Jesse Saunders
| Jesse Saunders | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born |
March 10, 1962 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | House |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | Geffen |
| Website | jessesaunders |
Jesse Saunders (born March 10, 1962 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American DJ, record producer, film producer and entrepreneur. He is one of the pioneers of house music, often cited as "the originator of House music" by critics and historians. His 1984 single, "On & On", co-written with Vince Lawrence, was first record with a house DJ as the artist that was pressed and sold to the public. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley declared July 17, 1997, as Jesse Saunders and the Pioneers of House Music Day in Chicago. Since his emergence as a DJ almost three decades ago, Saunders has run several of his own independent labels, and worked extensively in music and film production, as well as artist promotion and management. In recent years, through House music reunions, a pending book release and a live 'disc-jocumentary' – where, while DJing, he visually takes the audience through the history of House and Electro – Saunders has worked towards erasing the misconceptions associated with the genre's origins. He is also a long-time member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
House music first got its start within the walls of Chicago's Warehouse nightclub, thus attaining its name. As the music moved to the wider community, the sound significantly changed and what developed is House music as it eventually came to be known. While one of his biggest influences, and another instrumental figure in the development of House, Frankie Knuckles, confined himself to the gay nightclub scene (primarily that of the Warehouse), Saunders took the unique sounds of the Windy City to the masses. Instead of relying solely on disco and R&B like Knuckles, Saunders expanded his musical repertoire and fused it with the turntable trickery that remains a staple to this day. As a DJ he would accentuate desired moments in songs through loops and repetition, focusing on sections that were stripped down to just the drum or bass – a tradition he would carry on as a producer.
Saunders was born and grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois in the 1960s and 70s. He attended St. Columbanus for Kindergarten and Reavis Elementary School (until 5th grade) where his mother, Lois M. Saunders, was a teacher. Saunders' mother, a Roosevelt University graduate in Early Childhood Education, was his primary caregiver and a great supporter of his sporting and music pursuits. Jesse then went on to enroll in Shoesmith Elementary School (about 1 mile from Reavis) so that he could get from under his mother's watchful eye and spread his youthful wings. At Shoesmith Jesse was selected for 2 major things that would change his life and eventually lead to him understanding his calling; being a straight "A" student and creatively gifted, he was selected to participate in the "Gifted" Program at Ray Elementary School. In the "Gifted" Program, Jesse learned to program and operate computers at the age of 10 years. He was also selected to perform and tour in the Chicago Children's Choir.
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