Grand Mixer DXT

Hip hop
electro
jazz
funk
rock

Occupation(s)Musician DJ, producerInstrument(s)Turntables, drums, keyboards, vocals, samples

Musical artist

Derek Showard,^[1] better known by the stage name GrandMixer DXT, is an American musician, and the first DJ to use the turntable as a musical instrument.

Early in his career, he was known as Grand Mixer D.ST, a reference to Delancey Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City.^[2] He was featured in the influential hip hop film Wild Style.

Widely recognized as a pioneer, Grand Mixer DXT is credited as being the first turntablist.^{[citation needed]} He was the first person to establish the turntable as a fully performable and improvisational musical instrument (Alberts 2002).^{[full citation needed]} Especially important is his technique of altering the pitch of the note or sound on the record.

He is also credited with helping to popularize DJing through his scratching on Herbie Hancock's single "Rockit", from the Bill Laswell and Material produced album Future Shock.^[3]^[2] He is featured in the 2001 documentary, Scratch.^[4]

Discography

Albums

With Ginger Baker

Horses & Trees (Celluloid, 1986)

With Herbie Hancock

Future Shock (Columbia, 1983)
Sound System (Columbia, 1984)
Perfect Machine (Columbia, 1988)

With Jah Wobble

Heaven and Earth (Island Records, 1995)

With King T

IV Life (MCA, 1994)

With Bill Laswell

Akasha (Subharmonic, 1995)
Jazzonia (Douglas, 1998)
Aftermathematics (Subharmonic, 2003)

With Praxis

Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness) (NAGUAL, 2008)

With Sly and Robbie

Rhythm Killers (Island Records, 1987)

Singles

D.ST: The Home Of Hip Hop (Celluloid, 1985)

References

^ "Grandmixer D.ST". Oldschoolhiphop.com. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
^ ^a ^b Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 223/4. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
^ "Turntablism to be Taught at Berklee College of Music". Synthtopia.com. March 1, 2004. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
^ Hollis, Kim (March 1, 2002). "Scratch Movie Preview, Starring Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Mixer DXT, Directed by Doug Pray". Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2010.