Kindly reproduced from MixMag (Louis Anderson-Rich)
Love, respect and admiration: 10 reasons we worship Kerri Chandler
Since the early ’90s, Kerri Chandler has been an absolute force in house music. He’s effortlessly evolved from a fresh talent to the royal status he holds today. His positivity and love for his craft has earned him a horde of followers hanging on to every beat of his dance music gospel.
Chandler has carved a career out of soulful deep house that never fails to whip up a club. Beginning his career behind the decks in his native New Jersey at the tender age of 13, Chandler grew up surrounded by his father’s (a popular DJ in his own right) record collection. That musical knowledge put him in good stead as he went on to release on famed East Coast labels like King Street, Nite Grooves and Nervous Records and play gigs the world over.
Always one to dispense knowledge on the younger generation, Chandler often speaks about inspiration whether it’s from a peer or his daughter. There’s no doubting his career is an inspiration for any upcoming musicians with even a passing interest in his music.
With love, respect and admiration, here are 10 reasons why we love Kerri Chandler.
1 The ‘Atmosphere’ EP
‘Climax 1’, ‘Climax 2’, ‘Track 1’ and ‘Track 2’. For such non-descript song titles, this EP is packed full of personality. Booming, crunchy kicks, luscious chords and a blaring saxophone were all present on this early masterpiece.
2 He’s a wizard on the keys
3 He’s not afraid to speak his mind in the club
A couple of years ago in Paris nightclub Rex, Kerri decided he’d had enough of “commercial shit”. In his most IDGAF move ever, he got on the mic to tell the crowd he will not play “commercial shit”, adding if anyone wanted to hear that then he would pay them to get out of the club. We’re unsure if that offer is still valid.
5 The ‘Trionisphere’ album
Another gem in Chandler’s back catalogue, 2003’s ‘Trionosphere’ was his second album. Sounding as fresh now as it did then, the tracklisting is pure gold for Kerri aficionados. From the jacking garage house of ‘What Is 6:23’ to the soulful vocals of ‘On My Way’, the LP is an out and out classic.
6 His soundchecks will make your night
Turning up to the club the night before a show for a lengthy sound check is normally something associated with big-time bands. But Chandler is very specific with his sound and your night will be all the better for it. But it’s not all about him as he once told XLR8R: “It’s not just for me. I might be one of the DJs there, but I want to see everyone do well. I don’t want people to just say ‘Kerri was great’. I want everyone to say ‘That night was wonderful.’”
7 His music tells stories
One of the common criticisms house music cops is that it lacks emotion. “Where are the lyrics?”, “it’s just repetitive beats!” are phrases you may have heard before. But Chandler blew those notions out of the water with his productions. His debut release ‘Get It Off’ was produced shortly after Chandler’s long-term girlfriend was murdered behind the New Jersey club Zanzibar where he regularly played. Retreating into music, Chandler created this single. That sound of the needle scratching off a record (which was later sampled by C+C Music Factory) represented Chandler’s girlfriend being ripped away from him. If that story doesn’t elicit tears the next time you hear it on the dancefloor, then you need to find some emotion.
8 His labels deliver the goods
Not only is Kerri Chandler a superb producer, he’s proven himself an expert tastemaker through his multiple labels. Founded in 1992, Madhouse Records has featured Roy Ayers and Dennis Ferrer among others, while the sub-label Madtech has brought the goods in the new decade with Waze & Odyssey, Seb Wildblood and Citizen all being showcased on the imprint. More recently Chandler also started his Kaoz Theory label which has issued releases from Voyeur and Jamie Jones.
9 This entire lecture
From discussing old tunes to battling an audience member on the turntables, this Red Bull Music Academy lecture is a must-watch from start to finish.
10 He’s so damn positive
Instead of becoming bitter over time, complaining about the ‘good old days’ or starting beef on Twitter, you’ll never hear derogatory comments coming from Chandler about the state of music today. Always one to adapt and embrace, the dude is as classy as they come and a leading example for aspiring DJs and producers.
With love, respect and admiration, Kerri.
Louis Anderson-Rich really digs Kerri Chandler, follow him on Twitter