Deep Dish
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
Both Ali Dubfire Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi were born in Iran, though their paths first crossed at a 1991 dance event in Washington, D.C.; both were immersed in the local DJ scene and working part-time at retail jobs they hated. They set up Deep Dish Records in 1992 and debuted with the production A Feeling by Moods. In 1993, an old schoolmate of Alis named Brian Transeau recorded A Moment of Truth and Relativity for the label; both singles spread the Deep Dish message on dancefloors, and a link with Detroit producer Carl Craig (with whom they swapped mixes) helped the pairs street credibility. By 1994, Dubfire and Sharam were ruling as kings of the D.C. house scene, and had set up the sub-label Yoshitoshi for releases by like-minded compatriots Submarine, Satori, Alcatraz, and Hani. That same year, DJ legend Danny Tenaglia convinced Tribal UK Records to sign Deep Dish for its new Tribal America subsidiary, and the duo hit the dance charts with productions like High Frequency and Casa de X. Deep Dish also made their full-length mix debut in 1995, taking charge of compilations for Tribal America (Penetrate Deeper) and SlipNSlide (Undisputed).
The 1995 single Hideaway by Delacy practically made Deep Dishs career on a commercial and mainstream-dance level; their remix stormed the pop charts and earned them boatloads of additional remix work for Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Janet Jackson, Pet Shop Boys, Kristine W., Everything But the Girl, the Beloved and the Shamen -- Deep Dish even reworked Brian Transeaus collaboration with Tori Amos, Blue Skies. Dubfire and Sharam added to their mix-album résumé with another Tribal America collection (1996s In House We Trust) plus one for Deconstruction (Cream Separates) one year later. Just when Deep Dish appeared to be content with releasing a mix album or two each year, the duo recorded their proper studio debut, Junk Science, in 1998. Resuming the schedule, Deep Dish released mix sets in consecutive years: Yoshiesque, Renaissance Ibiza, and a second Yoshieque by 2001.
2001 also saw the duo earn their first Remixer of the Year Grammy nomination for their work on Madonnas Music and Ambers Sexual (La Da Di). A remix of Didos Thank You won them the Grammy a year later, the same year their Global Underground: Moscow mix-CD won the Dancestar USAs Best Compilation award. A third volume of Yoshiesque followed in 2003 along with three different editions of Global Underground: Toronto, one with the duo spinning together and one solo set each from Dubfire and Sharam.
