming out to enjoy music and dance, they're coming out to get hammered. Chicago rarely has any outstanding dance parties because there are no dance floors and if there are, the so called laptop DJ's sound terrible. You can fool some people but not everyone... The good changes are in the quality of new technology in sound systems and lighting.
What kind of equipment did you use to make this mix and what was it recorded on?
I used all original vinyls with two Technics 1200 MK5 turntables and a Gemini mixer, and then recorded straight into my computer using the Final Vinyl application.
What was the main inspiration behind this particular mix?
The main inspiration for this mix was the Original Chicago Acid House Sound of the 80's and the early 90's rave scene. Memories of actually being at the parties back then are still an inspiration to me to this day. This is what we were playing at underground dance parties back then. Hopefully this short recording will inspire someone to learn more about the Chicago Sound and The Chicago Underground Dance Culture.
You have an incredible knowledge of classic house and disco cuts, what are your top five favorite tracks of all time?
I actually have tons of favorites but here are five for now:
1. Candido - Thousand Finger Man
2. Persia - Inch by Inch
3. Giorgio Moroder - From Here to Eternity
4. Martin Circus - Disco Circus
5. Azymuth - Jazz Carnival
and the list goes on & on...
All original vinyl mixed by Cesario Magnifique (Official Site)
Farley JMF - All Acid Out '88
Steve Poindexter - Mental Problems '91
Farley JMF - Acid Trip '88
Steve Poindexter - Destiny '91
Bam Bam - Make U Scream '90
Armando - Land of Confusion '88
Adonis - No Way Back '86
Armando - World Unknown '88
Armando - 9 151 '88
Armando - 10 151 (Original Version) '88
Cool McCool - World Turns Around '88