From the early days of Donald Byrd and John Lee Hooker, to the well documented Motown era, to MC5 and, of course, J Dilla, Detroit has, for many years, played a hugley influential role within contemporary music. One of the motor city’s most clearly defined roles is as the home of techno.Taking their cue from Kraftwerk, via The Electrifying Mojo’s seminal radio show and the influence of the records that Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles were playing over in Chicago, combined with the emergence of new technology (namely Roland’s TR-808 and TR-909 drum mahcines) – pioneers Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson started something that has continued to grow and mutate for more or less 25 years.

 

Arguably one of the most important figures within the Detroit techno scene is cult producer / performer Moodymann aka Kenny Dixon Jnr. Drawing heavily on jazz, soul, disco and funk, his unique form of house music recycles the sounds of the ‘black atlantic’ for a new generation. He is one of the four members of the Three Chairs (along with Rick Wilhite, Theo Parrish and Marcellus Pittman), helped DJ Stingray bring his debut Urban Tribe long player to fruition and has delivered epic remixes for both Innerzone Orchestra and vocalist Norma Jean Bell.

A reclusive figure during daylight hours, KDJ comes into his own at night and is well known for his charismatic performances – from his one off live shows to his infamous DJ sets. He is an outspoken supporter of the vinyl movement and his own releases are often hard to find gems themselves, with limited runs of his work on both his KDJ and Mahogani Music imprints, as well as the likes of Carl Craig’s Planet E.

 

Joy Orbison
Meanwhile, Doldrums boss Joy Orbison continues to push things forward, as his sound moves from 2-step to deep house, developing more of an affinity with the sounds coming from Detroit, Chicago, New York and Berlin, than the UK. His limited release schedule has only intensified the demand for the young producer, with talk of another twelve via his own label in the next few months, as well as recent work for Scuba’s Hotflush Recordings and, if the rumours are true, Loefah’s Swamp 81.