Larry Levan

One of the world's greatest DJs, Larry Levan defined the sound of New York's Paradise Garage, and thus disco and house as well. (There's a reason New York house is called "garage"). This collection finds Levan in the producer's chair, where he brought his skills as a DJ -- patience, control, an uncanny balance between horizontal structure and vertical harmony -- to bear upon the records themselves. Epic, aching and deadly funky, all nine tracks -- including his classic mix of Arthur Russell's (as Loose Joints) "Is It All Over My Face" -- capture the spirit of disco at its most heartfelt and adventurous.