One of the forefathers of Chicago house music, Larry Heard aka Mr. Fingers is soon in town for the first time. Along with Glenn Underground, Marshall Jefferson, DJ Pierre, Lil Louis, Jackmaster and countless more Larry Heard has been a member of that authentic era of 80’s house music, most of us youngins have missed.

I’m pretty much obsessed with the fact that all genres’ have key players and some magical time until some critical mass is achieved and a whole number of jerks and mainstream trendwhores enter the scene and the magic disappears. I’ve seen it in all music genres and I think it’s a concept of sociodynamics and human nature where some trendsetters build some house (like Jack did!!!) and it gets overcrowded soon enough.

But anyways true pioneers are always revered and about 25 years after he’s begun making music Mr. Fingers is finally coming to Istanbul. His silk smooth beats have been an influence to countless people making deep house music and his stuff on Trax Records are surely the best, however I don’t have any vinyls (or turntables for that matter) at hand, so all I can present you today are from his CDs. (Shame shame)

We first start with the opener “Closer” to his 1992 debut on MCA, using the moniker Mr. Fingers. Unfortunately I don’t have any music from Fingers Inc. his three piece band together with the legendary vocalists Robert Owens and Ron Wilson. The next tracks are from 2001’s “Love’s Arrival” and 2003’s “Where Life Begins” respectively.

I remember when I first listened to “Where Life Begins” and I was blown to pieces by the refined sound. I was used to listening to German deep/minimal house stuff back then, but being exposed to this album had really made me ashamed because I was so far away from the roots of this music, and it may have marked the death blow to my adventures in European house music for the last 3 years.

The last track is a very stripped down hypnotic acid house from 2006’s “You rock me“, that should teach a few lessons to all the wannabe electro-house producers.

Anyways make sure you go down to Taksim area on the 10th of March to meet the chap @ Ghetto 2nd floor. I’ll post a flyer when it’s ready!

Tracks removed!

Mr. Fingers – Closer
Larry Heard – Deja Vu
Larry Heard – Change your Mind
Larry Heard – The Sun can’t compare
Mr. Fingers DECEMBER 29, 2006
Mr. Fingers DECEMBER 18, 2006