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Listen to anything by Calixto “Alix” Alvarez and you get the feeling that he’s been making hit records for years. Yet, at the tender age of 23, this producer, songwriter and re-mixer boasts credits appearing in the liner notes of albums by artists including Arnold Jarvis, Willy Washington, Osunlade and on record labels such as Black Vinyl, Hipbone, Central Park and Shelter. Essence Records released his first single, The Nu Breed E.P. in fall 2001, comprising the tracks ‘Flute Juice’ and ‘Still Risin’. ‘Flute Juice’ recently made the Obsessive Records compilation ‘Latin _’ alongside tracks produced and remixed by Francois Kervorkian, MAW, Afro Medusa and Mambana. Born and raised in the Bronx to Olga Garcia and Calixto Alvarez Jr. in 1979, Alix was surrounded by a variety of music as a youth from Latin to Hip Hop to House. His father, Calixto Jr., introduced Alix to the timbales, while his brother Richie, a D.J. at the forefront of the hip hop revolution, exposed Alix to rap music and hip hop culture. From his cousin Eric, Alix studied house music and acquired DJ skills. By the early age of 12, Alix began DJing at house parties and making mix tapes for neighborhood friends. To complete his understanding of underground music, Alix embarked on three important explorations: music retailing, music education and nightlife culture. Upon completing studies in audio engineering, Alix parlayed his training to an internship and finally to a full time position as Assistant Engineer with Masters At Work, the DJ / Producer / Remixer duo renowned the world over for their remixes and original productions for everyone from Michael Jackson and Jamiroquai to Roy Ayers and Gloria Estefan. Alix continued to further his understanding of the music world through a position as a retailer at Vinylmania, one of New York’s oldest and most respected underground dance music record stores, serving DJ’s since THE LOFT and the Paradise Garage for over 20 years. At the Shelter and now defunct Legends, two societal underground house music clubs, Alix took part in and contributed to the evolution of house music. These two underground institutions would play a pivotal role shaping his DJ and production style. Today, his creations are described as elegant, sensual and hot. The power of his productions lies in their subtlety. RISING INTO JOY, an original production which appears on Arnold Jarvis’s first solo album, THE COLLECTION, excellently showcases Alix’s ability. Through marrying
industry contacts with his DJing ability, Alix has DJ’ed at
"Bang the Party" in Brooklyn; Club Rimel in Mexico City;
Baktun, Divas, Filter 14 and "Deep See" in New York City.
On Saturdays, Alix and co-founder BC hold court at BEGINNINGS a
residency showcasing the best in quality underground house music.
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