DJ Lelewel

Davoli had been DJing since around 1981, playing a mix of soul and disco at clubs like the Marabou Starlight (he recorded the first ever Italian House record “House Machine” in 1987), but failed to achieve any widespread media notoriety before hooking up with like-minded clarinet teacher Valerio Semplici and studio engineer Mirko Limoni, who had previously twiddled the knobs for Italian pop star Spagna. The trio, collectively known as production outfit Groove Groove Melody, first met in 1988, formed Starlight and released the upbeat, sample-heavy club hit “Numero Uno”. With its driving, joyous piano hook and crisp, clean disco-inspired rhythm it set the precedent for the collective’s transformation into Black Box.