David Mancuso Celebration of Life February 14, 2017

Do you remember Saturday February 14, 1970??? Where were you on that day?
Let me tell you, it was the first "Loft" party, it was held at 647 Broadway and I was there!!!!!!!!!
Valentine's Day was David Mancuso's favorite day of the year. He decided to start his Loft parties on this special day because it celebrates Love, Togetherness, Romance, Peace and all the good things David believed in.
Tuesday February 14 the Legends of Vinyl organization came together as one to celebrate his life and to say thank you to this hero of ours. We take pride as first generation DJ's & Producers because we learned from David and we as disciples have pass our craft to those that still appreciate and respect our passion for music. I for one, give this credit to David for teaching me how to respect all kinds of music, how to have an open mind when it's time to perform to a sophisticated audience that will appreciate my choice of ecliptic music.
The Legends of Vinyl organization will be in full force as one. Representing in attendance Board of Directors, Ray Caviano, Roy Be. Ray "Pinky" Velazquez, Jackie McCloy, Paul Casella and the founder of L.O.V. Luis Mario
L.O.V. is the message!!!

We would like to thank Douglas Sherman and his family for making this event a total success. "The Celebration of Life" was held at the Society for Ethical Culture.
Contributors:
Ernest Green, Ricky Horstman, Sandy Moon, Colleen Murphy, Mark Riley, Douglas Sherman, Soraya Sherman, Edowa Shimizu, Elyse Stefanishin, Luis Vargas, Donna Weiss, JDJ Music, James Davis/Choir Director.

David Paul Mancuso (October 20, 1944 – November 14, 2016) was an American disk jockey who created the popular "by invitation only" parties in New York City, which later became known as "The Loft". The first party, called "Love Saves The Day", was in 1970.
Mancuso pioneered the private party, as distinct from the more commercial nightclub business model. In the early 1970s, Mancuso won a long administrative trial when the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs found that he was not selling food or beverages to the public and therefore did not need a NYC cabaret license.
Mancuso's success at keeping his parties "underground" and legal inspired others, and many famous private discothèques of the 1970s and 1980s were modeled after The Loft, including the Paradise Garage, The Gallery, 12 West, The Flamingo and later The Saint. Mancuso also helped start the "record pool" system for facilitating the distribution of promotional records to the qualified disc jockey. Elements of Mancuso's influence can also be seen in the famous nightly scene outside of New York City's Studio 54, where legendary owner Steve Rubell and 20th Century Fox vice President Billy Smith a.k.a Billy Amato understood the appeal of selectivity and took Mancuso's "invitation only" idea and expanded it to ridiculous, and ridiculously effective, extremes.
Mancuso was born on October 20, 1944 in Utica, New York. He was born out of wedlock while his mother's husband was serving in World War II and lived in an orphanage for the first five years of his life. Although he nominally resided with his mother thereafter, he remained a frequent runaway and spent a year in reform school as a teenager; during this period, he cultivated an interest in early rhythm and blues music.
This year September 12, 2017 David Mancuso will be formerly inducted into the Legends of Vinyl DJ Hall of Fame with the acclaimed L.O.V. Award “In Recognition of Your Long Love And Passion of Dance Music”. His long time friend and the person that will continue to run “The Loft” parties Mr. Douglas Sherman will accept this award for David Mancuso.
Mancuso died at his home in Manhattan on November 14, 2016.