Kelli Hand


Kelley Hand, known professionally as Kelli Hand and K-HAND, was a musician and DJ from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Hand was widely credited with opening the door for Black women's participation in the previously male-dominated techno and electronic music communities during the 1990s and was known as the "First Lady of Detroit techno". A prolific DJ with an "impossibly deep catalogue", Hand continued to produce and perform music up until her death in 2021.

Life and career

Born on September 15, 1964, and raised in Detroit, Hand immersed herself in New York's club scene during her youth in the 1980s, especially frequenting the legendary Paradise Garage when Larry Levan was playing as well as Club Area. She purchased her own equipment and began teaching herself to produce and DJ in her bedroom, before eventually beginning to play clubs and landing a residency at Detroit's Zipper's Nightclub.
In 1990, Hand founded her own label, initially named UK House Records, but quickly renamed to Acacia Records after a Detroit street she had previously lived on. Her debut release was an EP, Think About It.
In 1994, her single, Global Warning, was released on the British label Warp Records. In 1995, her debut studio album, On A Journey, was released on Studio !K7. By the year 2000, seven further albums were released on the labels, !K7 Records, Distance, Tresor, and Ausfahrt.
Hand's imprint Acacia Label continues to release new vinyl records as well as re-releases of Hand's back catalogue.

Musical style

Despite her Detroit background, Hand identified her musical influences as being from mostly Chicago and New York electronic music scenes, including Larry Levan, Marshall Jefferson, and Larry Heard. Her main Detroit influences included Jeff Mills and the Underground Resistance as well as Ken Collier. Hand frequently incorporated the particular "jack" and "swing" sounds distinctive to Chicago house in her music.
As described by Matt Unicomb in 2016,
Hand was deeply influenced by her years spent listening and dancing to the music of Larry Levan before his death in 1992:
Hand was also a vinyl enthusiast, stating that "if it's not on vinyl, it's not final" because she valued its "warm" and "analogue" sound. Many of Hand's tracks feature a "very specific and strong sense of emotion" and Hand herself remarked that "a lot of my songs are lovey-dovey".

Awards and accolades

Hand was presented with a Spirit of Detroit Award in 2016 along with several other electronic musicians including Jeff Mills, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson. In July 2017, Hand was named a First Lady of Detroit and honored by the city with a Testimonial Resolution certificate acknowledging her substantial contributions to techno and dance music.

Death

Hand died at her home in Detroit on August 3, 2021, from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease at the age of 56.

Discography

Hand released most of her music under the moniker K-HAND, but also released music under the names Etat Solide, Rhythm Formation, Queen Mecca, Kelli Hand, and Kerohand.
Studio albums
  • On A Journey
  • The Art Of Music
  • Ready For The Darkness
  • Soul
  • Fantasy
  • Salsafied
  • Detroit History Part 1
Extended plays
  • K-HAND/Etat Solide – Think About It
  • K-HAND/Etat Solide feat. Zoey – No Heartbreaks
  • Ba Da Bing
  • K-HAND featuring Rhythm Formation – Rhythm Is Back
  • K-HAND / Claude Young – Everybody / You Give Me
  • Not Giving Up
  • From The "I Fucked All Week" Guy
  • Rodeo / The Tunnel
  • K-HAND feat. Zoey – I Do
  • The Saints Go Marching On
  • Global Warning
  • Everybody
  • K-HAND/Etat Solide – Living For Another
  • Project #1
  • Project #2
  • Project #3
  • Project #4
  • Acid Nation
  • Groove E.P.
  • On A Mission
  • The Project EP
  • The Next Project EP
  • Unreleased Project
  • K-HAND/KMH – Right Now EP
  • Mayday EP
  • K-HAND / Graffiti – Roots / Graffiti's Theme
  • Project 5 EP Untitled
  • Horizon
  • All Over The World
  • Spice EP
  • Flashback EP
  • Sounds
  • Project 69 EP
  • Sweet Love
  • K-HAND/By Kely – The Bomb
  • Do It
  • Pimps & Freaks
  • Good Love
  • Baby All I Want
  • Supernatural
  • K-HAND/Kely – Active X EP
  • Traxx For Daze Vol.1
  • Clap Yo Hands
  • Better Believe
  • Sex On The Dancefloor EP
  • Tools Vol.1
  • K-HAND/Kelli Hand – Afterhour
  • Get Down
  • K-HAND/Kelli Hand – Moody Life EP
  • Messenger aka K-HAND – Wanderer
  • These Sounds Lead The Way EP
  • Feel
  • K-HAND & Kero – Dat Roit EP
  • Red Dog EP
  • K-HAND/Kelli Hand – Silent Answer EP
  • K-HAND & Kero – Content EP
  • Funky Tonight
  • Do it Again
  • Intuition EP
  • Project 6 EP
Compilations
  • 2012: fabric 66– 'K-HAND Starz
  • 2013: fabric 67 – K-HAND Project 5 Untitled B1
  • 2015: Various - Ivan, Come On! Unlock The Box! – K-HAND The Box трип
  • 2016: Various - I Have A Question – K-HAND Sound 6 трип
  • 2017 - Special Edition - K-HAND "007" трип
  • 2020 -Hot Steel - K-HAND ''Aquatics''