Hello Y'all,
My next door neighbor in Hoboken was a radio DJ. He played Latin, Soul, Sweet Soul and that just pre-Disco sound that I can't really pin down a name for. Although we spoke about it a million times we unfortunately never just hung out and listened to music. Our schedules were always at odds. He would get in late from the station or an event and I'd be getting back from a gig or just drunk so we would talk while standing on our steps both of us with the key already in the lock, hand on the door knob and ready to pass out. Sadly I heard he passed away not long after we moved out of Hoboken and up to The Heights. I would occasionally bump into his sons but I had lost contact with them. I got a call two weeks ago from a friend (Johnny Ernst your mild mannered bartender at D.C.'s Tavern) and he said that friends of his had a collection in a local storage unit and wanted to know if I could take a look. They had already decided to just sell everything for a dollar a record but luckily they did think someone should take a look before unloading the collection. I pulled up to the building and saw his sitting on the loading dock. I wanted to cry. This is not how wanted to first go through his collection. The boys were happy to see me and once I put the sadness out of my head I began to concentrate on the collection. And what a collection it is. It is easily a million times better than how he had described it to me over the years. He was just being modest but that is who he was. All those nights talking about music and our collections he would never brag. Usually he would just ask me questions and let me ramble. As we have been going through the collection I learned that he had also DJ'd in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately most of the Latin records were "given" to his brother many years ago. It was one of the only times I saw his temperature rise a bit as he explained to me why he gave the records to his brother in an effort to lessen the amount of space the records were taking up in his families apartment. It was obvious letting those records go upset him. Despite that tragic gap in his collection it still remains one of the most focused collections I have ever seen. I have seen a lot of collections over the years and very few come close to the dedication to a sound like this one does.
The collection is approximately 3500 records that is pretty much split down the middle between LPs and 7-inches. One of the things I always look for when going through records is condition and at least 90% of these are VG+ to NM. Again, very impressive for someone who was a DJ but in many cases he had duplicate copies of records to ensure he always had one in great shape.
This month I will feature records I have pulled from the collection. This will be one of my favorite sets ever and I really look forward sharing it with all the drunks at D.C.'s! As always Bill starts the night out and I will get there around 11PM or so.
- pat.
Primitive Sound System
VINYL RULES!
"Audio Visual Triumphs and Disasters" - http://primitivesoundsystem.blogspot.com
BP - Bill Dolan and Primitive Sound System - Thursday August 5th - 9PM to Closing
D.C.'s Tavern
505 8th Street
Between Jefferson and Madison
BACK IN BACK
Hoboken, New Jersey
PH: 201-792-5550
http://www.dcstavern.com
http://myspace.com/dcstavern
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LP's:
The Modulations - "It's Rough Out Here" (Buddah Records cat. BDS 5638)
Catalyst - Perception (Muse cat. MUSE 5025 (White Label Promo))
Sonny Bravo "The New York Latin Scene with Sonny Bravo" - "You Gotta Turn Me On" (Columbia cat. ES-1921)
The Meters - "Look-Ka-Py-Py" (Josie cat. JOS 4012)
Joe Cuba Sextet - "Recuerdos De Mi Querido Barrio (Memories Of My Beloved Neighborhood) En El Stoop / On The Stoop" (Tico cat. SLP-1226)
45's:
Cross Bronx Expressway - "Help Yourself Brother" b/w "Cross Bronx Expressway" (Zell's Records cat. Z-148)
The Blue Rhythm Combo vocalist Tony Grazette - "Take The Funky Feeling" b/w "Knock On Wood" (Merry Disc cat. M-51)
Brother Soul - "Life Is Like A Maze" b/w "Feeling Funky" (Elmoor cat. ES 103)
Sonny Crosby - "Smelly Feet" b/w "I'm In Love With Your Love" (Chimneyville cat. 10217)
Gary Byrd - "Soul Travelin' Pt. I & II" (RCA cat. AP BO - 004)
Thunder & Lighting - "Bumpin' Bus Stop" b/w "Bumpin' Bus Stop (Part 2)" (Private Stock Records cat. PSR 45,010)
Kellee Patterson - "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby" b/w "You Are So Beautiful" (Shady Brook cat. 45-021)
Banbarra - "Shack Up" b/w Shack Up, Part II" (United Artists Records cat. UA-XW734-Y)
The Harvey Averne Barrio Band - "Para Ti" b/w "Cucaraca" (Heavy Duty Records cat. HD1)
Gilberto Sextet - "Yes I Will (Part 1)" b/w "Agapito" (Tico cat. T-554)
Joey Bataan - "I'm No Stranger" b/w "Ordinary Guy" (Fania cat. 737)
Fajardo - "Ahi Na' Ma" b/w "C'mon Baby, Do The Latin Hustle" (Coco Records cat. CFF5053)
Mandrill - "Armadillo" b/w "The Road To Love" (Polydor cat. PD 14257)
Weldon Irvine - "Jungle Juice" b/w "Yasmin" (RCA cat. PB-10368)
George "Bad" Benson - "My Latin Brother" b/w "Supership" (CTI Records cat. OJ-25 F)
Jose Feliciano - "Hard Times In El Barrio (Closing Theme from "Chico And The Man") (from the "And The Feeling Is Good" album) b/w "Chico And The Man" (Main Theme) (from the "And The Feeling Is Good" album) (RCA cat. PB - 10145)
Cynthia Richards - "Jungle Fever" b/w "Clean Up Woman" (Treasure Isle cat. DR226)
Russel & The Checkmates - "Groove Me" b/w "Love Me Or Leave Me" (Merry Disc cat. REC4528)
Ultrafunk - featuring Mr. Superbad Freddie Mack - "Kung Fu Man" Vocal b/w Instrumental (Contempo cat. 7701)
The Village Choir - "The Switch" b/w "Talk To Me Sometimes" (SCM Records cat. SCM-1000)
The Bad Boys - "Love" b/w "Black Olives" (Paula Records cat. 254)
Honey Ltd. - "Louie, Louie (With Intro By Lee Hazelwood)" b/w "Louie, Louie (Without Intro By Lee Hazelwood)" (LHI Records cat. 45-1216)
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