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.
Buy it now and play it loud!
"
LARRY LEVAN AT HIS BEST
Ralph Oberhuber | PUEERTO RICO | 09/05/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"IWORKED AT THE GARAGE AND WHEN I HEARD THIS CD ,IT SHOWED LARRY AT HIS BEST.I'VE PURCHASED OTHER CDS BY LARRY BUT THIS ONE WAS EXCEPTIONAL.TO REALLY APPRECIATE LARRY'S MUSIC ,YOU NEED TO HEAR HIS CONTINUOUS MUSIC MIXES MADE LIVE AT THE GARAGE.I AM WAITING FOR HIS OTHER LIVE CDS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE .DON" MISS OUT ON THIS CD.YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED."
A FIRST CLASS TRIP TO THE VIRGIN ISLANDS CAN'T COMPARE TO PA
Patrick Frierson | 11/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Larry Levan has quite a few stellar anthologies out. but if you had to own just one anthology from Larry Levan- or the disco genre from that matter, this is the set to get. This is the album where you can get the full scope of his genius behind the turntables- and this is the disco/proto house album that sounds the most real and atmospheric.
Picture the date is 12/31/79 and there's party going on at the Garage. Picture dancers from all walks of life dancin and buzzin off the dynamic music presented on here. They dancin not only to celebrate the new year but to say goodbye to the decade in style with a set a razor sharp disco songs that sound like it's at the frenzied pinnacle of its idea of love, peace, brotherhood, and hedonism. You would think the music will sound like a time capsule with that description but it's as timeless as good music can get.
Even though nothing will compare to being at the Garage in person, you can't help but feel you're there once you feel the music. The reason why Live at Paradise Garage works so well is because of Mel Cheren and his experience at the club as well as his friendship with Larry. By him being the financial backer and regular there, he was able to get a thorough understanding of Larry's art as a DJ. He knew that the essence of his style was not so much as to what type of records he played but how he played them. Essentially, he used the records as his voice to convey the variety of mood swings of him and the garage heads. His mixin will often have a consistent emotional depth that gave the songs a definitive state of mind that came to define not just the disco era but the whole essence of the garage (anyone of these songs could anthems). Thankfully, Mel Cheren understood that concept very well while he was compiling this set. The brash and confident vibes of Stephanie Mills, Cher, Damon Harris , T- Connection, and other fully captures Larry's feelings one of the deepest and profound ways possible. Even fluffy disco records like "Take me Home" and "Pick me up, I'll dance" sounds great in this context. There's no need for me to name any standout cuts because the whole album is a standout. It's cursed with consistent quality and the overall mix sequence gives the anthology a dreamy type of rush to it. it makes you feel like you're locked in a dream world and Larry is the keymaster that can release you.
Overall I found this album to be a very gratifying experience. While some may be quick to point out the flaws in Larry's mixin', it's a non issue because the music is powerful enough to make you forget about it. While some veteren house heads may gripe at the fact that most of these songs are not in their extended versions, it will have them on ebay in no time trackin' these bad boys down. The lack of extended mixes is an even greater reason to reccomend this to causual fans. not only would this music convert them to disco/house lovers, but they will be able to appreciate them small doses instead of the huge gulp of 12" mixes.
Salsoul and Westend held it down in the disco scene but, there's nothin in the cannon of disco like Live at Paradise Garage. This is some of most drenched and invigorating piece of dance music to ever be released. Bar none. get it while you can because you won't be hearing about this on VH1's I love the 70's.
Truly yours with plenty of love,
Patrick
"
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
