Junior Vasquez

Junior Vasquez is an iconic American DJ, record producer and remixer. Widely considered to be an innovator of the house music genre and one of the most celebrated DJs and remixers of his time, Vasquez is known for his fusion of bass-heavy house beats, obscure samples, innovative remixing techniques, and quirky time signatures. He was a co-founder of the legendary Sound Factory dance club in Manhattan’s Chelsea district. 

Originally from Pennsylvania, Vasquez moved to New York City with ambitions of becoming a fashion designer, briefly attending the Fashion Institute of Technology, before embarking on a musical career. He quickly made a name for himself as a DJ and, under his influence, The Sound Factory became one New York’s hottest nightspots; catering to an ethnically diverse, primarily gay crowd. During this time, he became a tastemaker of such renown that new dance records were frequently debuted and monitored during his marathon Saturday night sessions, of which Madonna was known to be a regular attendee. Since the closure of the original Sound Factory, he has held residencies at the Tunnel, the Palladium (where his suspended booth was famously custom-designed by Dolce & Gabbana), Twilo (the former Sound Factory space) and Discothèque. 

As a solo artist, Vasquez has released three albums: To the Rhythm (1998) J.M.O. After Service (2001) and Junior’s Magic Orchestra (2003) and made several club smashes, such as ‘X’, ‘Get Your Hands Off My Man’ and ‘Nervaas’. Additionally, he has co-produced albums for John Mellencamp, For Real, Lisa Lisa, and Cyndi Lauper, as well as individual LP tracks for Madonna, Cher, Wild Orchid, and Kristine W. Vasquez. He has a record label, Junior Vasquez Music, known for introducing new artists to the dance/pop music scene, including Vernessa Mitchell, Jason Walker, Casey Stratton, Quentin Elias, Vivian Green, and Sam Harris.