Artist: Harry Dennis
Location: Chicago, USA
Dennis began his recording career in 1983, releasing the single “Donnie” in 1985. He formed a group named The It with Larry Heard and Robert Owens. “Donnie” was launched on the Chicago underground house scene with Chip E. as the producer in 1985, quickly spreading to the east coast, and was distributed worldwide by DJ International in 1986.
From 1986 to 1989, Dennis was recruited to Trax Records by Marshall Jefferson. Together, they formed the group Jungle Wonz, recording the house hits “Time Marches On” and “Jungle”.
In 1988, Fingers Inc., a group formed by Dennis, Heard, Owens, and Ron Wilson, released “Distant Planet” with Dennis as the writer and vocalist. The single was released under the Indigo Music/Jack Trax label. Dennis also collaborated as a lyricist and vocalist with Owens and Heard to record the single “Gallimaufry Gallery”, released on the Black Market International label. From 1990 to 1991, Dennis penned other house tracks in collaboration with Larry Heard. They recorded an album in London on the Big Life Records label, featuring “In This Place Called Nowhere”, “Endless Journey”, “Brazilian Love Dance”, “Rain Forest Serenade”, “When Will We Learn”, “Endless Flight”, “Living For The Man”, and “Brazilian Love Dance (Interlude)”. In 1993, Dennis collaborated with Marshall Jefferson again to release “Bird In a Gilded Cage” on Trax.
While working on a new album, Dennis appeared on Chicago House Radio, WHPK 88.5 FM, and Triton College. He provided voiceover on tracks for DJs. Dennis also performed live at various Chicago venues, including the Regal Theater, and often appeared with fellow house music performer Curtis McClain.
Dennis’ business affiliations include house music executives such as Marshall Jefferson, Chauncey Alexander, and David Dee of Openhouse Recordings. Dennis and Jefferson released a new album on Openhouse in June 2011 entitled Jungle Wonz: The Jungle Sky EP, produced by Marshall Jefferson. This album included an updated version of the original “The Jungle” recording, along with several renditions of a new single, “Kiss the Sky”, written by Dennis, McClain, and Jefferson.
Following the 2012 release of his album, The Jungle Wonz: Deliverance, Dennis was featured on Chicago’s Black Business Network, interviewed by founder and host, Sonja Perdue. In 2013, Dennis wrote and released a new single, “No Matter”, produced by Ricard Perez on the Epoque Music label.
In September 2014, Alleviated Records released an EP entitled The IT, another collaboration between Dennis and Larry Heard. The EP contains two tracks by Dennis entitled “Beauty in a Picture” and “Somebody Somewhere”.
Dennis performed at the 2016 Chosen Few Picnic held July in Chicago. In 2017, Dennis and IT member Ron Trent released three tracks: a single by The IT called “Monterrey” on the Future Vision World label, “Months of Mays” on the Music and Power label, and “Black Magic Woman” on Rush Hour Records.
