HOUSE MUSIC CONTINUES TO UNITE CHICAGOANS

The Chicago Cultural Affairs and Special Events Department recently hosted its second Chicago House Party at Millennium Park, located at 201 E. Randolph St. Program Manager David Chavez, said the 2017 House Party was formed to honor the late Franky Knuckles, who was known as the founder of House Music. Knuckles, who died in March of 2014, began playing House Music in the mid-1970’s in a nightclub called the Warehouse. In his honor, the 2017 House Party list of showcases included major names like International Producer Julius The Mad Thinker, Producer DJ Anthony Nicholson, Global Producer Terry Hunter and more. Photo by Christopher Shuttlesworth
The Chicago Cultural Affairs and Special Events Department recently hosted its second Chicago House Party at Millennium Park, located at 201 E. Randolph St. Program Manager David Chavez, said the 2017 House Party was formed to honor the late Franky Knuckles, who was known as the founder of House Music. Knuckles, who died in March of 2014, began playing House Music in the mid-1970’s in a nightclub called the Warehouse. In his honor, the 2017 House Party list of showcases included major names like International Producer Julius The Mad Thinker, Producer DJ Anthony Nicholson, Global Producer Terry Hunter and more. Photo by Christopher Shuttlesworth

HOUSE MUSIC CONTINUES TO UNITE CHICAGOANS

By Christopher Shuttlesworth

The Chicago Cultural Affairs and Special Events Department recently hosted its second Chicago House Party at Millennium Park, located at 201 E. Randolph St. The House Party brought together a huge crowd of Chicagoans to the park

to listen to Grammy-nominated DJs and live performances. From the 2 p.m. start of the event, each showcase allowed you as a House Music fan to dance and

hear the “various sounds and styles of house music, which was a musical form originally born in Chicago that has since revolutionized dance music on an international scale,” according to the city of Chicago.

David Chavez, who was the programmer and coordinator of the House Party, said the Chicago Cultural A†airs and Special Events team decided to conduct its second House Party to help keep the music alive and most importantly pay tribute, homage and celebrate the music founded by the late Founder of House

Music, Franky Knuckles.

“The success of the exhibit informs us more on how popular the music is still today,” Chavez said. “I think some of us have already known that, but I think it took time to resonate in the department. House music has not only had e†ect in Chicago, but has transformed dance music globally as well.”

The city of Chicago said this year’s House Party also included a House Music Conference for musicians, DJs and industry participants. In addition, the 2017 House Party list of showcases included International Producer Julius The Mad

Thinker, who has been “performing since the age of 17 years old,” according to madthinker.com. Also, DJ Anthony Nicholson, who has been producing house music since 1992 and Global Producer Terry Hunter, who has shared his passion for house music for more than 25 years, according to residentadvisor.net.

Chavez continued to explain that there would be no House Music without Franky Knuckles, who is considered the ‘GodFather of House Music.’ Chavez said Knuckles, who was one of the founders of House Music performed in Chicago during the mid-1970’s at a nightclub called the Warehouse. According to the Guardian.com, Knuckles died at the age of 59 in March

2014.

So, Chavez said the Chicago Cultural A†airs and Special Events Department and House Music Community came together to honor the Chicago Icon with a Franky KnucklesTribute during June of 2014.

“The response from the tribute was so remarkable that we wanted to continue to celebrate the music as much as we could in some form or fashion,” Chavez said. “So, ever since then we started conducting a variety of events in [honor of Knuckles.]”

Chavez said the department plans to keep the memory of Knuckles alive and plans to keep showing that house music can help make a di†erence in communities. For more information about the Chicago Cultural A†airs and Special Events Department, visit www.cityofchicago.org.

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