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DJ Cassidy

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DJ Cassidy
Background information
Birth nameCassidy Podell
BornNew York City
Occupation(s)DJ, record producer
Years activeSince the 1990s
LabelsColumbia
Websitewww.djcassidy.com

Cassidy Durango Milton Willy Podell (born 1981), better known as DJ Cassidy, is a New York DJ. Cassidy is known for his work at celebrity functions, including the 50th birthday party and 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama, and the 2008 wedding of Beyoncé and Jay-Z.[1]

Early life

Born in New York's Upper East Side, Cassidy was interested in deejaying from an early age. He asked his parents for two turntables and a mixer for his tenth birthday. He soon began his career, working at teenage parties, school carnivals and talent shows, and in his senior year in high school at nightclubs in New York.[2] In 1999 he studied at George Washington University, then transferred to New York University, graduating in sociology in 2003.[3]

Career

2008–12: Early beginnings

He was discovered by Sean "Diddy" Combs while working the 10–4 night shift in the basement of Lotus, a club in Manhattan. Combs wrote his phone number on a napkin and asked Cassidy to call him, which led to invitations to work at Grammy parties and the MTV Video Music Awards. As of 2011, according to Forbes, Cassidy was performing 200 gigs a year, sometimes earning $100,000 a night.[4] He was hired for the weddings of Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian, President Obama's first inauguration ball, his and Michelle Obama's 50th birthdays, the 2012 Democratic National Convention, as well as for parties hosted by Oprah Winfrey and Anna Wintour.[5] It was after he worked at the party for the opening of Winfrey's girls' school in South Africa that she recommended him to the Obamas.[6] Cassidy is known for his boaters and cricket sweaters, his color-blocked tuxedos and bow ties, often in pink and green, and his trademark gold microphone.[4]

2014–present: Paradise Royale

photograph
Nile Rodgers of Chic is one of 22 musicians from the 1978–1982 period featured on Paradise Royale.

Cassidy's first album, Paradise Royale, will be released in May 2014 by Columbia Records. The aim of the album is to "bring back the greatest and most universal dance music of all time", a statement which was referred to as one of a series of "sloganeering quotes..., repeated several times during our interview like a message from a sponsor", during an interview with The Independent.[7]

John D. Luerssen of Rolling Stone writes that there is no sampling or recycling of old material.[8] Cassidy has brought together a 14-piece string section and 22 of the world's most notable musicians from that period, including Nile Rodgers of Chic; Ray Parker Jr., who worked with Stevie Wonder and Barry White; Jerry Hey, who arranged Michael Jackson's horns and string sections; and Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind and Fire.[9]

The album also features Mary J. Blige, Chromeo, Estelle, Melanie Fiona, CeeLo Green, R. Kelly, John Legend, Ne-Yo, Kelly Rowland, Passion Pit and Usher.[10] Its lead single, "Calling All Hearts," sung by Robin Thicke & Jessie J, was released in the US on iTunes in February 2014.[11]

Paradise Royale was four years in the making. In preparation for it, Cassidy created an iTunes playlist of 25 songs recorded between 1978 and 1982, then set about researching how to make his music sound like those songs. He looked into the musicians who had played on them and realized that the producers were using the same musicians to create that particular sound. Those are the musicians he tried to recruit for Paradise Royale.[7]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart positions
US US R&B
Paradise Royale — —

Singles

As lead artist

Year Single Chart Positions Album
UK US
R&B
2014 "Calling All Hearts"
(featuring Jessie J and Robin Thicke) 		6 — Paradise Royale
"Make The World Go Round"
(featuring R. Kelly) 		— —

See also

  1. One Way and Alicia Myers, "I Want to Thank You" (MCA, 1981)
  2. Aretha Franklin, "Jump to It" (Arista, 1982)
  3. The Brothers Johnson, "Stomp!" (A&M, 1980)
  4. Central Line, "Walking into Sunshine" (Mercury, 1981)
  5. Chaka Khan and Rufus, "Do You Love What You Feel" (ABC, 1979)
  6. Change, "The Glow of Love" (Warner Bros, 1980)
  7. Cheryl Lynn, "Got to Be Real" (Columbia, 1978)
  8. Diana Ross, "I'm Coming Out" (Motown, 1980)
  9. Earth Wind and Fire, "Let's Groove" (Columbia, 1981)
  10. Evelyn "Champagne" King, "I’m in Love" (RCA, 1981)
  11. First Choice, "Love Thang" (Gold Mind Records, 1979)
  12. George Benson, "Give Me the Night" (Warner Bros, 1980)
  13. GQ, "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)" (Arista, 1979)
  14. Kool & the Gang, Too Hot" (De-Lite, 1979)
  15. Luther Vandross, "Never Too Much" (Epic, 1981)
  16. Frankie Beverly and Maze, "Before I Let Go" (Capitol, 1981)
  17. Michael Jackson, "Rock With You" (Epic, 1979)
  18. Patrice Rushen, "Forget Me Nots" (Elektra, 1982)
  19. Rick James, "You & I" (Gordy, 1978)
  20. Roberta Flack with Donny Hathaway, "Back Together Again" (Atlantic, 1979)
  21. Shalamar, "The Second Time Around" (Solar, 1979)
  22. Sister Sledge, "We are Family" (Atlantic, 1979)
  23. Stevie Wonder, "Do I Do" (Tamla/Motown, 1982)
  24. Teena Marie, "Square Biz" (Motown, 1981)
  25. Chic, "I Want Your Love" (Atlantic, 1978)

Notes

  1. ^ Brennan Williams, "DJ Cassidy Shares Details On New Album, 'Paradise Royale,' And The Resurgence Of Disco", Huffington Post, 10 March 2014.
  2. ^ Lee Hawkins, "Deejay Cassidy: Deejay to the Stars", Wall Street Journal, 29 November 2011 (video interview with Cassidy).
  3. ^ "About DJ Cassidy", MTV.
  4. ^ a b Zack O'Malley Greenburg, "The Incredible Business of Hip-Hop's Favorite DJ", Forbes, 9 August 2011.
  5. ^ Cecilia Vega and Eric Johnson, "DJ Cassidy Keeps DNC Rockin’: Obama’s Spin Master Behind the Scenes", ABC News, 6 September 2012.
  6. ^ "Oprah Recommended Obama’s Inaugural DJ", NBC, 21 January 2009.
  7. ^ a b c Matt Munday, , with new material that captures the architecture of 1978–1982 dance music."Mr disco: Friend to the Obamas, Beyoncé and Oprah, DJ Cassidy is now cosying up to the sound of the 1970s", The Independent, 9 March 2014.
  8. ^ John D. Luerssen, "DJ Cassidy Salutes Classic Dance Music - Premiere", Rolling Stone, 16 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Bio", djcassidy.com.
  10. ^ "DJ Cassidy Enlists R. Kelly, Usher, & Kelly Rowland for ‘Paradise Royale’", Rap-Up, accessed 11 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Calling All Hearts (feat. Robin Thicke & Jessie J) - Single", iTunes.

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