DJ International Records
1985 [...]
A Chicago label that was founded by Rocky Jones in 1985. DJ International focused on releasing mainly vocal house, while the other big Chicago label, Trax, is known for rougher tracks.Label's hits include "Music is the key" by J.M.Silk (the first release), "Acid Thunder" & "Can U dance" by Fast Eddie, "It's allright" by Sterling Void, and Chip E's "Like This". Definitely a class house label!
For Licensing, please contact: Benji Espinoza: djrecordschicago@aol.com -- http://www.discogs.com/label/DJ_International
Discography
DJ 248 J.M. Silk Music Is The Key (1985) DJ 251 Chip E. Inc. feat. K. Joy Like This (Re Mix) (1985) DJ 701 De Diquio House Latin Trax DJ 777 J.M. Silk Shadows Of You Love (1986) DJ 779 Chip E If U Only Knew DJ 780 Fingers Inc A Path (1991) DJ 808 Tyree Lonely (No More) (1991) DJ 810 Two Young Brothers C'Mon N Shake Yer Butts (1991) DJ 811 Tyree Rock The Discotech DJ 812 Fast Eddie Watch Me Git Funky (1991) DJ 813 The Project feat Linda Rice Out Of Control DJ 815 Linda Rice If You Want My Love DJ 816 Loftis IV Reachin 4 Love DJ 817 The Fastman The Fastman (1992) DJ 818 The Project Get It Right DJ 820 2 Young Brothers Comin' On Strong DJ 821 To Kool Chris What Happened To The Beatles? (1992) DJ 824 TC Crew I Can't Do It Alone (1992) DJ 825 The Fastman Bangin' Da Box (1992) DJ 827 TC Crew Once Bitten (1992) DJ 828 The Force If You Haven't Danced Yet DJ 831 Incredible MD & Phunky People Thro Ya Hands Up (1992) DJ 832 The Real Vibe feat. Dr. X Ed Can Rave (1993) DJ 836 Kool Rock Steady Return Of A Superstar (1993) DJ 841 White Knight & Fast Eddie feat. Juanie Girls Get Dum (1993) DJ 842 By Dezin Your Love Is On The Run DJ 847 Frankie Knuckles Only The Strong Survives DJ 888 JM Silk Music Is The Key DJ 889 White Knight Never Give Up (1986) DJ 890 Chip E Like This DJ 891 Kenny Jammin' Jason Jam Tracks (1985) DJ 892 Fingers Inc It's a Mystery (1991) DJ 893 The It Donnie DJ 894 Bad Boy Bill Jack It All Night Long DJ 895 Chip E Jack Trax DJ 896 Mark Imperial J'ardore Dancer (1985) DJ 898 Arrogance Crazy (1988) DJ 899 Bam Bam You've Been Messin Around (1985) DJ 900 Mix Masters In The Mix (1988) DJ 901 JMD Get Up And Dance (1990) DJ 902 Sterling Void It's Allright (1987) DJ 903 Frankie Knuckles Ultimate Production Baby Wants To Ride DJ 904 Jerry McAllister Never Let You Down (1986) DJ 905 Joe Smooth Promised Land (1987) DJ 906 Jackmaster Black Mega Track DJ 907 Jack'n'House I Gotta Go To Work (1990) DJ 909 Adonis The Endless Poke (1988) DJ 910 Mario Smokin Diaz Fusion Dance (1986) DJ 912 Farm Boy Move DJ 913 Mario Reyes Whatever Turns U On DJ 914 Fresh Force Who Runs This Mutha (1990) DJ 917 Femme Fion Jack The House (1986) DJ 921 Fast Eddie Let's Do This (1990) DJ 922 Kool Rock Steady Knock You Out Da Box DJ 923 Frankie Knuckles You Can't Hide (1987) DJ 924 KA Posse Shake / Stick Music (1990) DJ 925 MK II Used By DJ (1986) DJ 926 Full House Communicate (1986) DJ 927 Loftis3 I'll Be There For U DJ 928 Tyree Hip House Is My Style (1990) DJ 929 Joe Smooth One Moment In Love DJ 930 Loleta Halloway So Sweet DJ 931 Kool Rock Steady & Sundance Ain't No Stoppin' Hip House DJ 932 Fast Eddie Smith Can U Dance (1987) DJ 933 Frankie Hollywood Feel The Five DJ 934 Fast Eddie Make Some Noise (1990) DJ 934RX Fast Eddie Make Some Noise (remix) (1990) DJ 935 Prestige feat. Brandi Take My Love (1986) DJ 936 Steel Grey Do You Want To Dance (1990) DJ 937 Frankie Hollywood Rodriguez Work On Me (1990) DJ 938 Loftis III feat. Andrea Don't Want To Be Right (1990) DJ 939 Prof Funk & Chicago House & Effect Visions DJ 940 MK II feat. Kevin Irving D S T M (1987) DJ 940 MK II feat. Kevin Irving D S T M Re-mix (1988) DJ 941 Marshal Jefferson Move Your Body (1986) DJ 942 Julian Jumpin Perez feat. Connie V Jack Me Till I Scream (1987) DJ 943 Joe Smooth Going Down DJ 944 Rocky Jones Choice Of a New Generation DJ 945 Farley Jackmaster Funk & Ricky Dillard It's U (1988) DJ 948 Mario Reyes / Joenell Lost Love DJ 950 Full House I Remember (1987) DJ 951 The Children Freedom (1988) DJ 952 The Party's Over No More Words (1988) DJ 954 Mixmasters House Express DJ 955 Darryl Pandy & Farley Jackmaster Funk Free Man DJ 956 Sterling Void Runaway Girl DJ 957 Peter Black How Far I Go DJ 958 Fast Eddie Can U Still Dance (1988) DJ 959 Mixmasters ft Andrea How Low Can U Touch Me (1990) DJ 960 Out Of Control Whatch Gonna Do (1988) DJ 961 Fast Eddie Acid Thunder (1988) DJ 963 Jullian Jumpin Perez feat Valentino Stand By Me DJ 964 Dyzre Forever Damour DJ 966 Paris Brightledge Learn To Love DJ 967 Sterling Void Boogie Oogie DJ 968 Fast Eddie Yo Yo Get Funky (1988) DJ 969 Fast Eddie Lets Go (1988) DJ 969 Fast Eddie Lets Go (remix) (1988) DJ 970 Tyree Turn Up The Bass (1988) DJ 971 Joe Smooth feat Mikkhiel I'll Be There (1988) DJ 973 Kool Rock Steady Lets Get Hype DJ 974 Tyree Hard Core Hip House (1989) DJ 975 Fast Eddie Jack To The Sound (1988) DJ 976 Jerry McAlistair What I Do DJ 977 Julian Perez & Kool Rock Steady Ain't We Funky Now (1988) DJ 978 TBC & Jessica Tuttle & MCD Way You Move (1991) DJ 979 Sterling Void Don't Want To Go DJ 980 Tyree House Music Is My Life DJ 981 Anthony Thomas You Don't Love Me (1989) DJ 982 Fast Eddie Hip House 89 Remix (1989) DJ 983 Denise M Do You Love Me (1989) DJ 984 Jullian Jumpin Perez Relight My Fire (1989) DJ 985 Nana Be My Baby (1991) DJ 988RX Two Young Brothers Check Out The Hook (1991) DJ 990 Fast Eddie feat Sundance Git On Up (1990) DJ 991 Tyree & JMD Move Your Body (1989) DJ 992 Kool Rock Steady U Ain't Nobody (1989) DJ 993 Anthony Thomas Tonite I Really Need Someone (1989) DJ 994 Sterling Void Set Me Free DJ 995 Jullian Jumpin Perez Lets Work (1989) DJ 996 Kool Rock Steady The Other Side Of Me (1989) DJ 997 Joe Smooth They Want To Be Free (1990) DJ 998 Tyree Let The Music Take Control (1990) DJ 999 Fast Eddie Most Wanted (1990) DJ 1004 Chip E If U Only Knew DJ 1005 Steve Silk Hurly Jack Your Body DJ 1006 various House Sound Of Chicago (1988) DJ 1007 Kenny Jason & Fast Eddie DJ 1010 various House Sound Of Chicago vol II: House Music (1988) DJ 1012 Full House Communicate DJ 1015 Fast Eddie Jack To The Sound (LP)(1988) DJ 1014 various House Sound Of Chicago - Megamix Vol.2 DJ 1016 Tyree Tyree's Got A Brand New House (1988) DJ 1019 Various Deep House Vol. One (1988) DJ 1025 Fast Eddie Most Wanted, The Album (LP)(1990) DJ 1026 Tyree Nation Of Hip House (1989) DJ 1031 Various This Is Real Hip House Music (1992) DJ 1033 Various Jackmaster VI (1991) DJ 1035 K. Alexi Don't Cha Want It (1991) DJ 1040 Fast Eddie Straight Jackin' (1991) DJ 1041 Tyree The Time Iz Now (1991)IDDJInternational.xls
Rocky Jones
But Trax was no longer alone on the Chicago scene - many artists worked for Trax and Rocky Jones' DJ International imprint. DJ International has itself provided a fair slice of house music's early standards, such as Sterling Void 'Its Alright' and JM Silk (Steve Hurley) 'Music Is The Key'. There was rivalry between the two - Trax's 30th release was Boris Badenough's 'Hey Rocky' - but where The Power Plant's more soulful style had contrasted with the rawer sound of The Music Box, so did DJ International lead the way with the vocal releases as opposed to Trax's, er, trax. And it was DJ International which made house's first breakthrough into the mainstream with Farley Jackmaster Funk's 'Love Can't Turn Around', reaching the UK Top 10 in August 1986 via a deal with FFRR. The same year in the UK, the first house clubs opened in Manchester and London. Steve Silk Hurley's 'Jack Your Body' followed early 1987 and house had its first number one. --Max RennPhil Cheeseman
The labels were still mostly limited to the terrible twins that were to dominate Chicago house for the next two years Trax and DJ International. Between them they had nearly all the local talent sewn up and by popular consent they were just as dodgy as each other, with rumors and stories of rip-offs and generally dubious activity endlessly circulating. Everybody it seemed, was stealing from everybody else. One that remains largely untold involved Frankie Knuckles. "This was the story at the time" recalls Adonis. "Supposedly Frankie sold Jamie Principle's unreleased tapes to DJ International AND Trax at the same time. Then Jamie came out with a record called 'Knucklehead' dissing Frankie. After that Frankie went back to New York."When Rocky Jones at DJ International became convinced by a larger- than-life character named Lewis Pitzele who was helping put a lot of the deals together at the time that Europe was the place to focus on, house poured into Britain with London Records putting the first compilation of early DJ International material out. As the press bandwagon rolled into action the 86 Chicago House Party featuring Adonis, Marshall Jefferson, Fingers Inc and Kevin Irving toured the UK's clubs. Trax took a little longer
Adonis: "Trax was meant to be a bullshit label for all the dirty, raggedy records Larry Sherman didn't give a shit about. You know, labels were always trying to do radio stuff, but Trax became popular after 'No Way Back' and 'Move Your Body' and all those tracks." It was DJ International and London who notched up the first house hits, first with Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk's 'Love Can't Turn Around', a cover of the old Isaac Hayes song with camp wailer Daryl Pandy on vocals which reached Number 10 in September 1986, and then a record that spent months gestating in the clubs before it was finally catapulted to Number One in January 1987 - Jim Silk's 'Jack Your Body'. --Phil Cheeseman
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