It’s pulsating. It’s energetic. It’s got beats and hooks so contagious that super-producer and rapper Missy Elliott has included samples of it in not one, but at least two of her songs: “4 My People” and “I’m Really Hot.”
Though Elliott is a musical genius, she didn’t invent that particular sound–the one that gets people out of their seats, on the floor and dancing until the back of their shirts are soaked with sweat. The sound in question is house music, and it was invented right here in Chicago, according to local house historians.
This weekend, you can do your homework on house music at a concert at the Congress Theater at 7 p.m. Saturday. The “25th Anniversary House Music” concert will bring together house music legends including Farley Jackmaster Funk, Chip E. and Byron Stingly.
Despite the quarter-century claim of the concert’s host, radio station Power 92 (92.3-FM), it’s hard to pinpoint the exact age of house music, according to David Sabat, 20-year “house head” and co-founder of the Chicago House Music Association.
But there is little doubt that house’s popularity in Chicago caught fire in a long defunct club called The Warehouse, Sabat said.
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That’s where Frankie Knuckles is widely believed to have been among the first DJs to blend disco and European pop to the delight of dancers citywide, Sabat said. Knuckles’ variety of music, originally thought of as The Warehouse music, was shortened to “house music,” Sabat said.
Sabat, 36, is a fan of some of the more classic house hits, including “The Percolator” and “You Used to Hold Me,” but is disappointed that contemporary local house fails to get airplay.
“We’re comfortable being underground,” Sabat said. “But the new music has more energy, it’s more positive, and it’s a lot less sexual than some of the classic stuff. People are missing out on a lot.”
Well, miss out no more.
In honor of house’s upcoming anniversary event, here are some tips for enjoying house’s history and future.
Enjoy house music memories
When I hit clubs like D’Vine or Coobah on a Saturday night, I dance to old-school hip-hop until my feet get tired. But even after I’ve worn down my high heels on NWA and Black Moon, I’ll gladly return to the floor for house anthems “Jack Your Body” or “Brighter Days.”
But house is not confined to the club scene, as the 25th anniversary concert demonstrates. And if you miss that, check out “Move! Chicago International House Music Festival” at the Charter One Pavilion on July 22 and 23. During this two-day audio orgy featuring Frankie Knuckles himself, house heads to Northerly Island. For tickets and more event info, visit chicagohousemusicfestival.org.
Move into a new house
Check out www.5chicago.com, the Web site of a locally based magazine devoted to house music news, events and trends. Sabat recommends that classic fans and newbies click the “househeads calendar” link to find local spots with the latest sounds.
Enjoy house at home
In this iPod age, some listeners might be sick of sharing scratched house mix CDs or (gasp) tapes from the glory days.
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If you want to bring house into your home computer, visit deephousepage.com for more than a thousand mixes–historic to present-day downloads. Just remember to bring a towel–you may work up a sweat in front of your keyboard.
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Your thoughts
Is house music a more prominent part of Chicago’s musical history than locally produced hip-hop? Send your comments–along with full name, age and neighborhood–to [email protected]