The hunt for the sound will occur where only an hour break would be allotted (If you work retail then you know) where searching for sound plus eating a meal would definitely exceed an hour. On this day it was either eating Milu or finding some familiar and or unfamiliar jazz records. 

 

Working in the Flat Iron District in NYC for over the past few months, I have been given more reason to dig in person. There are at least 6 record shops within walking distance from the Todd Snyder shop, so I chose one for the mood of the day. Accompanied by my good friend and photographer Christina Holmes, I mapped out my lunch break and marched to the Jazz Record Center located at 236 W. 26th st. Suite #804 with an hour to spare.

 

There is something about the earlier record shops in comparison to the newer shops that give a more holistic approach to its service. The duplicity of mediums being showcased in each isle. For example most of the new record shops usually just offer merchandise, DJ equipment and vinyl as opposed to the veteran shops that display selections of CDs, Equipment, VHS, Cassettes and Books that are all for  sale. There is no preference of one over the other but when you stumble across a shop that still holds on to these mediums for sale it is something to note. Also, I never really search for anything other than vinyl and books but please due note that the additional selections tell a story. It brings you into the full experience as to what kind of shop the Record Shop you are entering. Jazz Record Center has been in business for over 30 years and it shows that it has major stake in the game…

 

 

 

[ Full texts & episode live at Ode To Vinyl … Link Here ] 

Photographs by Christina Holmes. Writing by David Andrew.

Featuring – The Jazz Record Center 236 W 26th Street #804, New York,  NY 10001. +1-212-675-4480.

WB www.jazzrecordcenter.com   IG @jazz_record_center

Academy Record & CD’s, not to be confused with Academy Records on E.12th is located at 12 W.18th st. is a clutch record shop that has been serving the community since 1995 (1977 as a book shop). As of late, I have been incorporating more Disco and Salsa into my sets. I took the liberty on a rainy day to skip on lunch and run to Academy for search of some Disco heat.

 

Already scoring a House Record from Discogs earlier in the day, I tapped Christina who is always down to capture me on my excursions to roll with me for an hour to Academy. With no hesitation we booked it over to W. 18th st. in 12 minutes allowing me 48 minutes to find something worth wild. Record Labels like Sal Soul, SAM, Buddah, De-Lite and West-End all have the heat.

 

I mean yes of course you have RCA and Polydor but when digging I can almost blindly pick any record from SAM and West-End and know it will be straight fire!!! Trust me! There have been moments where I would pick a record for the night not knowing what It would sound like until the Ortofon hits the record when cuing. Luckily enough I was able to score my 2 records within the first two piles at Academy. Both records were from one of my favorite Disco Funk Bands, Skyy (The Self titled record and the Skyyport Record) under the Sal Soul record label … 

 

 

 

[ Full texts & episode live at Ode To Vinyl … Link Here ] 

Photographs by Christina Holmes. Writing by David Andrew.

Featuring – Academy Records & CD's. 12 W 18th Street, New York, NY 10011. +1-212-242-3000.

WB www.academy-records.com   IG @academylpcd

It is such an honor to feature in my opinion, one of the best record shops in NYC. I won’t lie and say that I knew of this place for decades ; because I didn’t. Honestly, I only found out about Rock and Soul 7 months ago. If it wasn’t for Tre (My brother from another and Ode to Vinyl counterpart) returning from one of his vinyl excursions with a rare Kanye Yeezus LP on wax, I may have never known of Rock and Soul.

 

I would hassle Tre for the majority of the day, asking him how much or where can I obtain the Yeezy record. It wasn’t until the end of the day where he couldn’t bare another question that he let me in on the secret, “bro, they may have it at Rock and Soul”. Rock and Soul? “what and where is that?” his response was like any one who didn’t want to give away such a classic gem ; he told me to “Google it!”. Which I did and to my surprise Rock and Soul was only 15 minutes away from the shop (Todd Snyder Madison Square Park).

 

I called in advance to make sure they had a copy of the Yeezus album (which they happily put the last one on hold for me) and booked it (the New York way of saying to run really fast) with no time to spare. Located in the heart of NYC on 37th St., Rock and Soul has been serving records and equipment to NYC from since 1975. Legends have walked through the doors of Rock and Soul from all over the globe. But the legends that I’m referring to strictly are from New York, e.g. Kook Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Tony Touch, Dj Red Alert etc …

 

 

 

[ Full texts & episode live at Ode To Vinyl … Link Here ] 

Photographs by Christina Holmes. Writing by David Andrew.

Featuring – Rock & Soul DJ Equipment and Records. 10 W 37th Street, New York, NY 10018. +1-212-273-9630.

WB www.rockandsoul.com   IG @djrockandsoul

When visiting one of the most coveted record shops in NYC and for many the world, you have to make a day out of it, or an evening. I would normally do these kind of record excursions during my lunch break but when visiting A-1 records, you have to commit to the process of digging. A-1 Record Shop located at 439 E. 6th St. Ny, Ny is coined “the best record shop in the world” by many, has opened its doors for business since 1996 by the legendary record dealer Isaac Kosman who gave up his life as a flea market merchant to showcase and sell his 1960’s – 1990’s collection of records. Located in the Lower East Side, many legends have made their mark at A-1.

 

For me, the LES is foundation for everything Street Art (Skate, Clothing, Graffiti, Music and Film). Being from Brooklyn and going to school in the LES from Elementary School all the way to High School, I had the opportunity to see the counter culture become popularized. Being able to go to the Hamilton Fish Pool or play basket ball and summer youth programs in Henry St. Park to later hanging out by the “Blue Courts” to play basketball or hanging out in Smith Project’s community gym during or after school now looking back at it, was a blessing. The L.E.S. is a melting pot of culture and because of it has left me thinking without fewer boundaries. For a sneaker head also, the L.E.S. has always had gems (Alife, Bobbito’s Work Shop, Daves Quality Meats, Jimmy Jazz on Delancey etc.). For me, it wasn’t a surprise that years later my good friend Matteo of Stay The Course Records would take me on one of my first record excursion outside of Fat Beats to dig for some records.

 

9 years ago, I was new to record digging and had no idea of where to go for anything vinyl. But, I knew Matteo had the heat because he himself was a record dealer and collector who had an acute ear for sound (I mean he produced some of the best beats I’ve been blessed to write and sketch vocals over). His response to my request of looking for a legit record shop was “ah man that’s easy, A-1 since Day One”. We trekked all the way from Brooklyn one cold morning at 9am to be the first ones at the shop only to find out that day they were closed. I made it a mission after that simple miss in scheduling to always check out if A-1 was open when in the area …

 

 

[ Full texts & episode live at Ode To Vinyl … Link Here ] 

Photographs by Christina Holmes. Writing by David Andrew.

Featuring – A-1 Record Shop. 439 E 6th Street, New York, NY 10009. +1-212-483-2780.

IG @a1recordshop

The Academy Rerecord Shop in the L.E.S. not to be mistaken with the larger Green Point location has been my go-to spot for years. It was the same day I went with Matteo from Stay The Course Records to check out A-1 to find out it was closed that I would find myself spending $150 on records for the first time at Academy. I knew immediately what Academy possessed; Gold. 

 

As a Jazz Junky during my earlier stages of digging, running to Academy for new sounds was like finding pieces of gold nuggets. I remember the feeling of wanting to spend every penny I earned in that place, but I had to refrain. The place is so well curated, and the staff is so helpful and knowledgable that you are pressured to buy something. Let me clarify, the staff isn’t pressuring you to buy but it’s rather an internal battle of need and want. A dilemma that I usually find myself in when deciding to buy anything. 

 

For example, the Academy tote bag in its own right is a silent flex. It was something I wanted and wouldn’t justify getting only if it was offered for free. I mean I spend so much on records already, that to pay an extra dollar on a bag, I would rather purchase another record; right? I at times see an individual walking through the streets with that tote bag and know they have great musical taste; hopefully …

 

 

 

[ Full texts & episode live at Ode To Vinyl … Link Here ] 

Photographs by Christina Holmes. Writing by David Andrew.

Featuring – Academy Records.. 415 E 12th Street, New York, NY 10009. +1-212-780-9166.

WB www.academy-lps.com   IG @academyrecords