Jump to content

Ray Pinky Velazquez

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ray Pinky Velazquez
Born (1955-05-28) May 28, 1955 (age 69)
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Sound producer and mixer
Known forA&R man and disco consultant for Vanguard Records

'Ray "Pinky" Velazquez (born May 28, 1955) is a Latin-American dance music producer, mixer, and remixer. Velazquez is the co-founder, former Ceo and former vice president of the Legends of Vinyl and is known for tracks including South Central, Disco Not Disco 2, Twilight 22, and Savage Lover. He was the A&R man and disco consultant for the Vanguard Records dance music department. [1][2] He was responsible for the signing and the introduction of Public Enemy into the record business (under the name of Spectrum City) and also produced their first single (Lies/Check out the Radio}.

He was the club spinner for the Ipanema Discotheque in the 1970s. Velazquez was also a member of New York City's Rockpool and was the first DJ to win an award for programming progressive in alternative rock at WCCR AM RADIO of the City College New York, New York City.[1][2]

Early life and career

[edit]

Ray was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico and was raised in NY City. From 1979 to 1984 Velazquez was the A&R man and "Disco consultant" for Vanguard. In 1979 Ray was brought on board to help promote and scout for talent. Ray Pinky Velazquez was a popular Billboard magazine club spinner (disc Jockey) known for his tenure with the popular Brazilian nightclub the Ipanema Discotheque and also worked for the nightclub "Cartune Alley".[3][4] He introduced and produced Spectrum City who later became Public Enemy. Their initial debut single "Lies" backed with "Check Out The Radio" highlighted "Check out the Radio" was a featured track in the 1992 Oliver Stone film titled "South Central". Ray founded and coordinated with Stevie Wonder protege producer Gordon Bahary as both Executive producer and mixer for Twilight 22. "Electric Kingdom"was the group's initial release on Vanguard records. The song peaked at #7 on US R&B Charts. Mr Velazquez mixed Fonda Rae and "Over Like A Fat Rat". The hit track reached #75 on the U,S r&b charts and #22 on the U.S. club charts. Carol Williams and "Cant Get Away (From your Love") reached #38 on the U.S. club charts and received significant R&B radio play in the U.S. The hit track was mixed by Mr. Velazquez. During the 1980 's D.O.R ( dance oriented rock) invasion Ray "Pinky" started Flip Records, a division of the parent Vanguard records.[5][6][7]

Discography

[edit]

Remix

[edit]
Year Album/Single Artist(s) Label
1981 Late Night City Comateens Call Me (4)
1981 Ghosts Comateens Cachalot Records
1981 Till You Surrender Rainbow Brown Vanguard Disco
1982 Over Like A Fat Rat Fonda Rae Vanguard
1982 Can’t Get Away (From Your Love) Carrol Williams Vanguard
1982 First, Last, For Everything Endgames Flip Records
1983 Dance To The Music (Vocal) Junior Byron Vanguard
2007 Dance To The Music (Dub Version) James Murphy, Pat Mahoney Fabric (2)
2008 Till You Surrender (Special Remix) Rainbow Brown Vanguard Records

Production

[edit]
Year Album/Single Artist/Band Label
1983 Fourteen Days Lex Flip Records
1985 Big Noise Base Prism
1985 Cloud Nine Mystery Assignment Virgin
1984 Got Me Goin RealEyes Vanguard
1986 Too Much Too Soon Denroy Morgan & The Band of Gold Sutra Records

Technical

[edit]
Year Album/Single Artist/Band Label
1977 Childhood Forever Recreation-Harmony Dynamo Record
1979 Boogie Down Double Feature Makossa Records
1983 I Love Music J.T. Fabric

Sources: [1][8][2][4][9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Ray Velazquez". DiscoMusic.com. 2017-07-17. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  2. ^ a b "Ray "Pinky" Velazquez: A&R Exec. for Vanguard, Billboard DJ Legend". KCBD. 5 September 2002. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  3. ^ "Ray "Pinky" Velazquez". legendsofvinyl. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  4. ^ a b "Ray Pinky Velazquez | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  5. ^ Radio, N. T. S. "Ray Velazquez | Discover music on NTS". NTS Radio. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  6. ^ "Ray Velazquez". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  7. ^ "Ray "Pinky" Velazquez @ Disco-Disco.com". www.disco-disco.com. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  8. ^ "Ray Velazquez". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  9. ^ "Forgotten Treasure: J.T "I Love Music" (1983) | Music Is My Sanctuary". www.musicismysanctuary.com. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 2022-01-08.