This is probably my favorite music. Detroit house really isn't a recognized category, but maybe it should be. It's a serious body of work extending back for a dozen years now. So following on Tom and Vince's comments I decided to search through my collection and list my favorites.
I'm not including some things that might be, depending on what definition you want to give to "house". For this list I'm being a bit arbitrary and cutting it off on the basis of BPMs -- a crude method to be sure, because it leaves out most of the Octave One stuff for the last few years (which some people classify as house), a lot of UR and Red Planet, and some odds and ends like Eddie Flashin Fowlkes "One Dance." I also don't have much for the last couple of years because while a lot of it is pleasant, it just doesn't grab me all that much. On the other hand, that reflects the general state of house in the late 1990s, the era of filtered disco and soporific jazzy releases (not that Detroit indulges in filtered disco or soporific anything). House generally is going through a bit of a resurgence now and I'm hopeful we'll see more kick-ass Detroit house releases. There are a lot of people who deserve recognition for their contributions here. Some of them are obvious -- Juan, Reese, Chez and Ron, Carl, KDJ. Others deserve more notice than they usually receive -- Santonio Echols, Derwin Hall, Mike Huckaby. Two deserve special credit: TP, for his artistic growth and commitment to great house music. And Mike Banks, who not only makes house records but has always supported Detroit house music in a way that really matters, by getting the records out the door. I don't mean to leave anyone out of the props. Remember that Detroit house isn't a derivative of anything, it has its own history and stands within the broad house continuum as an identifiable sound. How can you tell? I could approach that mechanically and say it's something about the rythmic patterns (Santonio's "Visions of Music" might be the keystone here). But maybe it's really about a feeling . . . So more or less chronologically, my opinionated list follows: M-D-Emm - Get Angelic/Get Acidic (Transmat) from that era where house and techno blended, "acid, acid, acid house" Inner City - Big Fun (Virgin) mixes by KMS, Juan and Duane Bradley Kaos - Definition of Love (KMS) Liaz - House Sensation (10) KMS and two classic and unique Magic Juan mixes Inner City - Do You Love What You Feel (Virgin) KMS, Mike "Hitman" Wilson and Juan with one of those distinctive basslines Yolanda - Living for the Night (UR) Santonio - Visions of Music (Serious Grooves) Ron & Chez D - EP (KMS 054) Unit 2 - Sunshine (Happy) Members of the House - Feel the Fire (Shockwave) big Earth Wind & Fire approach, like a lot in this era credited to UR Chez Damier - I Never Knew Love (KMS) Visions - Is This Real (Flying) truly a classic - written by A. Shakir, great Dianne Lynn vocals, *seven* mixes by Juan Donnie Mark - Stand Up for the Soul (Simply Soul) great mixes by D-Ha and TP Seven Grand Housing Authority - The Question (Simply Soul) essential (!) Santonio - Visions of Music (Serious Grooves) the definition of Detroit house Brian Transeau/Carl Craig - Moment of Truth (Deep Dish) more of a remake than a remix, check the work Carl did on the vocals here Mitchell/Aaron/Carl - Round & Round (Soul City) excellent vocal on one side, excellent tracky side on the flip Davina - Don't You Want It (Soul City) one of Mad Mike's very best, in my opinion Reese Project - Faith, Hope & Clarity (KMS/Network) if you can find this double-pack or the related singles, grab them -- The Color of Love, Direct Me, I Believe, Miracle of Life, So Deep, with incredible vocals by Rachel Kapp, Terence FM, LaTrece, Ann Saunderson, and great remixes by TP, Tony Humphries, Mike Wilson, Bump, UR, Juan, MK and Reese Chez Damier and Ralph Lawson - Dedication to Joss (Serious Grooves) with Chez and Stacy Pullen remixes and "The Bah Bah Song" with Chez and Santonio Chez Damier & Co-Inside - Give a Little Love (t:me) The Groove Committe and DJ San Man - The Committe Groove (Serious Grooves) Happy Trax III (Happy) four excellent tracks: Cha Cha (D-Ha), Soul Nite (Mad Mike), Lift Me Up (D-Ha), Sublime (D-Ha) L'Homme Van Renn - Luv + Affection (Soul City) propulsive tracks by the Burden brothers, Mad Mike and P. Randolph Happy Trax V (Happy) three great D-Ha tracks - Tuk My Lov, Stories, Happy's Theme Blowed Pimps - So Good (Simply Soul) UR - Nation 2 Nation (UR) especially Sometimes I Feel Like Members of the House - Keep Pushin' (Happy Soul) D'Lareg - Better Way/Don't Wanna Come Down (Soul City) by Gerald Mitchell - if there is such as thing as "Detroit garage" this is it Round One - I'm Your Brother (Main Street) the classic vocal by Chez and Ron, the classic dub on the flip Terrence Parker - Pure Disco EP (K7) especially Emancipation of My Soul and Pure Disco Andrew Pearce vs Urban Soul Gallery - Day by Day (Six6) Chez, Ron and KMS Moodymann - Silentintroduction (Planet E) need say no more Carl Craig - Domina (M) E-Dancer - Feel the Mood (Shield) KMS and Stacey Pullen Terrence Parker - Tribute (Intangible) Mike Huckaby - Deep Transportation Vol 2 (Harmonie Park) Telex/Stacey Pullen - I Don't Like Music (SSR) Robert Hood - Drama EP (Dramatic) total respect for Rob's techno/minimal work, but this is what I really like Inner City - Good Life/Buena Vida (PIAS) Carl and Stacey break the rule that says remixes of classics never work out Mike Grant - Hypnotize (Moods & Grooves) Oh yeah, one more namecheck: Ken Collier. No more needs to be said. Enjoy :) phred
