Francois Kevorkian (also known simply as Francois K.) is one of the key individuals in the development of mainstream Dance music from Disco to the House sound which dominates clubs today. Through his long career, he has excelled as DJ, producer, label executive and artist. After approximately 25 years as a key figure in the world of dance music, Francois Kevorkian remains active today in creating, promoting, and spinning some of the best Dance music on the planet.
Born in France in 1954, Francois Kevorkian abandoned the study of biochemical engineering following expulsion from studies after helping incite a general strike. Arriving in New York in 1975, he soon looked for jobs utilizing his skills as a drummer. Kevorkian was hired in February of 1976 by the Galaxy 21 to play live drums over records being spun by Walter Gibbons. Soon he began taking DJ gigs himself and met John 'Jellybean' Benitez at Experiment 4. Using equipment borrowed from Jellybean, Kevorkian began developing his skills at producing and remixing dance tracks using cut and splice techniques on a reel to reel recorder. In the summer of 1977 Francois Kevorkian was asked to take over the DJ residency at New York, New York.
By 1978 Francois Kevorkian had been hired as head of A&R for the fledgling independent Disco label Prelude Records. In addition to using his management skills, Prelude also gave him the opportunity to spread his production wings. Kevorkian's first production success came with the release of extended mixes of In the Bush and Keep On Jumpin' by Musique. They topped the Disco chart and the single of In the Bush went gold. Over the next few years, Prelude became known as one of the most progressive dance music labels. Francois Kevorkian mixed top 10 Dance hits by France Joli, Gayle Adams, and Sharon Redd. With D-Train, Kevorkian mixed keyboard-rich Dance hits such as 1982's You're the One For Me that pointed in the direction of the mid-80's heavily synthesized Electro sound.
Francois Kevorkian's success at Prelude brought him to the attention of a number of other artists and he scored one of his biggest successes in the summer of 1982 as his remix of British duo Yaz's Situation hit number one on the American Dance chart. Poppy synthesizers backed with a heavy beat and Alison Moyet's deeply soulful vocals excited club audiences. By 1983, Francois Kevorkian's remixes had generated such demand for his producing and mixing talents that he suspended DJ gigs entirely. Further hits with artists as diverse as Adam Ant, Diana Ross, and The Cure followed through the mid-80's. Kevorkian opened Axis Studios in 1987 and attracted key artists such as Madonna, Todd Terry, Dee-Lite and others to his facilities.
At the end of the 80's, on the heels of one of his biggest commercial successes, remixing the singles Personal Jesus, Policy Of Truth, and World In My Eyes from Depeche Mode's Violator album, Kevorkian made the decision to return to work as a live DJ. In the early 90's he toured with the legendary Larry Levan and played dates until shortly before Levan's tragic death in 1992.
In 1994 Francois Kevorkian opened a new independent record label, Wave Music. Wave has established itself as a key label in the continuing development of Dance music as both an art form and a vehicle for pleasure in the dance club. The label has released hits such as Abstract Truth's Get Another Plan in 1996 and the inimitable Kevin Aviance's smash hits Din Da Da in 1997 and Rhythm Is My Bitch in 1999.
Wave has also been the vehicle for the revival of Francois Kevorkian's career as a recording artist on albums that feature his mixing talents such as 2000's Essential Mix, a seamless tour of the past 25 years of New York Dance music, and 2001's Deep and Sexy, a mix of some of Wave's best Dance cuts by a wide range of artists. Sadly, one of New York's most loved regular events, the Sunday Body and Soul parties, hosted by Francois Kevorkian, Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell and Danny Krivit, came to an end in the summer of 2002 after six years of deeply soulful mixes that ranged from classic New York Disco to the latest in Drum 'n' Bass. Fortunately, however, Kevorkian does continue to perform live DJ sets throughout the world spreading the joy of New York Dance music across the globe.
