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TAANA GARDNER She Rocks Taana Gardner is a woman who knows how to wear it out. Whether she's highkicking her way through a live performance of "Heartbeat" down at Shelter, working the kids at the Tower Records counter ("You got my CD?"), or laying down new tracks in the studio, girlfriend rocks the mic and she rocks the mic right. Taana Takes Flight In November 1979, after meeting producer Kenton Nix in an airport, Taana Gardner recorded her first monster single for rising-star record label, West End Records. The single was "Work That Body." Originally a favorite instrumental of Paradise Garage DJ Larry Levan, it was when he dropped the needle on the newly recorded vocal version that the dancefloor, used to the vocal-less version, exploded. Levan urged Nix to immediately sign Taana to Mel Cheren's West End Records. He did and the song became an international club smash, and one of West End's best known hits. Cute F.Y.I.: The lyrics were inspired by a Garage queen who used to exclaim just that on the dancefloor: "Work that body, girl!" He said it, Taana did it, West End worked it. $ample This Taana went on to record "When You Touch Me," "No Frills" and "Heartbeat" which sold over 800,000 singles. "Heartbeat" remains a highly popular classic dance record particularly in the world of hip-hop where it is virtually a standard. It has also been one of the most sampled records in pop history -- supplying the backbone of over 30 records including the #1 worldwide hit Ini Kamoze's "Here Comes the Hotstepper," as well as current singles by Black Moon ("2 Turntables and a Mic") and DMX ("Flesh of My Flesh Blood of My Blood"). She's Available Larry Levan remixes of Taana Gardner's biggest singles ("Hearbeat," "No Frills," "Work That Body," "When You Touch Me") are now available in newly digitally remastered form on the critically acclaimed West End Records CD/CS/triple-pack vinyl Larry Levan's Classic West End Records Remixes (Made Famous at the Legendary Paradise Garage). Note: Anthology of a Diva contains Kenton Nix's "Party Version" of "Heartbeat" -- the version with the guitar solo that Mel likes to call "pure sex."  Comin' Back After taking some time off to raise her children, Taana marked her return to West End with the her 1998 club single "I'm Comin'." The single was produced by Kenton Nix -- the same man who has produced her since almost twenty years ago. Studio 54, Dance Fever, Yves St. Laurent, Shelter Taana's hits had her performing at some of the country's hottest discos including, The Paradise Garage (of course), Studio 54, and Red Parrot as well as Manhattan Club in Miami, Dallas in Chicago, Odyssey in Los Angeles, Limelight in Atlanta. More recently she's performed in Paris for an apres-show party for fashion designer Yves St. Laurent and back in Manhattan at Life, Shelter, Salon at Flamingo East, and for WKTU's 1999 Labor Day weekend party. In the past she's appeared on such beloved disco television shows as the flawless Dance Fever and Soap Factory as well as early talkshows like The Merv Griffin Show and The Joe Franklin Show. Typical Name Droppping Paragraph Taana Gardner has performed with Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., McFadden & Whitehead, Kool & The Gang, Ray Goodman & Brown (The Moments), Jimmy Ross, Stephanie Mills, Melba Moore, Peabo Bryson, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Sister Sledge and Edwin Starr. She also does session work from time to time and most recently appeared on the debut album by Manhattan club phreak, Kevin Aviance. A Little History Born in Newark, New Jersey (where she currently resides), Taana is the grandaughter of a professional opera singer. Her musical career began at the age of eleven when she became active in theater and joined the Harlem Children's Theater Group. Her theater debut was at Lincoln Center as the high priestess in the "Land of the Egyptian," a musical which she also co-wrote. Taana went on to perform with the Dance Theater of Harlem, and the National Black Theater. Work It With A Touch of Class Taana's proto-house classic of 1979 slammed back into the clubs in Spring 2000 in the form of deep, dark, underground house remixes by the king of deep, dark, underground house remixes (and productions), Angel Morales. The single will be a featured bonus track on her forthcoming West End Records album, ; Taana Gardner: Anthology of a Diva (the Classics & More); -- out Spring 2002. Also, fans of the so very hip productions team, A Touch of Class should know that an extremely fun and sexy remix of that only Taana classic, ; Heartbeat; (125 BPM) is in DJ shops now. It's Pronouned "Tah-Nah" -- Got It?! Finally, its Taana -- not Tanya. Go ahead, say it. Say her name! Mrs. Gardner, after six months of searching, named her daughter after a river in Nairobi -- the Taana River. Now you know. FYI Oh, and one more thing, which you probably didn't know about Taana: Back in 1979 she recorded an album ("Spooks In Space" with August Darnell of Kid Creole and the Coconuts (under the alias The Aural Exciters). Released on ZE in 1979. For photos and more on Taana Gardner contact West End Records at publicity@westendrecords.com. For more on Taana Gardner contact Andy Reynolds (Andyman) at: 212-367-3737, fax: 212-367-3738, andyman@westendrecords.com |