Journey into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story

Larry Levan

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 11, 2006)
• Original Release Date: April 11, 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B000CQJYZ4
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,115 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Love disco, but burned out on "We Are Family" and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack? Journey Into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story will satisfy your thirst for lost dance nuggets, with 22 lesser-known tracks from the likes of Chaka Khan, Sister Sledge, and many more. As DJ of NYC's Paradise Garage in the '70s and '80s, Larry Levan created a downtown alternative to the high gloss of Studio 54's exclusive celebrity scene, combining up-tempo R&B dance music with a potpourri of other styles. The Journey Into Paradise collection honors the Garage vibe by focusing mainly on unstoppable disco-era jams--if Change's top 10 R&B charting "Paradise" doesn't get your booty shaking, have a friend check your pulse--with a dose of the modern dance sounds of Yaz and Talking Heads thrown in for variety. The nine tracks included here mixed by Levan contain lush disco arrangements that break down into extended sections of beats and voice backed by minimal accompaniment, anticipating the distilled sound of the house music that would later come to rule the dance floors. On the turntable or in your car stereo, these songs paint the picture of a disco scene more focused on the music than the latest fashion, where feeling good was more important than looking good and a great beat washed away the cares of the world. --Ben Heege

Product Description

One of the few truly legendary figures in the universe of contemporary dance music, the late, great Larry Levan revolutionized the art of the DJ with his soulful and eclectic sets, insanely audiophile rig, and consummate flair as both an innovative remixer and visionary turntable artist. Revered for the pulsing dance floor magic he created as resident DJ ast New York City's famed Paradise Garage- perhaps the most revered club in dance music history - Levan merged underground hits with popular classics of every genre to take the communal dance experience to new heights. A seminal figure in both the disco-defined '70s and house-centric '80s, his innovations reshaped dance music itself and influenced every DJ who would follow.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Journey into Paradise, March 24, 2007

By	Raena Lee "College Park Queen" (ATL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Being a devoted member of Paradise Garage when I lived in NY. It brought back fond memories of dancing on the dance floor and chilling on the roof top to the wee hours of the morning. I will never forget Paradise Garage, my best club experience ever was at the Garage. I spent every holiday there and not one time did Larry disappoint me. From seeing Grace Jones perform live to the Peach Boys I will always remember the Friday nights chilling with my friends in the movie theater or the roof top. My hearing today, is not 100% because of the countless times I fell asleep on the speakers and then woke up when I heard "Don't make me wait". It brought back so many memories that when I went to NY and let my sister hear the CD she stole by CD. I will cheris this collection forever and thank you.



Judgelee

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Paradise Garage Lives On!!!, April 17, 2006

By	FREELEO - See all my reviews

This double cd set is an excellent representation of the music I experienced first hand at The Garage. It's amazing how music can transport a person through space and time. I would recommend this compilation to all "Garage Heads" and to anyone that knows a garage head and has seen the look in their eyes when they've tried to describe the feeling of being in The Paradise Garage. Larry Levan was simply a master. Words fail me but the goose bumps speak for themselves. Let us never forget. LONG LIVE PARADISE!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, a MUST LISTEN, March 12, 2007

By	Timothy J. Hines "MivMan" (LI NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This CD set (2) is a gem. It has classic disco tracks unpublished on cd anyplace else. It also marks a period when music was alive and free. NO room for dancefloor drama, just music to open the soul, and help dance away the weekly troubles. HIGHLY SUGGESTED!