DJ Alex Gutierrez

It will be forever connected to Disco Music as one of it’s most recognized symbols , yet it has been around since the late 1800s. As early as the 18th century, people used “witches balls” to reflect negative spirits away from the home. Although not 100% verified ,The disco ball was invented by Charles and Logan McGrath, of Basildon, England, in 1859. They ran a popular bar and experimented with lighting effects to enhance the performances of their shows.The February, 1897, issue of the “Electrical Worker” describes the Third Annual Ball held on on January 6, 1897, at Roughaus Hall, Charlestown, and of the spectacular lighting display, which could be seen for miles around Boston. The letters “N.B.E.W.” were done with incandescent lamps of various colors on wire mesh over the ballroom, highlighted by a lamp flashing on a mirrored ball
Most records of pre-disco era mirror balls are limited to appearances in films that show the balls in motion as part of a scene at a bar or cabaret of some sort. Films such as the 1927 silent film “Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Großstadt” and the 1942 classic “Casablanca” as well as ” Some Like it Hot show mirror balls as part of set pieces.Division Bell tour that measured a whopping 4.9 meters in diameter. Madonna had to out do the competition andt during her 2006 Confessions on a Dance Floor tour used a 2-ton disco ball covered in $2 million worth of Swarovski crystals.
According to The Guiness Book of World Records The largest disco ball measures 10.33 m (33 ft 10 in) in diameter and was achieved by Bestival (UK) for the Desert Island Disco at Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight, UK, on 7 September 2014.
The Disco Ball was rotating while Nile Rodgers and Chic took to the stage to perform .
Alex Gutierrez

By Disco DJ standards this man could walk on water and part the Red Sea while conducting a 48 piece orchestra at the same time. he was responsible for some if not most of the greatest productions of the Disco Era. You would be hard pressed to find a DJ from that time that doesn’t include this man’s work on his list of Top 5 greatest Disco tracks of all time.
Greek/Egyptian Alec R. Costandinos made records unlike anyone else could, he pioneered the use of the first LP recorded on 48 tracks ( Trident Studios). In only three years, 1977-79, he recorded an astounding 15 albums of beautiful, one side-long disco suites and concept albums without comparison. Costandinos is a musical genius and his records simply sound as fantastic today as they did when they were first released. In 1974 Costandinos would become involved with a group called Kongas, whose drummer was none other than future disco auteur Jean-Marc Cerrone. Later in 1975, the two would collaborate on Cerrone’s first solo project “Love In C Minor” , one of the greatest disco classics which launched both of their careers as Disco producers. The two original tracks off Cerrone’s three-track “Love In C Minor” LP (the title track and “Midnite Lady”) would unfortunately be the last products of the Cerrone/Costandinos collaboration. As for why that was, it’s a question mark. It is a subject that Alec told us on our Open House Interview ” I prefer to let somethings as they are “
His Masterpiece Romeo And Juliette released on the Casablanca label showed the complexities of the true genre and is an excellent example of what DISCO was and should be seen as ……ART
After all his Disco projects , Costandinos seemed to slow down considerably. He would release one more album in 1981 called “Americana,” ( The Only album that featured a picture of him on the cover ) ironically not released in the US.

And by the way on Romeo and Juliette “the most excellent and lamentable tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, newly corrected, augmented and amended” is Alec himself.
Hear our EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ON OPEN HOUSE RADIO CLICK HERE

Open House Radio #54 Alec R. Costandinos by Open House Radio on Mixcloud

They say you never forget your first kiss, your first girlfriend ,well, your first anything right? As a DJ who started at the age of 15 I was reminded today while listening to some old songs on You Tube what my first record was. I didn’t even buy it, it was given to me by the DJ that lit the flame that burns til this day. His name was Jorge Valdes a 9th grader who had first met at a party that he was ” playing records” . The minute I walked in the door that night I was mesmerized by the fact that a guy playing records controlled the party. I didn’t see him for several months after that, nor did I see anyone doing what he was doing at any other party that I went to. On the first day of school at lunch in my Junior High Cafeteria there he was , motioning to me to come sit at his table with a bunch of other older kids with cool haircuts and clothes. I did the best I could to cover my T shirt from “Los Pinos Nuevos” a Local bakery. I had already been into music listening to the radio religiously when I got home. My parents owned a big Zenith Console stereo ( off limits of course) and a large collection of records Elvis,Herp Alpert, Ray Conniff, Al Hirt The obligatory Coke album ( a local group of kids from Miami High) rounding out the collection on the latin side Perez Prado,Celia Cruz,Conjunto Universal . I couldn’t hear them ,but I could hold them and read the liner notes and admire the cover art which on some of the Lps were a little risque at the time. But these kids spoke of a different kind of music ,it wasn’t Elton John,America, Captain & Tenille that I was listening to on my local station.They were talking about groups like BT Express, LaBelle,AWB, Van McCoy ,Silver Convention, O.C. Smith, The Intruders,Double Exposure. The were talking about clubs that their older brothers and sisters would go to. This was a strange new world for me , but I liked it !!
The following day at lunch ( now wearing a much cooler T Shirt with the ” Man from Uncle” logo) I sat down next to Jorge who immediately handed me a white label 45 RPM of the Trammps ” That’s Where The Happy People Go” He said ” Here to start your collection” I looked at it for a minute . I imagined myself at a party where I was in charge of the music . People danced , girls whispering, smiling and pointing at me ( hopefully not laughing at my T shirt). I was a DJ !! I peddled home that day faster than ever ready to defy all rules concerning the Zenith stereo . I was going to play ” MY” record , and I did as soon as I stepped in the door and about 3 hours before my Father got home. I must have heard it about 20 times before my Mom had me turn it off because I was going to ” Waste The Needle”
It was an exciting time I wanted to learn all about this ” Disco” thing these guys were talking about. I discovered a record store within bicycle riding distance where I offered the old man to organize and help out around the shop in exchange for records. ( Lee’s Records) My collection began to grow 45s , Lps and the new 12 inches . More Record stores were popping up all over Ultra Records, Ricky Records E.R.E Records , The Record Gallery, The Village, Do Re Mi, Lily’s . Soon I was able to fill up a few crates and with money saved from jobs here and there ( an the help of my Uncle) I was able to buy a Speaker ,some turntables and a small little mixer.
All because of ” Disco” Where the Happy people Go.
DJ Alex Gutierrez

“I think about 14 years ago a whole lot of people decided take advantage that they didn’t work the next day and all decide to go to Alcazaba at the Hyatt Regency in Coral Gables” At least that’s the way it seemed , but the real story is a little bit different . Wednesday night was not the busy nights when this Miami Landmark first opened it’s doors in 1988,as a matter of fact the ” club” originally intended as a ” lounge” was not even open on Wednesdays after it’s Grand opening in August of 1988. Friday was the BIG Night. I had the pleasure of being there from the start along side of DJs Ray Noda and Jose Garcia.
The origin of the legendary day before Thanksgiving goes way back to around 1989 – 90 . Wednesday night was jazz night with a little known Puerto Rican flute player named Nestor Torres (In 1989 Torres released Morning Ride, his first major label recording on Verve which became a best-selling album on the contemporary jazz charts) He would do 2 sets and be done by about 8:30 PM.As the Dj I would try to keep the people in there as long as I could after that , Wednesday was not your typical ” going out” night……..YET. Nestor had built a pretty good following, regulars and his career was taking off. As I remember one Wednesday night he started his set later.I was told to come in and play some filler music until he started and then do my thing after.Well alot of his regulars were there early ,not knowing the change of plans. A funny thing happened , I started playing some low tempo soul hits ” You’ll Never Find ” Lou Rawls ” Hang on in there Baby” Johnny Bristol and people started to dance and request more of the same genre.By 7:00 pm I had a pretty good dance floor and not since my Friday Happy Hours at Club Mystique ( Airport Hilton) had I seen such an eager group of Dancers at this early time. Nestor went on at about 9 pm that night and was done by around 11pm which combined the Happy Hour people with the late night crowd. It was happening and in the following weeks the crowds increased and doubled to the point that people were reserving tables inside the club. The Pre Thanksgiving Bash just happened as a result of the increasing crowds,the
” No work the next day” factor and some print and radio Advertising the Hyatt was doing at the time.As the years passed we incorporated Live acts such as Secret Society,Erotic Exotic , Sweet Sensation as well as local Latin favorites Los Sobrinos del Juez who performed outside in The Court Of The Lions. The day before Thanksgiving became what I called ” The Cuban St. Patricks” ( San Gibin) and every year was bigger and better than the last. There was always a Rumor that they would Close down Alcazaba ,they came true in 2009. Luckily for a few years after that Thanks to Maria Martinez from Execumar Promotions . The party continued for a few years after it closed as a one night only thing. They still came back,packing the place. It was sad when the last few years they decided not to continue…. a piece of Miami nightlife had died. A tradition…… gone.
Check out Mister Q 305’s article and pictures of the last time we were there at this link….PRE THANKSGIVING BASH BY MR.Q 305
Thanks to Mr.Q 305 for all these great images