WORD VIRUS: This Week On All Songs Considered: America In The Grips Of Dance Fever : All Songs Considered Blog : NPR

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

This Week On All Songs Considered: America In The Grips Of Dance Fever : All Songs Considered Blog : NPR

This Week On All Songs Considered: America In The Grips Of Dance Fever

Courtesy of the artists

Pete Tong and Gilles Peterson of BBC Radio One.

For this week's electronic edition of All Songs Considered, we bring in Gilles Peterson and Pete Tong of BBC Radio One to talk about the beginnings of electronic music in Detroit, Chicago and New York, its move to the U.K., and its recent resurgence in the States.

For those who are unfamiliar with their work, Peterson has been a DJ and label owner for more than 30 years. Through his labels Acid Jazz, Talkin' Loud and Brownswood Recordings, and on his weekly radio program, Peterson has built a reputation for having wildly eclectic tastes.

Tong is celebrating his 20th year with BBC Radio 1. World-renowned in the club music scene, Tong's weekly essential mix features the latest electronic dance music, and has made him a hugely influential force in the house and techno communities.

In tracing the legacy of house and techno in America, Tong and Peterson introduce a long list of names that influenced the club scene in America. Here are some cuts from the names that were mentioned in the show.