Joe Smooth

Joe Smooth is one of the pioneers of the style of music known today as house music. He is a self-taught musician who from the age of 12 has been creating music that is inspiring to all that his sound has touched. In 1985 he joined the DJ International family and quickly became a central force behind everything written or produced from the visionary label. This included Co-producing The Jack Trax EP with Chip-E, the first record to use the words House and Jack. Many say this was the first true house record. Joe also Co-produced and mixed Frankie Knuckles first record the remake of "You Can't Hide". He has worked with such artists as Frankie Knuckles, Marshal Jefferson, Chip E, A Guy Called Gerald, Lil Louis, D'Bora, Tyree Cooper, Fast Eddie, Fingers Inc., The Art Of Noise, Sterling Void, The Pet Shop Boys, Janet Jackson, Brian Mcknight, Atlantic Starr, The Style Council, New Order, Steve Hurley... and countless more.

At the age of 16, Joe Smooth began having house parties and DJing throughout Chicago's underground music scene. At 18, he opened his first underground night club called east Hollywood Mannequins. In 1983, at the age of 20 Joe became the head DJ at the now world famous Smart Bar nightclub, became one of the top DJ's in Chicago and created the atmosphere and mystique that still lives at Smart Bar today. In 1985, the limelight looked at Joe as the number one DJ in Chicago and propositioned Joe for their Chicago nightclub as musical coordinator. In 1987 along with Limelight, he also started working for the soulful Charlie club nightclub as head DJ/musical coordinator and penned one of the greatest house anthems of all time "Promised Land".

In 1988, with musical production work at a high and traveling abroad to DJ and Perform, Joe Smooth left the Chicago club scene for a short break to put his concentration fully into his productions. In 1990, Joe Smooth saw a need for a serious underground house club in Chicago and opened the very successful Warehouse nightclub, named in tribute to the legendary Warehouse nightclub of the late seventies and early eighties. In 1994 Joe Smooth looking for new horizons ventured to Rome to work on a label idea with producer Claudio Donato "Active Bass Music". In 1999 Thru 2005 Joe Smooth returned home to Chicago and did extensive work with Slang Music Group and Nu Soul. Joe's work at Slang and Nu Soul would include projects featuring Whitney Houston, Donnell Jones, Destiny's Child and Sisqo and earn a multitude of Gold and Platinum record awards.

From 2005 until today Joe Smooth is one of the top DJ's in Chicago, a certified platinum producer/remixer and world class engineer. He has 2 labels Obelisk Production Multimedia, which has songs signed by worldwide artist such as Faith Evans and George Clinton. Indie Art Music his second label is based on the more underground and up and coming sounds. Joe Smooth has always worked hard to stay ahead of the curve and is a consultant and mentor to some of the worlds greatest producers, djs, and labels.