Henry Street Sampler: D2-D2 b/w Heaven’s Piano

Back at the tail end of the last millennium BBE released a comprehensive over view of house music in the latter stages of the 20th century. ‘Henry Street Music: The Story So Far – 1993 To 1999’ was a slice of superior contemporary club classics featuring all of the key players, architects and music makers of the day. Todd Terry, Armand Van Helden, Kenny Dope, DJ Sneak, 95 North, Robbie Rivera, Davidson Ospina, Ralphi Rosario, Mike Delgado, King Britt, and a handful of others under various alter egos and nom de plumes. It was a given that they were all great records, what was all the more impressive was that they all originated from the same recording home, Henry Street Music. A label conceived and devised by Johnny DeMairo, an Italian-American from Jersey who talked the talk, could easily have been an extra in The Soprano’s, and was known affectionately as “The Shark”. To others he was just plain Johnny “D”, and one half of the production duo JohNick with studio partner Nicky “P” Palermo Jr.

BBE is proud to announce the release of some of the greatest Henry Street classics not only on the CD compilation “Henry Street Grooves – Classic Deep, Funky and Jazzy House from New York” but two tracks also on 12″ vinyl. D2-D2 by Dj Duke and Heaven’s Piano by The Eltingville Project are collectors classics and will be re-released and re-mastered on vinyl for the first time in over 10 years…

DJ DUKE – D2-D2

This subtle remake of Manuel Gottsching’s archetypical ‘E2-E4’ would form the basis for Sueno Latino’s eponymous single and help put not just Italo house, but also Ibiza, on the dance radar. Duke’s version (HS553) stays true to the source, and like Gottsching’s original, similarly weighs in at an equally epic time. “I met Duke at record shows as, like me, he’s a big vinyl collector, and we did a couple of swaps for each other’s respective labels. I always felt his Power Music releases were very different to everything else that was happening at the time. I was very happy to have this and other releases from him. This version was an instant classic and is one of the most requested vinyl releases on the label.

THE ELTINGVILLE PROJECT – HEAVEN’S PIANO

Made by Jeremias Santiago, aka FTL, from Staten Island, NY. “This guy is highly respected by MANY DJ/ producers, and most people don’t realise how multitalented he is.” With the A-side, ‘Been There’ based around a loop and aimed at the disco crowd, it was the cool and jazzy ‘Heaven’s Piano’ (HS590) that was actually the standout and sat perfectly alongside the work of say, Joe Claussell. “It’s actually one of my most requested vinyl pressings to this day. I think it was also the second to last release Henry Street put out on vinyl too.