This week, we present the iconic, Danny Tenaglia as our Mix of the Week, live at this year’s SXM Festival.
The tale of Danny Tenaglia’s love affair with music, and the world’s subsequent romance with him, is one of the critical veins in the body of dance music. He is every dancer’s secret discovery; a random purchase at the record store, a reluctant night out that unexpectedly turned magic. Explosive success came not behind a major label release, or a world tour, or a radio hit remix: It happened when enough people had the private Tenaglia experience for themselves.
The momentum started building in early ’70s New York when a barely 10-year-old Danny first got the feel of vinyl in his hands. Enthralled by the music of artists like Philly Soul’s The Trammps, Motown’s Marvin Gaye, African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, and disco producer Giorgio Moroder, he started to collect records, plumbing the depths of each one, and frequently finding that he preferred the B-side to the A. It was 1979 when he discovered the legendary nightclub Paradise Garage, where DJ Larry Levan’s rich, genre-less blend of music seemed to mirror his own “no boundaries” policy. It was here where Danny found the club model he would one day emulate: Levan’s bold style, the venue’s plain décor, and the party’s warmth and inclusiveness.
‘Set on the paradise island of Saint-Martin / Sint-Maarten, featuring the creme of international DJs and electronic music talent, SXM Festival prides it itself upon drawing the most discerning crowd of music lovers. A reaction to large, faceless festivals around the world, year one of SXM saw an influential group of dancefloor aficionados – who value and respect the scene’s history and culture – come together in beautiful surroundings to dance together and experience the joys of one of the Caribbean’s most fun and friendly locations.’
