Dimitri from Paris (born Dimitrios Yerasimos, el, Δημήτριος Γεράσιμος; 27 October 1963) is a French
music producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
and
DJ of
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
descent.
His musical influences are rooted in 1970s
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
and
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
sounds that spawned contemporary
house music
House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...
, as well as original soundtracks from 1950s and 1960s movies such as ''
Breakfast at Tiffany's'', ''
La Dolce Vita
''La Dolce Vita'' (; Italian for "the sweet life" or "the good life"Kezich, 203) is a 1960 satirical comedy-drama film directed and co-written (with Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli and Brunello Rondi) by Federico Fellini. The film stars Marcell ...
'' and ''
The Party'',
which were sampled in his album ''
Sacrebleu''. Dimitri fused these sounds with
electro and block party
hip hop he discovered in the 1980s.
Life and career
Contrary to his musical pseudonym, Dimitri was born not in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
but born in
Peckham
Peckham () is a district in southeast London, within the London Borough of Southwark. It is south-east of Charing Cross. At the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 Census the Peckham ward had a population of 14,720.
History
"Peckham" is a Saxon p ...
, South London, to
Rûm
Rūm ( ar, روم , collective; singulative: Rūmī ; plural: Arwām ; fa, روم Rum or Rumiyān, singular Rumi; tr, Rûm or , singular ), also romanized as ''Roum'', is a derivative of the Aramaic (''rhπmÈ'') and Parthian (''frwm'') ...
parents (Greeks of Turkey), Dimitri grew up in France where he discovered DJing at home, using whatever he could find to "cut and paste" samples from disco hits or in to montages heard on the radio, blending them together to make tapes. This early experimentation helped him launch his DJ career.
Early career
He started out by DJing at the French station Radio 7, before moving on to
Skyrock Skyrock may refer to:
*Skyrock (social network site), a French social network site
*Skyrock (radio)
Skyrock is a French radio station based in Paris created in 1986, and is mainly dedicated to mainstream rap music
Rapping (also rhyming, s ...
and finally to
Radio NRJ
NRJ (NRJ is an acronym read as Nouvelle Radio Jeune, or ''énergie'' in French, pronounced , literally "energy") is a private French radio station created by Jean-Paul Baudecroux and Max Guazzini in June 1981, and was widely popularized th ...
, Europe's largest FM radio network, in 1986. There, he introduced the first ever
house music
House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...
show to be broadcast in France,
while simultaneously producing under the direction of sound designer Michel Gaubert, runway
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
s for fashion houses such as
Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...
,
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 April 1952) is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an " enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs including corset ...
,
Hermès
Hermès International S.A., or simply Hermès ( , ), is a French luxury design house established in 1837. It specializes in leather goods, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry, watches and ready-to-wear. Its logo, since ...
and
Yves Saint-Laurent. He also released two solo
EPs from 1993 to 1994 and contributed to the
Yellow Productions Yellow Productions is an independent record label specializing in electronic music. Based in Paris, France, it was founded in 1993 by DJ Yellow and Christophe Le Friant (more famous under Bob Sinclar alias).
The label's roster represents Bob Sinc ...
compilation ''La Yellow 357''.
Recording career
In 1996, Dimitri gained worldwide recognition with the release of his first full album, ''
Sacrebleu'', released on
Yellow Productions Yellow Productions is an independent record label specializing in electronic music. Based in Paris, France, it was founded in 1993 by DJ Yellow and Christophe Le Friant (more famous under Bob Sinclar alias).
The label's roster represents Bob Sinc ...
.
A blend of diverse influences including
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, original film soundtracks,
samba
Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...
, and organic
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
, ''Sacrebleu'' sold 300,000 copies worldwide and was named Album of the Year by UK's ''
Mixmag
''Mixmag'' is a British electronic dance and clubbing magazine published in London. Launched in 1983 as a print magazine, it has branched into dance events, including festivals and club nights.
History
The first issue of ''Mixmag'' was prin ...
'' magazine.
In 2000, Dimitri followed ''Sacrebleu'' up with ''A Night at the Playboy Mansion'' (Virgin) and ''Disco Forever'' (BBE), followed by ''My Salsoul'' in 2001, ''After the Playboy Mansion'' in 2002. In 2003, ''Cruising Attitude'' was released, to be closely followed by his first outing on UK's premier dance music label Defected: Dimitri from Paris In the House.
He has followed a somewhat glamorous musical path by recording soundtracks and advertising campaigns for fashion houses Chanel, Jean-Paul Gautier and Yves Saint Laurent and remixing hundreds of artists as diverse as
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
,
The Cardigans
The Cardigans is a Swedish rock band formed in Jönköping, Sweden, in 1992 by guitarist Peter Svensson, bassist Magnus Sveningsson, drummer Bengt Lagerberg, keyboardist Lars-Olof Johansson and lead singer Nina Persson. Post-hiatus shows sin ...
,
James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
,
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
,
New Order and
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
.
He also did the music for the anime ''
Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase'' and mixed the soundtrack for the French luxury dessin animé
Jet Groove produced by Method Films.
Recent developments
2005 saw Dimitri go back to his Funk and Disco roots, with Japanese hip hop producer and über collector DJ Muro for Super Disco Friends a double CD mixdown. In 2006 he offered his House of Love outing to Valentine's Day's lovers. Later on Dimitri produced
Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Amigos Invisibles (Spanish for "The Invisible Friends") is a Venezuelan band which plays a blend of disco, acid jazz and funk mixed with Latin rhythms. In addition to releasing eleven critically acclaimed albums, the band have been lauded ...
"Super Pop Venezuela" album which grabbed a nomination for a Grammy Award.
2007 saw the release of the ''Cocktail Disco'' project with label
BBE. Dimitri described in the notes to the project that he arrived to the material through a "kind of evolution in music collecting
here
Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to:
Software
* Here Technologies, a mapping company
* Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Technologies, Here
Television
* Here TV (form ...
the more you complete one genre, the more you move to a sub genre, a sub, sub genre, eventually branching out to different musical paths, to avoid being stuck in dead ends. It turns out records I would overlook a few years back, are the ones I feverishly hunt now. One of many such sub genres I grew up to love over the years, is a type of Disco that I could best describe as Cocktail Disco."
Dimitri described the
Cocktail Disco sub-genre as having "that ubiquitous 4/4 beat and flying open high hat, complemented by rich orchestrations, campy over the top vocals, and an often tropical latin vibe. Something that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Broadway musical."
He also pointed out that he believes "the same style was called
Sleaze back in its days, from roughly 1976 to 1979. There were even DJs specialized in the Sleaze sound which was usually played after hours, in spots with a strong sex-oriented drive."
The ''Cocktail Disco'' compilation includes tracks from
Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto (; born Astrud Evangelina Weinert, March 29, 1940) is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She gained international attention in the 1960s following her recording of the song "The Girl from Ipanema".
Biography
Astrud Gilbe ...
, Blue Velvets, the
Ritchie Family and
Paul Mauriat
Paul Julien André Mauriat ( or ; 4 March 1925 – 3 November 2006) was a French orchestra leader, conductor of Le Grand Orchestre de Paul Mauriat, who specialized in the easy listening genre. He is best known in the United States for his mill ...
("The Joy of You," from his New York-recorded disco album collaboration with
Gérard Gambus ''
Overseas Call
Overseas may refer to:
* ''Overseas'' (album), a 1957 album by pianist Tommy Flanagan and his trio
*Overseas (band), an American indie rock band
* "Overseas" (song), a 2018 song by American rappers Desiigner and Lil Pump
* "Overseas" (Tee Grizzley ...
'').
2009 saw the release of the ''Night Dubbin, a post-disco R&B compilation remix album.
[ "Night Dubbin'"at ]AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
. ''Retrieved on August 15, 2009''
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Sacrebleu'', 1996
* ''Cruising Attitude'', 2003
Compilation albums
* ''Monsieur Dimitri's De-Luxe House of Funk'', 1997
* ''A Night at the Playboy Mansion'', 2000
* ''Disco Forever'', 2000
* ''My Salsoul'', 2001
* ''After the Playboy Mansion'', 2002
* ''In the House'', 2004
* ''
Neko Mimi Mode'', 2004
* ''The Kings of Disco'', 2004 compiled by Dimitri from Paris and Joey Negro
* ''
TV Tokyo Animation Tsukuyomi–Moon Phase– Best Collection "Zenbu, Kikitakunacchatta…"'', 2005
* ''Super Disco Friends'', 2005 compiled by Dimitri from Paris and DJ Muro
* ''Southport Weekender'', 2005 compiled by Dimitri from Paris, Jazzie B, and Quentin Harris
* ''In the House of Love'', 2006
* ''Cocktail Disco'', 2007
* ''Return to the Playboy Mansion'', 2008
* ''Night Dubbin, 2009 compiled by Dimitri from Paris & The Idjut Boys
* ''Get Down With The Philly Sound'', 2010
* ''Knights of the Playboy Mansion'', 2011
* ''The Remix Files'', 2011
* ''Back In The House'', 2012
* ''In the House of Disco'', 2014
* ''Dimitri From Paris Presents Le CHIC Remix'', 2018
Remixes
*
Stardust -
Music Sounds Better With You
*
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, Robbi ...
-
Nothing Breaks Like a Heart
"Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" is a song by British musician Mark Ronson featuring American singer Miley Cyrus, released on 29 November 2018 by RCA Records as the lead single from Ronson's fifth studio album, '' Late Night Feelings'' (2019).
Pe ...
*
Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
-
I Want You Back
"I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 6, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...
*
Daft Punk
Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...
-
Get Lucky
References
External links
*
*
Dimitri from Parisat
Resident AdvisorDimitri from Paris– clubnight of note at ''Queen''
Dimitri from Parisinterview on personal style
{{Authority control
Greek DJs
1963 births
Living people
Turkish people of Greek descent
French people of Greek descent
Musicians from Istanbul
Electronic dance music DJs