How Deep Is Your Love?

Which records best capture the soul of NYC? Music producer, singer and DJ Kim Anh shares some of her New York classics.

“New York City is the birthplace of so many incredibly soulful genres of music. Garage House, Salsa, Hip Hop, Ballroom and Bebop all came out of NYC. What I’ll list here are centered around labels and records that shaped and influenced my love for the NYC sound. A handful of records could never encompass something so vast but here are some records that changed my life.”
– Kim Anh

Loleatta Holloway “Love Sensation” (Salsoul Records, 1980)
“Salsoul Records released hundreds of records in the 70s and early 80s really focusing on the disco and post-disco sound. Just coming across their logo during a crate dig was enough to take to the listening station or you already knew the record by heart. Larry Levan was known to play countless Salsoul records defining the sound of the Paradise Garage. ‘Love Sensation’ was a massive record in 1980 and Loleatta Holloway’s vocals have probably been sampled a thousand times propelling it back into the top of the charts over a decade after it’s release. I call it the no-secret weapon.”

Blaze “How Deep Is Your Love” (West End Records, 2001)
“West End Records is another defining label for New York. NYC Peech Boys ‘Don’t Make Me Wait’, Loose Joints ‘Is It All Over My Face?’ and Taana Gardner’s ‘Heartbeat’ all came out on West End Records. Founded in 1976, it maintained releases and was acquired by BMG in 2015. It’s longspanning existence chronicles the evolving sound of disco, post-disco and house over decades in NYC. Blaze’s ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ is a song that fuses together the old school sound with the newer sounds of R&B and Garage House. You can’t resist its funk and groove backing track laced with a smooth soulful vocal.”

Masters At Work featuring India “I Can’t Get No Sleep” (Cutting Records, 1993)
“When talking about NYC’s sound, no one can deny the influence of Latin music. I was a massive fan of Masters at Work probably since the age of 13. Their album Nuyorican Soul is seminal in the fusion of latin, soul, jazz and house music and everything they did with India spoke to me. ‘I Can’t Get No Sleep’ was released on NYC’s Cutting Records, but the whole movement between Masters At Work and Strictly Rhythm solidified a UK crossover that has had lasting influence on countless DJs. I’ve worn out my first copy and now have another copy to replace it.”

Club 69 featuring Kim Cooper “Patooshi Pants Diva” (Tribal, 1995)
Junior Vasquez “Get Your Hands Off My Man” (Tribal, 1995)
“To me, Tribal Records was like the grimey sibling in the world of 90s house. They were a significant contributor to ballroom culture with releases from the likes of Danny Tenaglia, Junior Vasquez and Angel Morales. Their sound was raw, jacking and felt like a gateway into harder house sounds. Queer artists and culture were a huge part of NYC’s club culture. This label has been influential in my overall sound as a producer and these records always just bring so much joy and ecstasy to me.”

John Coltrane “After The Rain” (live from the Vanguard, 1963)
“I still dip into shows at the Village Vanguard when I’m in the city. I’ve gone alone not knowing who’s on the bill and joined the queue to buy tickets at the door knowing it will be a great experience. The Vanguard is an institution for music that is respected around the globe. John Coltrane released a live recording from the Vanguard called ‘Impressions’ released on NYC’s Impulse! Records in 1963. ‘After The Rain’ is probably my favorite track on this album.”

Chic “Everybody Dance” (1977)
“I just finished reading Nile Rodgers autobiography Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco and Destiny. He retells stories from the golden age of the downtown Manhattan music and club scene that would blow your mind. Their first single was ‘Everybody Dance’ which they recorded in NYC for just $10 – the cost of bribing the elevator operator of the studio their friend worked for. The B-Side of the record is ‘Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)’ which I named my monthly party after that I’ve hosted since 2014. Their song ‘Good Times’ was sampled without permission for Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Rapper’s Delight’ which was credited to introduce hip hop to a wide spread audience for the first time. NYC man ...