Note: The 5 Magazine DJ Series was a monthly CD series released in a limited edition from March 2007 to November 2008. We featured mixes from legends such as Frankie Knuckles, Gene Hunt and Terry Hunter to the next generation of hard-working Chicago House Music heroes, distributed for free on CD in the Chicago area.
Chicago’s own Eric Miller aka E-Smoove is a Grammy nominated producer, remixer and DJ. He has added his Midas touch to countless artists from Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Mary J Blige, Deborah Cox, Seal and Lil Kim. His body of work is staggering, placing him in the Dance Music map as one of the top in his field.
E-Smoove: 5 Magazine DJ Series
In the earlier days, he worked at the infamous ID Record label with Steve “Silk” Hurley and Maurice Joshua, and his first record signed to a major label was for Columbia Records in 1991 for “Night by Night” featuring Alanda Drake. One of the most memorable songs for many was the phenomenal hit “Deja Vu” with Latanza Waters that came out on Nervous Records in 1998, and his remix of Sunshine Anderson’s “Heard It All Before” in 2002 earned him a Grammy nomination.
His versatility as an artist is evident by his three monikers of E-Smoove, Thick Dick and Praise Cats. “E-Smoove is more soulful House and very sexy… Thick Dick is harder and more tribal, very raunchy… Praise Cats is spiritual, giving back to the Lord what he’s given to me.”
As a DJ he has held residencies at the Clubhouse and Spybar, though in many ways he shows to be an unsung hero in that field. “First of all they don’t pay shit here, all of the traveling DJs will agree. I can go overseas and do autograph signings, do radio and stay in five star hotels… and I can DJ a gig in Chicago and there’ll be only four people that know me!” he laughs.
Releases to look out for are a new Praise Cats and Latanza Waters record, an E-Smoove album, a tribute record to his three daughters and a new label called True Visionary. “I have a challenge with Maurice Joshua that we’re each going to put out 4 records a month.”
We are honored to have him do our DJ Series mix for September (in limited quantities of CDs around town and at Kstarke Records at 1109 N. Western, and for free on our website at 5chicago.com/djseries). When asked to describe what to expect of it he states, “It’s sexy enough to make the editor want to take her clothes off.” Touché.
