Junior Vasquez (born Donald Gregory Mattern; August 24, 1946 prominent in the 1980s and 1990s. He has been referred to as one of the only club DJs of his time to gain international attention.

Career

Mattern moved to New York City as a young man of 24 in 1971 with ambitions of becoming a fashion designer, briefly attending Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and working for a while as a hairdresser. Mattern soon became fascinated with New York nightlife, especially the work of DJ Larry Levan at the Paradise Garage. Despite his Italian and German ancestry, he adopted the stage name "Junior Vasquez" (inspired by the Latino neighborhoods he frequented) as a way to "reinvent" himself. Vasquez landed a brief residency at Club Bassline, where he began to make a name for himself as a live DJ. Major record labels began soliciting Vasquez to produce club-friendly remixes for their top singers using his personal beat-driven house style. Due to a rise in demand from these labels, many singer and musicians like C+C Music Factory, David Morales, Björk, Marilyn Manson and Madonna were known to frequent his Sunday morning events.

Discography

Selected singles

  • "Get Your Hands Off My Man" (1994)
  • "X" (1994)
  • "Lift Me Up" (1995)
  • "If Madonna Calls" (1996)

Selected remixes

  • Amanda Lear – "I Just Wanna Dance Again"
  • Angelique Kidjo featuring Peter Gabriel – "Salala"
  • Annie Lennox – "No More I Love You's/Take Me to the River/Downtown Lights (Medley)"
  • Beyoncé – "Krazy in Luv"
  • Billie Ray Martin – "Your Loving Arms"
  • Britney Spears – "Gimme More" (remixed by Junior Vasquez & Johnny Vicious)
  • Britney Spears – "Piece of Me" (remixed by Junior Vasquez & Johnny Vicious)
  • Britney Spears – "Womanizer"
  • Björk – "I Miss You" (Unreleased)
  • Bruce Roberts and Donna Summer – "Whenever There Is Love"
  • Casey Stratton – "House of Jupiter"
  • CeCe Peniston – "Hit By Love"
  • Charlotte – "Skin"
  • Cher – "Love and Understanding"
  • Cher – "One by One"
  • Christina Aguilera – "Ain't No Other Man"
  • Cyndi Lauper – "Come On Home"
  • Cyndi Lauper – "Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun)"
  • David Bowie – "Little Wonder"
  • Destiny's Child – "Girl"
  • Donna Summer – "I'm a Rainbow"
  • Donna Summer – "Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved)"
  • Donna Summer – "My Life"
  • Donna Summer – "Whenever There is Love" duet with Bruce Roberts
  • Duran Duran featuring Grandmaster Flash – "White Lines"
  • Elton John – "Made in England"
  • Funky Green Dogs – "Fired Up!"
  • Gloria Estefan – "Higher"
  • Irene Cara – "All My Heart"
  • Janet Jackson – "Runaway"
  • Janice Robinson & Sandy B – "The Real Me (It Gets Better)"
  • Joi Cardwell – "After the Rain"
  • John Mellencamp – "Key West Intermezzo"
  • Jonny McGovern – "Orange Juice"
  • Joyce Sims – "All & All"
  • Justin Timberlake – "Rock Your Body"
  • k.d. lang – "If I Were You"
  • Ké – "Strange World"
  • Kristine W – "Feel What You Want"
  • Kylie Minogue – "Too Far"
  • Lalo Schifrin – "Theme from Mission: Impossible" (Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. version)
  • Lisa Lisa – "Acid Rain"
  • Lisa Lisa – "If This Is Real"
  • Lisa Stansfield – "All Around the World"
  • Livin' Joy – "Dreamer"
  • Madonna – "Bedtime Story"
  • Madonna – "Hollywood" (authorized release for a fashion show hosted by Donatella Versace)
  • Madonna – "Like a Prayer" (unreleased)
  • Madonna – "Rescue Me"
  • Madonna – "Secret"
  • Madonna – "I Want You" (unreleased)
  • Madonna – "You'll See" (unreleased)
  • Madonna – "Crazy For You" (unreleased)
  • Madonna – "Human Nature" (unreleased)
  • Mariah Carey – Bringin' On the Heartbreak
  • Mariah Carey – "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely"
  • Maroon 5 – "This Love"
  • Mary J. Blige – "Your Child"
  • MC Hammer – "Pray" (remixed by Junior Vasquez & Shep Pettibone)
  • Michael Jackson – "Off The Wall" <small>(eight remixes were made, but only one released) </small>
  • Michael Jackson – "You Rock My World" <small> (remixed, but never released) </small>
  • Moby – "Into The Blue"
  • Nelly Furtado – "I'm Like a Bird"
  • Paula Abdul featuring Ofra Haza – "My Love Is for Real"
  • Peggy Wood – "Climb Ev'ry Mountain"
  • Pearl Jam – "Better Man"
  • Pet Shop Boys – "Yesterday, When I Was Mad"
  • Pink – "U + Ur Hand"
  • Pink – "Stupid Girls" (remixed by Dynamix & Junior Vasquez)
  • Prince – "Cream"
  • Prince – "Thieves in the Temple"
  • Queen – "Bicycle Race"
  • Rob Thomas – "Lonely No More"
  • Rickie Lee Jones – "Living It Up" (unreleased)
  • Sandy B – Nothingness
  • Seduction – "Feel Brand New"
  • Shannon – "Let The Music Play"
  • Siouxsie and the Banshees – "Fear (of the Unknown)"
  • Skunk Anansie – "Brazen (Weep)"
  • Sounds of Blackness – "Children of the World"
  • Spice Girls – "Wannabe"
  • Steve Silk Hurley & CeCe Peniston – "He Loves Me 2"
  • Tevin Campbell – "Strawberry Letter 23"
  • The B-52's – "(Meet) the Flintstones"
  • Toni Braxton – "Unbreak My Heart"
  • Vanessa L. Williams – "You Are Everything"
  • Vernessa Mitchell – "Reap (What You Sow)
  • Whitney Houston – "Greatest Love of All"
  • Whitney Houston – "How Will I Know"
  • Whitney Houston – "I Didn't Know My Own Strength"
  • Whitney Houston – "I Learned from the Best"
  • Whitney Houston – "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"
  • Whitney Houston – "Million Dollar Bill"
  • Whitney Houston – "Step by Step"
  • Whitney Houston – "Fine"
  • Wild Orchid – "Talk to Me"
  • Zelma Davis – "Power"

Albums

  • To the Rhythm (1998)
  • J.M.O. After Service (2001)
  • Junior's Magic Orchestra (2003)

Mixes/compilations

  • The Future Sound of New York (1994)
  • This Is the Sound of Tribal (1994)
  • Best of Junior Vasquez: Just Like a Queen (1995)
  • 1997: Live, Vol. 1 / 2 (1997/1998)
  • Best of Junior Vasquez, Vol. 2 (1999)
  • Twilo, Vol. 1: Junior Vasquez (2000)
  • DJ19 Plays J.M.O. Perspective Service (2001)
  • Junior's Nervous Breakdown (2001)
  • Junior's Nervous Breakdown 2: Demented (2001)
  • Earth Music / Vol. 2 (2002)
  • Anthem / Vol. 2 (2003/2004)
  • Ageha, Vol. 4 (2004)
  • Party Groove: White Party, Vol. 7 (2006)
  • Generation Next (2009)

References