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David Morales

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David Morales
File:David-Morales.gif
Background information
Years active1989-present

David Morales (born 21 August 1961, in Brooklyn), is an internationally acclaimed house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time. He has transformed many of the world's most successful recording artists' records into huge club hits.

Career

Record producer

Morales' work as a house music record producer is both influential and ground breaking. His first full album of original material was released in 1993 under Phonogram Records. An 11-track album, "The Program" was an impressive debut that layed the ground work for many subsequent house music artists. "Gimme Luv (Eenie Meenie Miny Mo)" was the most successful single to be lifted from the debut LP and was a major dance hit, both in the USA and Internationally. After his debut release, Morales produced few original records, focusing instead on carving out his career as one of the first true "superstar" DJ's and as a truly prolific remixer, working with some of the biggest names in music. In 1998, under the pseudonym David Morales presents The Face he released his biggest hit to date - "Needin' U". Featuring samples from the Chi-Lites' "My Favourite Mistakes" and Rare Pleasure's "Let Me Down" the record became an overnight classic and re-affirmed Morales as a record producer of the highest stature.

Following up this success in 2000 he offered up another overnight hit titled "Higher". In November of 2004, Morales released his second album 11 years after his first. Titled "2 Worlds Collide", the 10-track album released on Ministry of Sound's own record label, Data Records is reminiscent of earlier house music mixed with current and progressive sounds. The release contained another big hit for Morales titled "2 Worlds Collide" which features vocals from Lea-Lorien. "Here I Am" featuring vocals from Tamra Keenan was the album's second single, released to less success in 2005. In addition to his work as a solo record producer, Morales is also part of the group Def Mix with long term partners Frankie Knuckles and Satoshi Tomiie who produce both original productions and remixes.

Remixer

Since 1986, in addition to his huge success as a record producer and DJ, Morales has also carved out a career as perhaps one of the most famous and in-demand remixers of all time. He has worked with some of the most successful and famous recording artists of his time including Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and many others. The majority of his remix work has been well received by critics, with Morales winning a variety of accolades for his efforts including Billboard and National Dance Music Awards in the States and countless other International awards. In addition to remixing pop songs and transforming them into dancefloor anthems, he has also put his own spin on various house music records over his many years as one of the industries most prolific remixers.

Despite the many great artists Morales has worked with across his career, probably his most important and successful partnerships has been with Mariah Carey. His first remix of a Carey record was the 1993 Billboard #1 hit Dreamlover which went onto to become not only one of the biggest dance hits of the year, but also a house anthem in its own right. The remix is sighted by many as ground breaking because it was one of the first to feature newly recorded vocals by the original artist, highlighting the increased importance of dance/club remixes for major recording artists in the 1990s. The hugely successful Dreamlover remixes by Morales are credited with popularising the tradition of remixing pop songs into house records. Morales would work with Carey at almost every stage of her career following the huge success of his Dreamlover remix. His re-works of hits such as Fantasy, Always Be My Baby, Honey and My All confirmed Morales as Carey's first choice for Dance remixes of her singles. Unusually, Morales' association with Carey extends beyond just remixing, as he co-produced with her on her Butterfly album in 1997. Most recently, he produced a highly successful remix of Carey's triumphant come-back single It's Like That and a remix of Say Somethin.

Superstar DJ

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Performing at Pacha, Ibiza in 2003

David Morales is considered by many to be one of the first so-called "Superstar DJ's", becoming one of the most celebrated and famous of all DJ's. It was fellow DJ and producer Larry Levan who was the first to recognise the potential for success in Morales, and he was soon a popular regular at The Loft, Paradise Garage and The Sound Factory - all highly influential Nightclubs of New York City in the late 1980's and early 1990's. As his remix and production work began to gain popularity, so did he as a DJ and he was soon an international star of the dance music scene, performing at major clubs around the globe including the Ministry of Sound in London. He also became one of Ibiza's most beloved DJ's appearing at venue's such as Pacha.

In addition to his Nightclub sets, Morales also contributed to a large number of Radio Mixshows throughout the 1990's, the most important being for Hot 97's popular segment "All Night House Party". He also produced various DJ Mixes for radio stations around the world, including London's KISS 100. Morales also contributed his DJ skills to a variety of compilation's including Ministry of Sound: Sessions Seven, United DJs of America, Volume 4 (Which was a joint project with Def Mix partner Frankie Knuckles) and most recently with the retrospective collection Mix The Vibe: Past-Present-Future. As a DJ, Morales is currently most active in Ibiza, and has commented - like many of his peers - that the New York club scene is not what it used to be. He recently purchased and designed the sound system for nightclub SONIC in Toronto, Canada, and on April 29, 2006 he and Frankie Knuckles will headline at the grand opening.

In addition to his music career, Morales also has served as a model for Italian clothing manufacturer Iceberg Jeans.

Discography

Albums

  1. The Program
  2. United DJs of America, Volume 4
  3. Ministry of Sound: Sessions Seven - 1997
  4. Mix The Vibe: Past-Present-Future - 2003
  5. 2 Worlds Collide - 2004

Selected Remixes

See also

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