| With the field of house music DJs continuing
to expand exponentially, it’s become increasingly difficult
for any one talent to stand out. That is, of course, unless
you’re Chad Jack.
In what almost seems like overnight, this
extremely gifted young DJ/producer has infiltrated New York’s
formidable nightlife scene with his brilliant remix work and
recurring gigs at two of the city’s most popular nightclubs,
Roxy and Avalon (f/k/a Limelight). Undeniably destined for
superstar status, Chad’s vigorous live performances
and sophisticated studio productions transcend the dance floor,
inspiring awe and cultivating a diverse following of revelers
around the world.
Born and raised in Michigan, Chad first
discovered his passion for dance music while listening to
radio mix shows he tuned in from nearby Chicago. Inspired
by industry pioneers like Ralphi Rosario, Fast Eddie and the
Hot Mix 5, Chad found a creative outlet for his newfound interest
behind the turntables. After immersing himself in the hip-hop
music scene, he landed his first DJ gig at Electric Avenue
in Grand Rapids, and eventually his own radio show on Magic
108 (WMHG) in Muskegon in the early 1990s.
After eight years honing his craft as
a “battle DJ” -- performing theatrical tricks
“using turntables as instruments” a la the DMC
mixing competitions -- Chad packed up the vinyl in the summer
of 1995 and moved to New York City to further his musical
education and career. His focus soon shifted to house music
and he began experimenting on his computer creating his own
remixes of popular songs. While working at Eight Ball Records,
the self-taught DJ and aspiring producer befriended industry
legends Victor Calderone and Hex Hector. Empowered by their
advice and encouragement, Chad worked even harder to take
his artistry to the next level.
After establishing a name for himself
on Manhattan’s underground club circuit, Chad signed
on with Madtizzy Productions to help increase his exposure
beyond New York. Under the shrewd management of George Dellinger
-- who also manages Chris Cox of Thunderpuss, Manny Lehman,
David Knapp and Billy Carroll, among others -- enviable bookings
quickly piled up, including Factory in Los Angeles, Coliseum
in Fort Lauderdale, and Alegria at Sound Factory in New York.
Unburdened by the minutiae of daily administrative
tasks, the rookie producer focused his attention on mastering
the Logic software program which he uses to create and manipulate
music for his live sets. His unreleased mixes of Missy Elliott’s
“Work It” and Whitney Houston’s “Fine”
generated a great deal of buzz around town, but it was the
birthday present he made for Junior Vasquez in 2002 that truly
set Chad on a direct course for the upper echelon of disco
royalty.
When he handed a CD containing restyled
versions of Vernessa Mitchell’s “Reap” and
Whitney Houston’s “Whatchulookinat” intermingled
together to the person guarding the DJ booth at Earth, he
wasn’t sure if Junior would ever see or hear it. But
just two hours later, Junior played his mix and the crowd
went absolutely wild. Chad has since remixed Chicola’s
“I’magetcha” and Purple Kitty’s “Bang
On” for Junior Vasquez Music, as well as an updated
version of Vernessa Mitchell’s “Trouble Don’t
Last Always.”
While his production work is indeed impressive,
Chad’s extraordinary talent and showmanship is perhaps
best appreciated during his live DJ sets. Clearly influenced
by his hip-hop and early Chicago house origins, yet confident
playing any genre of dance music, Chad admits, “It’s
more about how I play the records as opposed to which records
I play.” While his distinct style and sound will inevitably
continue to evolve over the years, the one thing the ambitious
DJ/producer plans to make sure never changes is that when
someone walks into a party that he’s playing, they shouldn’t
have to ask who’s behind the decks -- they’ll
immediately know it’s Chad Jack.
- Written by Matt Kalkhoff
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"Featured at ChadJack.com
and MadTizzy.com.
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