Kerri Chandler and the New Jersey House Lineage

Kerri Chandler grew up in East Orange in a family of jazz musicians. His father, Joseph Chandler, was a DJ who introduced him to soul and disco. Chandler began playing records when he was young and later became a resident at Club Zanzibar in Newark.

Zanzibar was central to the New Jersey house sound. Chandler carried that history into his productions and into Madhouse Records, which he co-founded with Mel Medalie in 1992. He later started MadTech and Kaoz Theory. The labels gave him a way to support other producers as well as release his own work.

New Jersey house developed alongside scenes in New York, Chicago, and Detroit. The artists below built labels and studios across those cities. Sound Shelter's deep house collection covers more of that history.

Mood II Swing

Mood II Swing was formed in New York by John Ciafone and Lem Springsteen. The pair worked on original productions as well as dubs for house and R&B singers.

Their records and remixes appeared on Strictly Rhythm and King Street Sounds. Groove On and Nervous Records also carried their music. The duo made its name with vocal house that could be stripped back into hard club dubs. Their studio work for other singers became as central to their career as the music released under the Mood II Swing name.

Blaze

Blaze began in New Jersey with Josh Milan, Kevin Hedge, and Chris Herbert. Milan and Hedge continued as a duo after Herbert left.

The group released early work through Quark before signing to Motown. Further records appeared through labels including Slip 'n' Slide. Blaze became known for full vocal songs shaped by Milan's gospel background and keyboard playing. Milan later founded Honeycomb Music, while Hedge became involved with West End Records.

Jovonn

Jovonn came through New York's garage scene and began releasing records in the early 1990s.

He founded Goldtone Records through Emotive and later ran Next Moov. In 2017, he started Body N'Deep to release his own work and music by other house producers. His records use hard kicks with jazz chords and his own vocals.

Pal Joey

Pal Joey brought experience from New York hip hop studios into house production.

He produced for artists on Jive, Atlantic, and Epic while also making club records under several names. Cabaret and Underworld released his house music. He ran Loop D Loop and Foot Stompin for his own productions. His sample based house grew from the production methods he learned in hip hop studios.

Ron Trent

Ron Trent began in Chicago and later founded Prescription with Chez Damier.

Our guide to Ron Trent and Prescription follows that history through Chicago and several connected deep house labels.

His early work appeared on Warehouse Records while he was still in high school. He later released albums and singles through Peacefrog and Rush Hour. Trent also runs Future Vision. His deep house uses long arrangements built around jazz influenced keyboards and percussion.

Chez Damier

Chez Damier co-founded Detroit's Music Institute, then worked with Kevin Saunderson's KMS label before founding Prescription with Ron Trent. Our guide to the best Chez Damier tracks follows his career through sixteen records and links to each one.

Damier also ran Balance and later started Balance Alliance. His records have appeared through KMS and Prescription, as well as Mojuba. He is known for sparse deep house built from drums and short vocal lines. His work at the Music Institute placed him inside Detroit club history as well as its recording scene.

Dennis Ferrer

Dennis Ferrer began by making techno with Damon Wild as Morph before moving into house. Madhouse released his work. Ferrer later founded Objektivity and supported another generation of New York producers.

He also released through Ibadan and King Street Sounds. Defected issued some of his later work. Ferrer worked with Kerri Chandler on Sfere Recordings before starting Objektivity in 2006. He became known for vocal house after his earlier work in techno.

Larry Heard

Larry Heard, also known as Mr. Fingers, helped establish deep house in Chicago during the 1980s.

He recorded with Robert Owens and Ron Wilson as Fingers Inc. His early music appeared on Trax Records and DJ International. Later albums came through MCA and Black Market. Heard also founded Alleviated Records for his own work. Soft synthesisers and restrained drum programming became central to his house music.

Follow Kerri Chandler on Sound Shelter to see new releases and stores with copies in stock.