Todd Terry

Todd Terry is a New York DJ and Producer, who was primarily responsible for moving House music beyond the early Chicago sound of 1984–86. In competition with Kevin "Reese" Saunderson of Detroit, he cross-sampled Chicago House and its Detroit derivatives with NY Hip-hop breaks, to create a more energized and popular sound that kick-started the Acid House and Rave movements in the UK and America.

Terry's productions extensively used samples blending the sounds of classic disco, the Chicago sound, and elements of hip-hop.[1]

Terry began in the 1980s by DJing at parties in New York, playing Italo disco and hip-hop - then later, house music, upon its mid-80s emergence.[1][2] He debuted as Masters at Work with the 12-inch "Alright Alright" (1987, Fourth Floor)[3] and an edit from this was then included on the Chicago house vanguard compilation Jackmaster 1 (1987, D.J. International/Westside UK).[4]

Much of Terry's early work in the late 1980s is considered a milestone in the development of house and rave music. He was responsible for releasing two of the house era's most respected crossover remixes:[1] "I'll House You" by the Jungle Brothers (late-1988) and "Missing" by Everything but the Girl (August 1994). Beside that, he did a major improvement to early "Progressive-House" with songs like "Can you Party", "Party People", "Yeah, Buddy," and "The Chase", which were released under his alias Royal House, first one reaching #14 in the UK.[5]

Terry's tracks "Something Goin' On" and "Keep on Jumpin'" were UK Top 10 hits,[6][7] with the vocals on both provided by Jocelyn Brown and Martha Wash.

Freestyle diva Shannon was the featured vocalist on the UK top 20 hit "It's Over Love" in 1997, which topped the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart in the US, as did "Just Wanna Dance"/"Weekend".[8][9] An album, Ready for a New Day, was also released in 1997, featuring "Something Goin' On", "Keep on Jumpin'" and "It's Over Love". It reached #84 in the UK Albums Chart.[10]

In 1999, Terry released Resolutions on Astralwerks Records, which successfully embraced the then still-avant-garde drum 'n' bass aesthetic.[1] He mixed on the albums One Half of a Whole Decade and Live & Remastered.

Throughout his career, Terry has used several aliases such as Hardhouse, Swan Lake, Orange Lemon, Royal House, and Black Riot.[11]

He recorded as CLS, Masters at Work (with Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez and "Little" Louie Vega), Dredd Stock, House of Gypsies, Limelife, Hard House, Tyme Forse, and the Gypsymen (where under that alias, scored a number-one Billboard Hot Dance/Club play hit in 1992 with "Hear the Music").

Terry co-produced the song "Shake" on P.M. Dawn's debut album, Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience. The song ended with the repeated lyric "Everyone thank Todd Terry". He also produced "The House of Isis" from Isis' 1990 album Rebel Soul.

In October 2004, "Weekend" by the Todd Terry Project appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on house music radio station SF-UR.

In 2007, Terry formed the Todd Terry All Stars bringing together Kenny Dope, DJ Sneak and Terry Hunter releasing the first single "Get Down" featuring and co-written by Tara McDonald. The follow up, "Play On" also featured Tara McDonald and was released in 2007 on Strictly Rhythm Records/Defected Records and then re-released in 2009 with a remix by Eddie Thoneick.

InHouse Records was launched by Terry in 1999. It has been the vehicle through which Todd is able to release tracks to his fans without a filter.

Currently, Inhouse has over 500 commercially available tracks in the catalog including releases by House of Gypsies, Roland Clark, Shawnee Taylor, Kelly Sajda, Gypsymen, Black Riot, Leon Cormack, Lewis Beck, DJ E-Clyps and Todd Terry All Stars.

In 2000, Terry launched SoundDesign Records, the home to some of the harder tracks and artists he is working with, including releases from Danny Genius, Space Kadets, and Friscia and Lamboy.

In 2013, Terry released the album Todd Terry vs. That Trap Shitt on Tommy Boy Entertainment.

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

• Official website