Francis Grasso - Mixing Pioneer

At the end of the 60's, as Berry Gordy as acting as the musical midwife for the birth of Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson, as dj's in clubs were emulating their radio counterparts by talking after each record, a major change was about to take place: mixing was about to be invented.

Francis Grasso was one of those figures who made the first contribution to the art of mixing. Like most pioneers, he went underpaid and, in his professional lifetime, unrecognised for his origination. Francis, who was of Italian origin, was born in Brooklyn in 1948 and began his career in show business as a dancer at a club in the Village (New York). One night in 1968, while visiting another club socially (the Salvation 2 in Central Park), the manager asked him to substitute for the resident DJ, Terry Noel, who was ill. Although he was not experienced, he had an immediate talent. Terry got fired and Francis got hired.

Francis, who had started out some years earlier as a dancer, could actually understand what a crowd expected from a DJ. Because of a motorbike accident, he suffered from poor feet coordination and was urged by his doctor to take up dancing as therapy. Soon Francis found himself dancing in the best New York clubs. In addition to this, Francis had a musical background: when he was young he used to play guitar, drums and saxophone.

There was something particular that characterised Grasso. He introduced soul music to the venue and suddenly people were dancing to Aretha Franklyn, Gladys Knight, Booker T. & the MG's etc. Although Francis didn't have vari-speed turntables at his disposal, his bpm selection married to his smooth performances sent the crowd crazy. For the first time ever the music flowed continuously with no DJ interrupting the dancefloor. While entertaining his crowd he had also experimented with the formula bassdrums and erotic moanings. In fact he would play the percussions of Chicago Transit Authority's "I'm a Man" with Robert Plant?s "Whole Lotta Love". Also, he would play classics by the likes of Olajunti (Drums Of Passion), Santana, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, earlier productions by Earth Wind & Fire, The Staple Singers, Ike and Tina Turner, James Brown, Four Tops, Supremes, Temptations, Sam and Dave, Booker T. & the MG's, Sly and the Family Stone, etc. B.P.M was an unknown word to Francis: it was a feel for the mood, a cut at the right bar, a cross-fade at the right moment, until he got his first Thorens vari-speed turntables and then a new horizon came into his view. Before the introduction of this turntable, dj's couldn't adjust the speeds, so they had to cut at the right moment. There was no room for mistakes.

Nobody actually mixed like Francis, who developed an incredible skill for coming in with the right record at the right time. Francis had a natural talent for mixing records. Because of his ability and reputation, in 1969 he was offered a job at The Sanctuary, a former Baptist church located on West 43rd St. transformed into a disco. From his turntables placed on the altar, Francis taught the disco commandments to his followers, who celebrated his mastery of slip-cueing and mixing. The Sanctuary is also shown in a movie - 1971's 'Klute' (starring Jane Fonda), where you can see Grasso in action for a couple of seconds. Also back in 1969 he was spinning at Haven as well. After a while Francis decided to quit the Sanctuary,but he got back to it after a very short time. The reason why is not clear. It seems that somebody opened a club for Francis, and named it Francis. He decided to open his own club, and not play there, after agreeing to do so. Because of this he was beaten up. Devoid of ambition, Francis - the man who had virtually created disco and mixing as a new DJ attitude, continued working at the Sanctuary until it closed in 1972. Francis gave up deejaying in 1981 and spent his years in Brooklyn, occasionally working in construction. He passed away on March 20, 2001.

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