Larry Levan's Paradise Garage in New York City directly inspired the soulful, emotional dimension of Kevin Saunderson's music

Kevin Saunderson visited the Paradise Garage in New York City three to five times during his late high school years, before he knew he would become a music maker. The experience of Larry Levan’s DJ sets — the atmosphere, the sound system, the emotional intensity, the late-night duration — left a lasting impression that fed directly into his production approach, especially Inner City’s vocal-led tracks like ‘Big Fun.’ Saunderson explicitly credits Paradise Garage as the inspiration for wanting to make vocal, melodic music rather than purely instrumental techno. The Garage lineage (New York gay disco/house) and Detroit techno are thus directly connected through this personal testimony.

Examples

Saunderson: ‘I got there whatever one o’clock in the morning I left at 12… I was just so inspired by the atmosphere the sound Just the music the the the feeling I got when I went there.‘

Assessment

Explain the specific musical influence Paradise Garage had on Kevin Saunderson’s work. Which Inner City song most directly reflects this influence, and how?