Rancho Relaxo AllStars | en

Rancho Relaxo as we know it was born from parties that began in 1994. The first party took place one fateful Saturday night at the infamous Limelight Club in NYC. Abe Duque wanted to “try something different”. He wanted to create a party with a different concept. After some convincing club owner Peter Gatien allowed him use of the “Arcadia Room”. So, Abe asked all his “electronic music friends" to come, each with at least 1 electronic music device and jam. In “Arcadia” there was simply a table with a mixer and a couple of effect units. And whiskey. The sound was open, the whiskey flowing and the only directive fun. And surprisingly (or not) people liked it.

John Selway, Susanne Brokesch, Prozac, Jochen Reiter, Jason Szostek, Mika Vainio, Jimmy Tenor, Dietrich Schoenemana and Liza Weinstein are just some of those who responded to the call. Many beautiful jam sessions resulted and the parties provided an alternative to all the other dance floor action provided in clubs at that time.

Arcadia continued for 3 months. After the nights had run their course at the Limelight, everyone thought it would be a good idea to record and document the product of those party sessions. All the regulars got together at Abe’s studio and recorded the first Rancho album “Higiene Mental”. The album was released on Disko B and the response was so great that it was decided that “Rancho” should hit the road. It was to be a world tour, as it was precisely at this time that the world became smaller and people and places became more connected due to such modern advances as the Internet and budget airlines.

The road tours were notoriously fun. The constant jamming was always accompanied by group activities such as arm wrestling competitions and dance routines. Characters emerged and roles were adopted. The Rancho Relaxo Allstars breathed Rancho. Never say die. And Rancho was everywhere. In back rooms of clubs, tents and events across the world you could find yourselves stumbling across one of these magical musical fiestas, the Ranchos dressed as cowboys.

After extensive touring the Ranchos went back into Abe’s studio and recorded “Live at Luv Parade”, their second album. The same spontaneous, fun-soaked sound was captured on record once more and the tours began again. New characters joined the band. Artists such as Cle and DJ Highfish found themselves suddenly in cowboy hats, lost in music and whiskey.

After a few years the touring stopped. Nothing lasts forever. But, there is no cause for alarm, for the Allstars have been back in the studio and have captured that magic yet again. They have now finished, what is in the opinion of many in the know, their most polished album work yet. “The Answer Is Always Yes” will be released on Rancho Relaxo Records, a division of ADR, in spring this year. Of course this means that the show will also go on. The fun is by no means over and quite frankly, no one knows what will come next. .