Friday 26 August 2011

Legends of the dancefloor: A Piece Of Paradise - Part 5 260811


Preston FM are proud to broadcast Parts 1-5 of the excellent documentary "A Piece Of Paradise" New York's Paradise Garage club and its DJ Larry Levan. This was first broadcast by BBC 6 Music earlier this month.

The Weekend - Thank Larry Its Friday.  Part 5 features five interviews from people very close to Larry Levan including Manny Lehmann, Michael Debenedictus, Brian Chinn, Rochelle Flemming and Bobby Viteritti.  Produced by Eddie Gordon & Lenny Fontana.

Manny Lehmann - From behind the counter at New York's famous Greenwich Village record store Vinyl Mania. 

Manny introduced new records to the city's best DJs including have a very special relationship with DJ Larry Levan, who used to come in to the store every Friday to see the other DJs plus see what records Manny has set by for him.  Which would start a feeding frenzy from the other DJs who were curious as to what records Larry had that they didn't.

Manny explains a typical Friday afternoon in the store, a scenario that has been totally lost from the business today with downloading - that connection with the store and personal service. Manny is now a big DJ himself, living in Los Angeles.

Music Beds:
Rockers Revenge - Walkin on Sunshine
Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman
Manuel Gottsching - E2 E4
Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
The Originals - Down To Love Town
Colonel Abrams - Trapped
Colonel Abrams - Music Is The Answer
Mick Jagger - Lucky In Love
Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love
Madonna - Holiday
Liquid Liquid - Optimo Cavern

Michael Debenedictus - Michael once famously turned down the chance to be Madonna's keyboard player when she was putting her band together in New York just before she hit major big time.  Being happy as Larry Levan's studio partner on all his remixes plus a member of the Peech Boys, Debenedictus felt he was were he needed to be, making great records with Levan. 

In his interview Michael talks about his times with Larry, and how hands on Larry was in the studio, especially when it came to editing the tape using a razor.

Music Bed:
Peech Boys - Don't Make Me Wait

Rochelle Flemming - One of the GREATEST voices ever put to tape or heard on a song.

As the lead singer for First Choice with huge global success's like "Smarty Pants", "Dr Love", "Let No Man Put Asunder", The Player", "Armed And Extremely Dangerous" and "Double Cross", Rochelle has delighted people on the dancefloor for over 30 years. 

Here she talks about the impact the Paradise Garage and DJ Larry Levan had on the career of First Choice, that the stage at the Garage was "home" and the 3000 people on the floor were "family".

Music Bed:
First Choice - Let No Man Put Asunder


Friday 26th August 2011
Preston FM
10-11pm

Listen online here or tune to 103.2fm

Parts 1-4 were broadcast Monday to Thursday this week - 10-11pm.