Alexandra Henry

I first met Alexandra about two years ago at Tropicalia in Furs, a record store where she was hanging out, flipping through crates, and listening to albums. I asked if she collected records, and she humbly replied, “Kind of…I have a tiny collection. I don’t think I could stand out among the great collectors you’ve profiled already.” I reassured her–size doesn’t matter when it comes to a great collection! She laughed and agreed.

Fast forward two years, and we finally made time for a photoshoot. Her collection hadn’t grown much, but her connection to each record had somehow deepened. We talked about her records for nearly 4 hours, proving once again that it’s not about how many you own but how much they mean to you. So here’s the story of Alexandra and her tiny but remarkable record collection.

Jorge Ben – Samba Esquema Novo, Fôrça Bruta. “I was mesmerized by Jorge’s voice without even understanding the lyrics; my Portuguese was still basic. But I felt it.” 

“I’m a romantic, and music has always been my love affair.”

Who are you?

My name is Alexandra May Henry. Although I have recently been living in São Paulo, Brazil, for six months, I am now back in New York. Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, I spent my teenage years in the Southwest near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Since then, I’ve lived all over the world, but four years ago, I made the East Village my home after moving from Los Angeles. As you can probably tell, traveling is a huge part of my life.

What was your first album? How did you get it? At what age? Can you describe that feeling? Do you still have it?

My first album was the Self-titled Monkees record. It was from my dad’s collection, as I suppose is the case for many collectors. Not only was it my first album, but it also led to my first crush, Davy Jones. I vividly remember staring at the cover as a little girl, imagining a love story between us. I’m a romantic, and music has always been my love affair.

The New Stan Getz Quartet – Getz Au Go Go. “My dad has a great eye… He can spy anything of monetary or sentimental value from a mile away. We’re not talking just records. Cars, antiques, and junk galore can be found around his garage, house, or yard. Getz Au Go Go, with Astrid Gilberto, was a landfill find for me.”

What prompted you to start collecting? What age did you start? Was there a specific event in your life, an era, that signifies your transition from a music lover to a collector?

Collecting vinyl, amongst other obscurities, is in Henry blood. My grandfather collected jazz, samba, bossa nova, and classical records, taking very good care of each one. My uncle, who scours flea markets all over the country, collects primarily Brazilian music but appreciates soul & funk. I vividly remember discovering Curtis Mayfield when I was 12 because of him. My songbird dad is also a vinyl enthusiast and loves a good beat. 

Throughout childhood, he used to wake up my siblings and me by blasting James Brown, The Rolling Stones, or The B-52’s on weekend mornings. He still does it when I am home visiting. My dad is a goof, which is why he can get down to anyone, from Tommy James & the Shondells to Gato Barbieri to Snoop Dog!  He has spurred my curiosity for music from a very young age. When I was 16 years old, I started collecting vinyl. I left New Mexico for boarding school in Virginia, and to make my dorm room feel more like home, I bought albums from thrift stores and record shops in Washington, D.C. I didn’t have a record player at school,l but surrounding myself with records reminded me of home.

“Let’s face it, quality over quantity. I am not aiming to have a certain number of albums, and I am not a producer looking for samples. I just want great music to enjoy.”

“Seal of good taste! That was a sticker from my Grandparents, B.F. (Benjamin Franklin) and Katie Henry, made to mark their records and precious books. My grandfather was a master collector of jazz. This was one of his favorites, and I am honored to have it in my collection now until one day when it goes to my kids.”

Alexandra carefully placing a record—never touch the grooves!

What was your Initial interest in music? Did you have any influence from your family? Or perhaps your best friend?

As I mentioned, my dad’s taste, though questionable at times, opened my eyes to what music was. Music was key for every car ride with my parents, whether weekend countryside trips, beach trips, or even cross-country excursions to New Mexico. Their favorites were Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours,  Bob Marley’s Exodus, Paul Simon’s Graceland, Van Morrison’s Moondance, Doobie Brothers, The Allman Brothers Band, Mary Chapin Carpenter, CCR, Santana, Tracy Chapman, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, Sade and many more. 

Thanks to my dad, who taught me how both arts are intrinsically connected, film also played a major part in developing my musical taste. One particular film that shaped my vision of the world was the French/Brazilian movie ‘Black Orpheus’ (Winner of the Cannes Palme D’Or in 1959 & Best Foreign Film Oscar in 1960). The score by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfa can be blamed for igniting my obsession with Brazilian music. Possibly the most bizarre musician my dad introduced me to as a kid was Tom Zé. 

At first, I had no appreciation for his music; I just didn’t get it. I was too young to understand the importance of the Tropicalia movement. I was concerned at my dad’s taste for this. However, in the early 90s, David Byrne had just discovered Tom Zé and released music on the Luaka Bop label (I would connect the dots later on). Little did I know what a huge influence Tom Zé would have on my musical journey and life, for that matter. How ironic that I ended up living in the same São Paulo neighborhood as him 20 years later? 

Let’s face it, quality over quantity. I am not aiming to have a certain number of albums, and I am not a producer looking for samples. I just want great music to enjoy.

“I choose vinyl for the simple pleasure of laying on the sofa listening to my favorite songs. I am forced to relax and enjoy side A, then get up and flip over to side B.”

Antonio Carlos Jobin And Luis Bonfa – The Original Sound Track Of The Movie Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro). “Two covers of the Black Orpheus soundtrack album. One of my all-time favorites.”

Why vinyl?

I choose vinyl for the simple pleasure of laying on the sofa listening to my favorite songs. I am forced to relax and enjoy side A, then get up and flip over to side B. There’s no mindless clicking through tracks, no skipping around until I find something I might like – just the music unfolding as it was meant to be heard. Vinyl demands a sort of mindfulness that aligns with this Buddhist affirmation I often repeat: be here now. Hearing the needle make contact with the record and knowing each crackle & pop are nuances that make every album in my collection distinctly mine. Digitally enhanced music often feels sterile, but vinyl holds a certain magic. 

I enjoy the ritual of playing records for friends and experiencing their reactions rather than sending them a link to a song over the internet. In general, I’m drawn to old things because, with them, stories survive. Some of my most treasured records once belonged to my grandfather and my dad, and listening to them feels like keeping a piece of them close.

Every vinyl room needs the perfect couch for lounging.

You have a pretty small collection, but still, we managed to talk about it for 4 hours. Any insights on that?

My collection is laughable compared to the powerhouse collectors featured on the Dust & Grooves site. We found some gems in my apartment that are well-curated for someone who loves Brazilian, Latin, African & American music. The petite collection is like an eclectic tasting menu of exciting portions that leave you wanting more! Some are typical great dishes like Otis Redding… comfort food, so to speak. Then you bite into the Brazilian Leci Brandão and perhaps can’t identify the taste immediately, yet you know you’ve just discovered something sensual and delicious. And while being adventurous, you might try the exotic Afrobeat to be succumbed by deep bass and sexy saxophone, blowing your mind way before Fela Kuti even starts singing! 

The variety within my petite collection offers an immersive way to experience music while uncovering its history. I will always emphasize quality over quantity. I don’t aim for a certain number of albums, nor am I a producer scouring for samples. I just want great music to enjoy, which I hope other collectors relate to!

So what is it with guys with mustaches?

I never noticed that I have an abundant amount of records of guys adorned in mustaches. But it’s true. Mustaches are cool and manly. My dad and uncle have had mustaches throughout my life. Strangely, I don’t know what they’d look like without one!

Bobby Valentín – Siempre En Forma. They don’t make covers like this anymore.

Tim Maia – O Melhor De Tim Maia, Pete Conde – Este Negro Si Es Sabroso. “Since discovering him while living in London in 2003-04, he has played a pivotal role in my life.”

Teddy Pendergrass – Life is a Song Worth Singing, Heaven Only Knows, It’s Time for Love. “I inherited this collection from an anonymous neighbor in my apartment building who just threw them out into the hallway! One man’s junk is another’s treasure – something else I learned from my dad.”

“In the past decade, I’ve seen more women than ever digging for records, building their collections, and DJing globally… giving guys a run for their money.”

Why do you think the vinyl world is dominated by men?

It is a big, loaded question with an impossible, correct answer. I can easily say it is in man’s nature to collect and show things. Be it records, electronic gadgets, comic books, sneakers, t-shirts, baseball cards, women, etc. But if we look at how the vinyl world took shape, I think it might explain why guys have ruled. 

Previously, radio was the medium that brought music to the masses via male DJs playing vinyl records and discussing what was hot on air. Most of the music being played was made by guys. It’s still quite rare to hear a woman anchoring a radio program during the peak hours of listenership. 

Even my favorite radio station, KCRW in Los Angeles, which is super progressive and influential, has only two female DJ-led programs amongst 19 male-led shows! Those women, Liza Richardson and Anne Litt, are collectors and DJs I’ve admired for over a decade. They have paved the way for women’s perspectives in music to be taken more seriously. 

In 2005, I had my own experience of being hired as an on-air DJ, and I had to prove myself simply because I was a woman. The job started on a trial because the station owner was convinced that no one liked the sound of female voices on air. They said the station finally sounded professional, as if it were broadcasting from Albuquerque—a huge compliment, given that it’s the largest city in the state. 

Though I didn’t stay long due to low pay, I’d like to think I set a good example as a woman who is well-versed in music and isn’t afraid to share her knowledge with a larger audience. In the past decade, I’ve seen more women than ever digging for records, building their collections, and DJing globally… giving guys a run for their money.

Alexandra swapping LPs before dropping the needle over a mountain of all sorts of physical media.

“I love the adventure that comes with searching for a record. It’s infinitely more rewarding when you set out on a mission and accomplish it.”

In a world of endless musical sources, streaming music, MP3s, Serato, and other digital substances, do you sometimes stop and ask yourself, “What for?”

Yes, sometimes, but nothing sounds as authentically good as music published initially on vinyl. I have a lot of downloaded music from older artists that I prefer hearing on vinyl. I sometimes use digital technology as a musical notebook to remind me of the records I am hunting down. 

I love the adventure that comes with searching for a record. It’s infinitely more rewarding when you set out on a mission and accomplish it. In New York City, using your local record shop as a musical source and interacting with real people face-to-face is easy. Vinyl is also tangible, not some link to a song. This sentimental difference can parallel receiving a letter or postcard in the mail rather than an email or text.

Secos & Molhados – A Volta De Secos & Molhados. “Secos e Molhados was a very popular Brazilian band from the 1970s, introduced to me by Joel Stones, owner of Tropicalia In Furs record shop in NYC. He gifted it to me after one of his many trips home to Brazil.”

Secos e Molhados – A Volta De Secos & Molhados. “Listening to Rosa de Hiroshima. Don’t be fooled when you hear it for the first time…Spoiler Alert: It’s a man singing. Ney Matogrosso of Secos e Molhados in his angelic falsetto.”

What do you look for in a record?

Some covers catch my eye because their colors, often rich earthy tones, resonate with the naturally emerging palette in my photography. You’d probably notice a similar color aesthetic in my apartment – greens, blues, corals, and yellows. As for the music itself, whether I know the record or not, it must either ignite a daydream in me or transport me elsewhere. I want it to stir something in me, to tickle my soul to some degree. A record’s ability to accomplish that will depend on my mood.

Leci Brandão – Questão De Gosto. “A beautiful voice from Rio de Janeiro. I discovered her while watching a documentary in Brazil about Cartola, a famous musician from Rio who was a pioneer in Samba music.”

“Contents of my Fania vinyl care package! Jack Costanzo & Gerrie Woo, Latin Percussion With Soul, Orlando Marin Que Chevere, Johnny Colon Boogaloo ’67, Joe Bataan Singin Some Soul, The Lebron Brothers Orchestra The Brooklyn Bums, Joey Pastrana Hot Pastrana, Markolino Dimond con Frankie Dante Beethoven’s V, Tito Ramos Where My Head Is At.”

Can you name one of your favorite records?

The Black Orpheus soundtrack belonged to my grandfather. As I said, it shaped me as a music lover – Jorge Ben, Samba Esquema Novo. It’s how I first heard it: Brazil, 23 years old, drifting into an afternoon nap in Curitiba. My Brazilian friend, whom I’d met whilst living in London, put it on the record player. I was mesmerized by Jorge’s voice without even understanding the lyrics; my Portuguese was still rudimentary. But I felt it. 

Do you have a record-collecting philosophy or routine when you enter a store?

I usually check out the names of the sections before touching anything. I am, however, a sucker for Brazilian and Latin music. If I know exactly what I’m looking for, I will dig for it before asking the shop owner or clerk if they have it. I also keep my ears peeled for the songs playing in the store.

Gal Costa – Self-titled. You can never go wrong with some early Gal.

What’s your comfort album—the one you can always return to?

Acabou Chorare by the Brazilian band Os Novos Baianos has been my go-to album for a year or so. It’s a fantastically arranged record that takes you on one of those daydream journeys I mentioned before. The band was from Bahia and had multiple male and female singers, so every song sounds different. 

Some make you want to dance to the infallible Brazilian rhythm, others make you cry when hearing the raw acoustic guitar, and then there are those with the kind of electric guitar breaks that make you ponder the meaning of life. All you need to comfort fleeting emotions.

Os Novo Baianos – Acabou Chorare. “Comfort album. Crowd pleaser. All my friends who’ve never heard of them became instant fans.”

Did you have any covers that scared you as a child?

Ennio Morricone’s The Good, The Bad & The Ugly soundtrack had a scary cover with Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach looking mean and evil on the front. But what freaked us out more was the actual theme song with the haunting ‘huh ha’ chants in the background!

Is there a specific musical instrument that attracts you when listening to music?

Yes, sure. The cuíca in samba music and MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira). The horns section in salsa. I love the saxophone in jazz or African funk. I also think the piano sounds beautiful on vinyl.

Various – Tropicália Ou Panis Et Circencis. A 1968 compilation of Latin rock tracks including legends Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa.

What about digging buddies? Do you share, or do you go solo?

I usually fly solo as I like to discover things on my own… I feel bad for dragging friends to long queues in record shops and flea markets. I wouldn’t want to be roped into something boring for me, either! If you aren’t digging alone, then it’s wise to surround yourself with people you can learn from who enjoy the process as much as you do. I like digging with my collector friend Lidia from Barcelona, who has an excellent taste for 60s soul and Italian music, alongside my other collector gal, Alina, who turned me on to Serge Gainsbourg. We all lived in London together almost ten years ago, and it was a magical music exchange!

Otis Redding – History Of Otis Redding. A necessity for any soul sympathizer.

Arthur Verocai – Self-titled. “Arthur Verocai, a Brazilian composer. This is the only record I have sought & bought online. Impatience got the best of me. I couldn’t wait until I came across it while digging. It’s a re-issue by Ubiquity Records. Soothing, spacey, & melancholic tunes to relax on a Sunday afternoon.”

Tell me a particularly sad record story!

I have to say, I’ve been pretty lucky. The saddest story I know of is when my friend lost thousands of records to a fire in Los Angeles. I wouldn’t know how to cope and probably would never collect again if I had to go through that. Most recently, the saddest thing that’s happened to me was after purchasing Caetano Veloso’s Araçá Azul in Brazil last fall at a record fair, it started to rain, a typical thing in São Paulo, and the cover got wet then molded, so I had to get rid of it. The record is ok, but I lost the super sexy crotch shot of Caetano reflecting from a mirror while standing on the beach. 

Who has the toughest record collection that you have ever seen or would like to see?

The journalist and veteran music director/DJ from KCRW in Los Angeles, Tom Schnabel, has an encyclopedic knowledge of Brazilian, African, Latin, and all international music. He still has a show called ‘Cafe L.A.’ on air. I would love to see a feature on him. 

I would like to know what Patti Smith still has in her record collection. I’ve admired her since I was a teenager, not just for her music but for the life she’s chosen to live as an artist. I’d like to see the records she and Robert Mapplethorpe used to listen to while living in NYC.  And last but not least, for the mere eye candy alone, I wouldn’t mind meeting Benicio del Toro again and getting a private preview of his stash. I am sure he’s a rock’n roll type of guy, but being from Puerto Rico, he has to sprinkle some funky Latin music in his collection.

Juan Luis Trío – Que Bonito Es Puerto Rico. “Juan Luis is clearly a big fan of Puerto Rico, like me. I picked this album up in a pawn shop in Old San Juan. When the owner told me Benicio Del Toro had just been in the day before with his mom looking at records, I nearly died. I love Benicio!!”

Tell me about a record you still regret not picking up.

Tim Maia’s Racional. It’s a rare and expensive album that I came across a few times while in São Paulo. I should have just bought it. I know it would make my petite collection that much more special. Since discovering him while living in London in 2003-04, he has played a pivotal role in my life, so I hope I get the chance to catch the big fish once again.

Tell me about a record that has healed heartbreaks!

Roberta Flack’s First Take had some healing powers. There are songs with attitude like “Compared to What,” which is a good confidence rebuilder. But there are also songs for the bleeding heart, like “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face.” I also love Sade. So poised and so calm. Her album Promise has helped ease break-ups.

Roberta Flack – First Take. “This cover is interesting as it shows her seated at the piano, reminding us she is a fantastic songstress and a talented musician.”

Sade – Promise. “Sade. Her simple, gorgeous look is made by defined eyebrows, minimal make-up, deep red lips & a great pair of hoops, yet there is nothing simple about that voice! Not to mention, her band was the coolest. Sade will forever be my style icon and an artist I will always return to for inspiration. That’s a promise.”

As you’ve just discovered, my collection is not grandiose but filled with music that I cherish. Discovering or rediscovering a song can take you on incredible journeys, whether to far-off countries or your local record shop, where you meet special people that you never imagined existed. 

Building a record collection is a delicate process filled with delightful adventures and a way to express yourself and experience life uniquely in your own fashion. And remember, music is always best shared! I hope more and more people start collecting records to help preserve music culture and to enrich their lives. I know that my records will be handed down to my children and then hopefully to my grandkids one day. Thanks to Eilon at Dust & Grooves for bringing my records and their stories to life!

Alexandra Henry is a filmmaker, photographer, and ardent lover of Brazilian, Latin, African, and American music. Most of the time, you’ll find Alexandra behind the camera. She directed the 2021 film Street Heroines and produced Cantera 5v5, a 5-part docuseries. In 2024, she took home 4 Telly awards for her short film “Moving Together.”

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Interview edited by Sam Cohen

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Groove on,
Eilon Paz and the Dust & Grooves team