Sandy Rivera (US house DJ and producer)

Sandy Rivera (born January 18, 1971) is an American house music DJ, record producer and label owner. Born in New York City, he is now based in New Jersey. Rivera started his career at age 13 as a DJ in his native Spanish Harlem. He began producing house music in 1992, specializing in a more soulful sound. He has worked under a variety of pseudonyms, including Kings of Tomorrow, Soul Vision and Mysterious People, either alone or with partners Jose Burgos, HAZE and Jay 'Sinister' Sealee (Rivera parted ways with Sealee in 2002). He is the owner of labels BlackWiz (founded 1993) and Deep Vision Records (founded in 1995). Rivera's best known track is "Finally", released in 2000 under the alias Kings of Tomorrow on Distance Records, with vocals by Julie McKnight, which peaked at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and at number 17 on the Billboard dance chart, and appeared in a large number of compilations from labels such as Defected Records, Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, and Warner Music. The track is included on K.O.T.'s first album It's in the Lifestyle. The same album also yielded the track "Young Hearts". The vocal version of "Finally" was also used as part of a remixed single by the British act Layo & Bushwacka for their 2003 single "Love Story (vs. Finally)". The second K.O.T. album was released in 2005, titled Trouble. Rivera claimed that the album was his first produced without recourse to samples, and marked the official separation between this and other aliases: Kings of Tomorrow is used for more radio-friendly tracks, while his real name was to be used for club-friendly tracks. As a producer and remixer, Rivera has worked for a variety of other artists, including veteran jazz musician Terry Callier, Gisele Jackson, Bini & Martini, Michelle Weeks, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Walter L. Robinson. 1998 The Beginning, as Kings of Tomorrow (not a K.O.T. album, includes various tracks produced or remixed by Rivera; the CD version is mixed) 2000 The Calling, as Sandy Rivera & Jose Burgos 2000 It's in the Lifestyle, as Kings of Tomorrow 2000 It's in the Lifestyle - Limited Edition, as Kings of Tomorrow 2001 Kings of Tomorrow Sessions - Mixed by Sandy Rivera 2002 It's in the Lifestyle - The Remixes, as Kings of Tomorrow 2005 Trouble, as Kings of Tomorrow Sandy Rivera 1996 The King Size EP 1997 "Come On", with Jon Cutler and Mike Delgado 1997 "Expansions '97/Head Hunters" 1998 "Come into My Room", with Littleton Brown 2001 "Class Is in Session" 2001 "Forever", with John "DNR" Alvarez and Shawnee Taylor 2002 "Changes", with HAZE 2002 "I Can't Stop", with Littleton Brown 2005 "Hope", with Elzi Hall 2005 "Just Won't Do", with Robert Owens 2007 "Freak", with HAZE 2009 "Deeper", with HAZE 2009 "Whatever", with Andy Daniell 2017 "Try a Little Tenderness" Sandy Rivera & Jose Burgos All are collaborations with Jose Burgos. 1997 "The Path" 1999 Expanded EP 2000 "12th Street Soul" 2000 "Keep It Coming" 2000 "I Wanna Dance with You", with Karen Workman 2000 "No Smoke" 2001 "Leaving Me" 2001 La Cultura EP Kings of Tomorrow/K.O.T. 1993 D'Menace EP, with John "DNR" Alvarez 1993 Showcase EP, with George Rivera 1993 "Go Black Scatt", with George Rivera 1994 "Abstract Collage" 1994 Black Sinister Science EP, with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee and Stacey Alexander 1995 "I'm So Grateful", with Densaid 1996 "10 Minute High", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee and Michelle Weeks 1996 "Fade II Black", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee 1996 "Open Your Mind/K.O.T. Anthem", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee 1997 "Set My Spirit Free", with Dawn Tallman 1997 "Ancestors", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee 1997 Witness Protection EP 1997 "The Session" 1997 "Organic Warfare", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee 1998 "I Want You (For Myself)", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee and Julie McKnight 1998 "Let It Go", with Dawn Tallman 1998 The Blackwiz EP 1998 The K.O.T. Invasion EP, with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee 1999 "My Love Is Real", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee 2000 Going Back to Blackwiz EP, with Jose Burgos and Jay 'Sinister' Sealee 2000 "In the Night", with Littleton Brown 2000 "Finally", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee and Julie McKnight 2000 "Tear It Up", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee and Julie McKnight 2001 "Class Is in Session" 2002 "Young Hearts", with Treasa Fennie 2003 "Dreams/Thru", with HAZE and George Rivera 2004 "Dreams", with HAZE 2004 "So Alive" 2005 "Another Day", with Leedia Urtega 2005 "Thru", with HAZE 2005 "6PM", with Nina Lares 2008 "Can't Stop", with Rae 2011 "Take Me Back", with April 2011 "I Need to Love Me", with April 2012 "Show Me", with Elzi Hall 2013 "Fall for You" with April 2016 "Kaoz" 2016 "Closer" with Alex Mills 2016 "Please" with Random Soul 2018 "Faded" with Kandace Springs Soul Vision All are collaborations with Jose Burgos. 1998 "Don't Stop", with Littleton Brown 1999 "Low Down", with Jaquito May Perkins 2000 "Don't Hold Back", with Dihann Moore 2000 "Tracey in My Room", as EBTG vs. Soul Vision (official mash-up produced by Ben Watt) 2001 "You've Been on My Mind", with D'Layna Mysterious People All are collaborations with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee. 1996 "Love Revolution" 1997 The Rude Movements EP 1998 "Fly Away" D'Menace 1997 "Spirit in My Soul" 1997 "Ya-Yahoo!" 1998 "Deep Menace (Spank)" Other aliases 1992 "Right Now/Break the Ice", as Awesome Foursome, with George Rivera, Wilson X. Yepez and Víctor "Overdose" Sánchez 1994 "The K.O.T. Theory of Rhythmic Seduction", as Kidz of Tomorrow, with Jose Burgos 1995 "The Blackwiz", as Ancestors, with Treasa Fennie 2000 "Free Call", as Delicious Inc meets Sandy Rivera, with Jamie Lewis and Littleton Brown 2000 "Scream & Shout", as The Committee, with Jose Burgos, Jay 'Sinister' Sealee and Kim Armstrong 2001 "Life", as Auréi 2001 "Let the Reign Begin", as Organized Noize, with John "DNR" Alvarez 2001 "I am the Drum", as Organized Noize, with Chris "Ludikris" Conway 2002 Keep Flowing EP, as Sanjose, with Jose Burgos 2003 "Moodbangers", as Moodbangers 2004 "Midnight Express", as Moodbangers, with John Alvarez 1993 Trique-Dik-Slik - "Euphoria (Mary Jane Too)", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealée and Eric Priest 1995 Michelle Wilson- "Lifted Higher" 1995 Sabrynaah Pope - "Shelter" 1995 Big O - "Shmoov wit da Ruffness" 1996 Sean Grant - "I Hear My Calling", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealée 1996 Sean Grant - "Keep On Pressing", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealée 1997 Gisele Jackson - "Happy Feelings" 1997 Julie McKnight - "Rock Steady", Jay 'Sinister' Sealée 1997 Big Foot - "Black Lagoons" 2003 GR-69 - "Trouble" 2007 DADA - "Lollipop", with Trix - #18 UK 2014 Ivy Queen - "Cuando Las Mujeres" (Remix) "Sandy Rivera Biography". sandyrivera.dj. Archived from the original on 17 October 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2010. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 303. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. Official website Sandy Rivera fan page Sandy Rivera discography at Discogs Kings of Tomorrow discography at Discogs