Luis Mario O. Rizzo
Luis Mario O. Rizzo | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | LMOR-DJ, DJ Luis Mario |
| Born | September 7, 1952 Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Genres | Disco, Club, Dance |
| Occupation(s) | Disc Jockey |
Luis Mario O. Rizzo (born September 7, 1952) is an American disc jockey Producer and the founder and CEO of Legends of Vinyl, an organization created to honor pioneering disc jockeys, producers and recording artists in the entertainment industry.[1]
Early life[edit]
Rizzo was born in the city of Guayaquil in the country of Ecuador and raised in New York where he attended high school in Queens, New York. He worked as a shipping clerk until 1972 where he worked full time as a DJ.[2]
DJing career[edit]
Rizzo's professional DJ career started at the inception of dance music/club music in 1969, when he first studied, then later served as an understudy for DJ Francis Grasso, and was also strongly influenced by the work of Steve D’Acquisito and Michael Cappello.[3] The technology needed to truly “mix” vinyl hadn't yet been invented, so in these early days of the profession Rizzo and other DJs used a technique called slip-cueing to change between turntables playing rock ‘n roll, motown, gospel, and R&B.[2]
From 1969 through 1972, Rizzo gained acclaim as a professional DJ in and around New York City, and was able to work every night spinning vinyl in after hours/underground clubs, typically until 4am. By 1973 underground clubs were becoming less common, causing Rizzo and many other DJs to join mainstream clubs. Rizzo was hired at Mr. Laffs, a club owned by former New York Mets players Art Shamsky and Phil Linz, where he expanded his audience and influence on the New York club scene.
In 1974, Rizzo became a member of the first DJ record pool called 99 Prince Street with David Mancuso. Beyond Rizzo and Mancuso, DJs contributing to the pool included Walter Gibbons, Bobby "DJ" Guttadaro, David Rodriguez, Steve D'Acquisto, Al Garcia, Leo Sayan, Eddie Rivera, Paul Casella, and Michael Cappello, among others. In 1977 he joined Eddie Rivera's DJ record pool called I.D.R.C. (International Disco Record Center).[4]
Rizzo is known to be the first DJ to tour across the United States and internationally, having done so in the mid-1970's. Upon return to New York Rizzo regularly played to packed crowds across many of the most prominent clubs of the era including Cobra's Lair (an after hours private club), Le Cocu, The Sting, Directoire/Twinkle Zone, Abracadabra, Cork & Bottle, The Ritz, Night Moves, Reflections/Ginza, Adonis, The Tower Suite Disco, The Rooftop, DVA, Les Mouches, Studio 54 (as a guest DJ for private events), The Top Floor, Avenue One, Seconds, Percival, L'oubliette, Rockabout, Magique, Somebody's, Chip n Dales, The Rainbow Room, Top of The World, Avolation, Melons, Levels, Stillwind, Iperbole, The Lollipop, Green Parrot, Galaxy, Ground Zero, The Cat Club, The Copacabana, among others.[1]
In 1977, Rizzo became the first club DJ to be broadcast live, for four hours non-stop, on New York's Radio 92 WKTU FM. The station was creating a show to have famous DJs playing continuous music throughout the entire four-hour show, as they would in dance clubs, and Rizzo was chosen to be the first DJ to perform for this program.
Rizzo continued to be a leading DJ across New York City clubs throughout the late 70's and 1980's, before relocating to Miami, Florida in the 1990s, where he worked for and owned many prominent clubs in the area including the "Lounge" in Coral Springs, Coco Loco's, Joseph's Landing, Pranzo's, Conga's, Deco Drive, Score, Miami Joe's, Tantra, Polo Lounge, La Sensacion, Cory Cafe, Club Savoy, Platforms, and Hunters.
Legends of Vinyl[edit]
In 2007 Rizzo created The Legends of Vinyl, founded to highlight and honor Pioneer DJs who are still performing the art of spinning vinyl records for live audiences. Legends of Vinyl honors these DJ's through the L.O.V. /Music Hall of Fame. Legends of Vinyl and the L.O.V. Artists Hall of Fame aims to tell and preserve the history of dance clubs that includes artists, sound & lighting engineers, club promoters and producers.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Legends of Vinyl Founder/CEO Luis Mario O. Rizzo Celebrates Disco Music Spun by Deejay Greats Through His Annual Awards - Times Square Chronicles". t2conline.com. 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "discopatrick site". www.discopatrick.com. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ↑ "Luis Mario Orellana Rizzo". Legends of Vinyl. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ↑ Lawrence, Tim (2003). Love saves the day: a history of American dance music culture, 1970-1979. Durham, N.C. London: Duke university press. ISBN 978-0-8223-3185-8. Search this book on
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