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Browsing the Immigrant Record Stores
While big music chains like Tower Records are facing bankruptcy, New York's small neighborhood record shops are thriving. They range from a West African music shop in Harlem to a Brighton Beach store that sells Russian rap. Journalist Siddhartha Mitter has combed the stacks of some of these shops and joins us today with a guided tour. Also: Alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett's new album, "Beyond the Wall," is a tribute to Chinese culture inspired by his recent trip to that country. It also builds on the Asian-jazz fusion that artists like John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders pursued for the Impulse label in the '60s. He joins us with a preview. Finally: For the past 10 or so years, artists and record companies have been increasing the overall loudness of pop and rock albums, using ever increasing degrees of compression during mastering. Austin American-Statesman music critic Joe Gross tells us why.
Small Record Shops 101
Journalist Siddhartha Mitter takes us on a tour of some of New York's offbeat and ethnic record shops.
Shops discussed:
RBC Video
269 Brighton Beach Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11235
718-769-8605
RBC Video's Web site
Music from: Russia
Ivoire Records
1968 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
New York, NY 10026
917-493-0580
Music from: Ivory Coast, Congo, other West Africa
Kenny Garrett
Alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett shares music from his new album, "Beyond the Wall."
Kenny Garrett's Web site
Behind the Loudness Wars
Austin American-Statesman music critic Joe Gross explains why new rock and pop CDs are so darn loud.
Everything Louder Than Everything Else by Joe Gross (Scroll down to read)
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