JUNIOR RIVERO

Born in Washington Heights in NYC, Junior Rivero grew up immersed in a range of musical styles, an exposure that would prove to be the foundation from which his passion for the music would blossom.Stimulated by Latin, Disco, Punk, New Wave, Hip Hop, freestyle and the Dance and House music that would be his forte, Junior was forever marked by the music he grew up with. Nothing was lost on him; growing up with the soul and R&B on the airwaves, the basement jams, the infamous bridge apartments parties, and the opportunity to witness first hand the inspiring work of the local DJs - it all forged the passion he carries to this day for both the music and his craft.
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and so it is. Early on, a burning desire to develop his skills led to his first DJ equipment: a DIY setup fashioned from home tuners. The generosity of local DJs combined with his passion and hustle, fueled his most ardent desire: to contribute to the music that ran deep within. These early experiences were pivotal and sealed the knowledge the he would always be in the music business. Ultimately, it’s about the energy exchange; making memories with a crowd---on the dance floor. Both skill and style continued to be honed producing local parties with local brothers SOHO productions (short for SO House). Taking creative risks further developed his style and sense of where his niche lay; While everyone else was playing the more popular dance, hip hop, and freestyle music, Junior was playing what was then considered “underground” and “cutting edge” tracks that were for the most part imports along with cuts from up and coming NYC producers. His editing work on a reel to reel expanded both his skill-set and his interest in music production. Eventually, he landed a short stint with Virgin Records’ dance department under Cary Vance. He added marketing and promotions to his growing repertoire with his work for a number of artists including Neenah Cherry, Paula Abdul, Keith Richards, and Janet Jackson, to name a few.
A combination of personal setbacks and the harsh reckoning with the dark realities of the music business, characterized the 90s. A brief hiatus during this time led to a major refocusing and the eventual reconnection to the industry with work on a variety of projects and the creation of The 1200 Warriors with Jose "Choco" Reynoso. The signing of their track “Gangsta House” featuring legend KRS-ONE by Defected Records led to a feature on the Jazzy Jeff Compilation. This was followed by releases and remixes on Aroma Records, Detour Recordings, Code Red Recordings, Pastada Records, Guesthouse Recordings, Dufflebag Recordings, additional releases with Defected Records, and many more.
In 2007, he and Choco founded 1200 TRAXX, a digital only record label. Releases include “At Last”, “Jazzo” “Bonafide” featuring Craig Mitchell, “Roder Ruder” featuring Michelle Weeks, and “Loose Control” featuring the Wu-Tang Clan off the 1200 TRAXX debut album Live from NY. Sought after for their “1200 sound”, they toured and DJd both nationally and overseas. 1200 TRAXX signifies an enduring love and appreciation for the body of work produced and the artist he was to become.
HIs experience and his knowledge of the business has made him the go to guy among many of his peers; providing assistance and consulting advice on many aspects of the industry from label management to studio production, mixing and mastering, he’s called upon time and time again for his sage advice.
2017 marks a new chapter in his life and career. Thicker skinned, his love and passion for the music burns hotter than ever. The year kicked off with a remix of Harry Romero’s “Sing to Me Nina”. In full force mode, 2017’s momentum continues with a release on Industry Icon Gladys Pizarro’s Launch Entertainment. The rest of the year unfolds with series of original works, collaborations, and remixes all on imminent release.
He’s back. In tune, DJing, making music and creating memories with you on the dance floor