MIKE CRUZ BIO

These ARE extraordinarily challenging times. But the one aspect of society that has always flourished during uncertain times is: entertainment and the creative arts. And what people are saying they need now, more than ever before, is Mike Cruz, the indomitable jock who has used his incomparable skills in the studio and at the decks to stake a solid claim in an ever-shifting industry.

For what’s left of the biggest international parties, promoters should have Cruz’s number on speed dial — vocalists already do…as witnessed by the industry’s top singers elbowing to the front of the line for a little bit of time in Cruz’s studio.

But the real testament to his fame is the respect and support he commands from his fans. They thirst for his intoxicating blend of underground, steamy tribal infused grooves, and rip-roaring vocal anthems, but they also know to expect the unexpected — that’s the hallmark of a Cruz set: he blends the attitude of the crowd, the trends of the industry, and a keen intuition to concoct a listening experience that is matched only by his next performance. “My sets are never one dimensional. When I’m at the decks, I’m not focused on three hours of vocals or three hours of the circuit sound. Sure, you’ll get a sprinkle of both, but you also get dashes of tribal, electro, progressive house — a little of everything,” says Cruz. “What sets me apart is that I quickly match my mood with the mood of the audience, establish that connection, and move from first base to a home run early in the night. From there, we’re in a long-term relationship.”

Cruz has been cultivating that love affair for nearly 20 years as a New York-based DJ/producer who has often shunned the jock-as-media hound publicity limelight so that he can stay focused on the task at hand. The strategy has worked.

Under the toutelage of George Dellinger, Cruz is now a household name in just about every major city in North America. He currently does rotations at Roxy in Boston, Hydrate in Chicago, Tracks in Denver, The End Up in San Francisco, DC’s Town, Montreal’s Parking, and Miami’s Score. When he’s not wracking up frequent flyer miles on the Continent, he’s jetting off to some of the hottest party locales in the world. In the past couple years, Cruz has brought his unique and infectious sound to parties in Barcelona, Prague, Amsterdam, Rio & Sao Paulo, Tel Aviv, Sydney, and Mexico City.

In a year, Cruz does more travel than even the most cosmopolitan people do in a lifetime. So, it’s a wonder that he has time for anything else, much less for launching a new record label, chart umpteen Number One Billboard hits, produce original music for a series of compilation discs, and spend time in the studio turning diva voice tracks into mind-numbing dance tracks. Lucky for us, he finds the time.

Cruz is well-known for his partnerships in musicology — from his work with such varied vocalists as Inaya Day , Kristine W, Joi Cardwell , Taylor Dayne , Celeda, India, Beyonce, and Yoko Ono, to his compilation discs such as “Arrival and “The Many Moods of Mike Cruz” — and his most recent venture is with Dellinger whose shop, Madtizzy, recently launched its own label, Madtizzy Music. Cruz & Dellinger will introduce the label to the public with full force in 2009,with the release of Mike’s original production of Joi Caldwell’s velvety and deeply hypnotic “Come Together.”

Slated upcoming releases for Madtizzy & Cruz will include a full-length compilation comprised mostly of original Cruz tracks; a full-length Cruz collection of original Inaya Day & Cruz productions; as well as several singles with remixes by a variety of producers.

“When I’m on the road, I usually play for a gay crowd, but when it comes to production, I swing both ways,” says Cruz, of a style that has gotten the attention of fans and charts — his list of number ones and top tens is exhausting.

“These days, crowds are listening to basically the same music even if the parties are vastly different. So one really needs to be creative and flexible to accommodate all the different types of people and tastes. I think that flexibility comes through in my studio work.”

So the big question is, does Cruz sleep? Occasionally, but it’s clear that visions of records, and party-goers and remixing equipment are dancing through his head — Cruz is addicted to what he does. More important, he’s thankful and humble, and that respect for his fans and what they need, in good times and bad, is what makes him the new leader.

“At the end of the day…. or the end of the night”, chuckles Cruz, “I am just so grateful. In a million years, I would have never dreamed that I could make a life-long career out of something that I love doing …making and playing music. I promise to keep up the momentum and never let people down.”

LUCCI & CRUZ downloads available on