My heart is split between New York and Chicago. Both cities gave birth to this music, and both have shaped my ear in profound ways. But they speak different dialects of the same soul-language, and understanding the difference is key to understanding the full spectrum of house music.
The New York Sophistication
New York house, for me, has always been about sophistication, spiritual depth, and the legacy of the disco era. Influenced by the garage scene and legendary figures like Larry Levan and Timmy Regisford, the NYC sound is lush, melodic, and often gospel-infused. It’s music that aims for the heart and the spirit. When you listen to a classic Kerri Chandler or Masters At Work record, you're hearing the sound of a city that values musicality, vocal soul, and a certain type of urban elegance. It's warm, it's inviting, and it's designed for rooms where the connection between the dancers is spiritual.
The Chicago Jack
Chicago is where the "jack" lives. It’s raw, it’s stripped-back, and it’s focused on the relentless, hypnotic energy of the drum machine. Influenced by the Warehouse and the Music Box, and pioneers like Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles, the Chicago sound is about the power of the groove. It’s music that demands you move your body. The tracks are often tougher, more repetitive, and built around jacking 707 and 909 patterns. It’s the sound of a city that took the soul of disco and toughened it up for the warehouse. It’s raw, it’s immediate, and it’s uncompromising.
The Intersection in the Booth
In my own sets, I love to bridge these two worlds. There is a specific kind of magic that happens when you take a lush, vocal NYC track and layer it over a raw, driving Chicago drum loop. It’s a conversation between the head and the feet, the spirit and the street. Understanding these two foundations allows you to build a journey that touches on the full human experience—from the sweat of the dance floor to the elevation of the soul. You can't have one without the other.