DJ Jim Burgess
July 21,1953– January 18,1993
Jim Burgess was a disco record mixer and New York DJ of the 1970s, and has been commonly referred to as one of the hottest DJ’s and Remixers of the Disco era.
Jim Burgess
ruled the dancefloors of New York City clubs such as Infinity, 12 West, the Saint, Underground, Studio 54, as well as playing the Ice Palace in Fire Island. He chose to retire in 1981 at the age of 28.
Burgess had been one of the initial three resident DJs at the Saint along with Alan Dodd and Roy Thode, from its opening on 20 September 1980. Burgess's popularity was attributed not only to his style and technique, but a love for theatrical effects and elements, which developed from his love of opera. He would frequently create his own "sound scenes" by using the dialogue from well-known film scenes over the break of a record - as well as attentuating the effect through long mixes and sophisticated blending.
In 1979 he was one of the DJ’s chosen to play at “BEACH.”
Seen here at “Beach” with DJ Howard Merrit.
Burgess chose to end his career at age 28 with a farewell party at the Saint on 31 January 1981. During the party, he famously walked out at the peak of the night and left the record run out. Nevertheless, he still did subsequent infrequent gigs in New York, and started playing regularly at the Saint again in 1986. His actual last gig according to his partner was at The Ice Palace in 1989.
In the early 1980s he was diagnosed with AIDS, and moved to Philadelphia in 1983 to pursue his first ambition, opera. In Philadelphia he studied voice at the Curtis Institute of Music. He sang with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Rittenhouse Opera Society, and appeared as Florestan in Beethoven's "Fidelio" at the Lake George Opera Festival in New York and as Siegfried and Parsifal with the Liederkranz Society of New York, which awarded him first prize in its Wagner Competition. He died of an AIDS related brain tumor on 18th January 1993 at his home in Philadelphia.
