Influential Turntablists to Know

Chicago Mastermix 6 Team

ABOUT THE MASTERMIX 6
Welcome to the Mastermix 6 website. In 1984, Chicago’s top Adult Contemporary and R&B radio station WGCI 107.5 FM under the direction of the P.D. Graham Armstrong and Evan Luck, radio personalities, created the “Mastermix 6” team. While various guest DJ’s showcased their talent, Carlos Valderrama, Jam Master Jay, and Matt Warren became a permanent fixture on the mix show. Subsequently, with the addition of Tony Cano, Mario Reyes, and Jorge Suarez, the Mastermix 6 are considered early pioneers and contributors to the shaping of the Chicago music culture.
All members are well-established professionals in every aspect of the Dance Music Industry. Their overall resume includes nightclubs, radio, mobile, retail, publications, record labels, studio production, marketing, and promotions. Their music knowledge spans from the late 70’s thru the dance and house music formation of the 80’s and into the present.
The team believes Chicago DJ’s are the BEST masters of the “Mix”. Its mixing style, turntable creativity and skills are unique and well recognized (Turntablism). Globally, Chicago has produced top DJs and take credit for the creation of House Music. In addition, Chicago commercial radio stations were one of the first to establish the “DJ Mix Shows” which sets the trends for others to imitate. The Mastermix 6 invites you to share their experiences and listen or download their mixes.

CHICAGO DISCO ERA
WDAI radio switched to all-disco format as Disco “DAI” in December 1978 and stayed with the disco craze until May 1980. WDAI was the first radio station to feature “DJ Mixes” in 1979 with Lou Divito, Peter Lewicky, Scott Adams, Charlie Di Giovanni and Kenny Jason. Divito was the first Chicago disco jockey to have his mixes played on the radio. WGCI FM is also credited in playing and programming Disco music during the late 1970’s; specially when playing the full extended version of dance tracks.
Although WDAI airwaves reached citywide; the north side of Chicago was at the forefront of disco craze; dance floors filled across the discotheques and large dancehalls by diverse and ethnic club goers.

CHICAGO RADIO MIX SHOWS
Despite this assault “Disco DAI” did very well at the height of the Disco craze and it’s featured DJ mix show. Herb Kent, a well known and a pioneer in Chicago’s music scene was brought into WXFM (early 80’s) and created his “Disco, Punk, Funk,” show. Herb Kent would showcase dance music of all genres. This show would open doors for the another radio mixing concept as shortly thereafter, WBMX (102.7 FM) presented Chicago with the “Hot Mix 5” team which revolutionized the dance scene. Rival WGCI (107.5 FM) followed with a similar DJ team “The Mastermix 6”.
WBMX program director Lee Michaels held a meeting in 1981 were various Chicago dj’s was chosen to attend. Among them were Farley Keith, Ralphi Rosario, Kenny Jason, Mickey Oliver, and Scott Silz. Jeff Davis was also invited but did not show up. The team became known as the “Hot Mix 5.” Though the team underwent changes and aired guests during their hot mix shows, they remained strong thru the late 80’s. WBMX on air personality Armando Rivera is to be credited for being a permanent fixture as the host of the Hot Mix 5 shows.
In 1984, rival WGCI radio personalities create the Mastermix 6 consisting of the aforementioned. Additionally, Mario Diaz, Fast Eddie, and Jeff Anthony are added. Major Chicago radio stations are offering the best dance music catering citywide and into adjoining states. The creation of house music which later becomes a worldwide phenomenon, is now being showcased on air through major and college radio and into the mainstream.
By 1986, Chicago’s B96 was airing hot mixes created by Brian “Hit Mix” Middleton. By 1988, Julian Perez was airing hot mixes and had formed a hot mix team on this station. The B96 team would undergo changes throughout the following years but remained loyal to the hot mix program, and are considered innovators in the progression of the house sound.
Chicago college radio was a strong influence on the dance and house music scene. Key college stations included: WCRX (Columbia College), WLUW (Loyola University), WNUR (Northwestern Illinois University), WHPK (University of Chicago), WCSU (Chicago State University), and WCYC (Boy’s Club of Chicago), hosted by Harv Roman with earlier hostings from Jeff Davis, Mario Reyes, and Kenny Jason.
Prior to 1999, Chicago was primarily known as a ‘classics’ city. New music was met with huge resistance. Web sites like Deep House Page, Underground NYC, GottaHaveHouse, and other sites, posted mixes. Followers of house music with open minds adopted the new sounds. Eventually, internet radio stations like Cyberjamz and DeepHousePage radio jumped on board, and further fueled the movement.

CHICAGO GOT A NEW SOUND
There has been much debate about the origins of Chicago House Music, from where the name came from, to who made the first House record, to what are the true origins and influences of the music, etc. This website will provide exclusive interviews from the DJ community and music producers that supported, contributed, and influenced the sound. These series of interviews will be made from key Dance Music contributors that provided an insight from the proper historiographies point of view. Most of the books, articles or documentaries about these questions are either produced or written by individuals who had no real connection to the Chicago House Music Movement or are too connected and invested in a narrative that overstates their own importance to the movement of Chicago House Music.

HOUSE MUSIC GOES GLOBAL
David Guetta who has since become the ringleader for the house music phenomenon sweeping across the world. Guetta says “I wanted to create a bridge between Europe and America,” and he did just that. He saw house music as a way to bring urban and white culture together under one roof and has proven that house music is here to stay.
In Chicago, the early 80s the clubs and radio DJ’s were playing various styles of dance and disco music. In the mid 1980s and 1990s, house music became a major fixation on the UK music charts. In the past decade, house music has become very popular in America because many artists have crossed over to the mainstream. Young people are now more interested in the chorus and beat of a song over the words, something that house music has capitalized on. They grew up with hip-hop music with loud bass and house music is a natural progression for them.
The DJ’s have taken over pop culture by producing for America’s most prominent music figure heads and by immersing themselves in clubs and at major venues. Electronic music was able to break into pop culture because it attached itself to popular music, creating new beats, hooks, and breakdowns. It’s been easier for DJ’s to draw an audience because they are elaborating on music that people already enjoy. Pop culture and house music are now intertwined more than ever before, and the fans are loving it. DJ’s are quickly becoming the new celebrities and they are attracting young people by the thousands.
Electronic dance music is not a new genre. In fact, it’s been around for more than three decades. House/electronic music movement began when the disco era was ending. It’s hard to pinpoint a date and location to the beginnings of Electronic Dance Music (EDM). Some say it began in Germany and London, others make a case that it started in Detroit, in the U.S. For Guetta, both continents played a role: “This is what happened … it was born in the Chicago, U.S., but the U.K. made it trendy. And it became a massive movement in Europe, but never in the U.S., which is crazy.” He later adds, “I think America is always creating the new movement and then the U.K. has this genius of taking this concept and making it accessible to the masses.”
A report stated that EDM market is valued at $7.1 Billion annually, and is growing fast with a 60% increase over the past 3 years.

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