Moodymann Details

An outspoken voice in the normally non-confrontational world of electronic dance music, Moodymann (given name: Kenny Dixon Jr.) is committed to keeping a distinctly black imprint on techno and house. While he may frustrate people with his refusal to be interviewed and insistence on reminding people of the genre's origins, the soulfulness of his output is unquestioned. Utilizing classic soul and jazz samples, low-slung bass lines and an approach to drum programming that is diametrically opposed to the tendency to push the tempo faster and faster, he has achieved classic status thanks to gems like "Sunday Morning," "Shades of Jae," and his remix of Innerzone Orchestra's "People Make the World Go Round."

Hi outspoken views on the state of black techno and his aversion to publicity put him in a league occupied by few Detroit producers other than Underground Resistance supremo "Mad" Mike Banks, though his tech-house productions as Moodymann are soulful in a league few could expect. Dixon began producing early in the '90s, and inaugurated his own KDJ Records in 1994 with the Moody Trax EP. Following singles like "The Day We Lost the Soul" and "I Can't Kick This Feelin When It Hits" proved one of the best fusers of short, soulful disco samples to the harder minimalist Detroit techno. Further singles for After Midnight, Music Is..., and Carl Craig's Planet E Records (including the brilliant Dem Young Sconies EP) solidified Dixon's place in Detroit techno, though his stance on promotion remained firm. Much of his KDJ output appeared on 1997's A Silent Introduction, while the following year's Mahogany Brown brought much new material. Forevernevermore, released in 2000, collected more of his KDJ material and added several new tracks as well.