History[edit]

Garage house was developed in the Paradise Garage nightclub in New York City and Club Zanzibar in Newark, New Jersey, United States, during the early-to-mid 1980s. There was much overlap between it and early house music, making it difficult to tell the two apart.^[7] It predates the development of Chicago house,^[1] and according to All Music, is relatively closer to disco than other dance styles.^[4] As Chicago house gained international popularity, New York's garage music scene was distinguished from the "house" umbrella.^[4]


Dance music of the 1980s made use of electronic instruments such as synthesizers, sequencers and drum machines. These instruments are an essential part of garage music.^[8] The direction of garage music was primarily influenced by the New York City discothèque Paradise Garage where the influential DJ Larry Levan,^[9] known for his musical versatility and innovation, played records.


According to Blues & Soul, contemporary garage music started with Boyd Jarvis and Levan's The Peech Boys.^[10] Jarvis, using the Visual moniker, was behind 1983 recordings "Somehow, Someway" (Prelude Records – PRL D 650) and "The Music Got Me" (Prelude Records – PRL D 650), the latter especially influential,^[10] which later was sampled by mainstream house music record producers Robert Clivillés and David Cole of C+C Music Factory.^[11][12]


The popularity of the genre in the UK gave birth to a derivative genre called UK garage.^[6]