Jesse Saunders Presents the Pioneers of House Music - Chicago Reunion (CD)

All Music Guide

Chicago Reunion is an epic collection including most of the major Chicago house names -- Saunders, Marshall Jefferson, Farley Jackmaster Funk, Adonis, DJ Pierre, Vince Lawrence, Byron Burke Chip-E and Tyree Cooper. The occasional back-in-the-day tracks like "Now This Is How It Started," "Wayne Found a Record Store" and "Farley Was Determined" are interesting history lessons but the present of Chicago house circa 1997 sounds just as good, with the few updates of classic tracks ("Baby Wants to Ride '97") hardly standing in the way of excellent new material like Saunders' "Feel Your Love," Tyree Cooper's "Nuthin' Wrong" and DJ Pierre's "I Can't Stand It." It doesn't quite hit the heights of Chicago house's classic period, but Chicago Reunion is a solid effort for all involved.

- John Bush, All Music Guide