DaM FunK
Damon “DāM-FunK” and I go way back. In 2008, captivated by the rawness of Rhythm Trax Vol. 4 (and “Burgundy City,” the single that followed) I was determined to know more about this emerging, seemingly elusive artist. The swells, the swing and the synth of his sound drew close to the touchstones of soulful dance music. Yet, Dam’s drum programming, arrangements and tempos had a musical intellect that felt distinctly unique.
Kornelia Binicewicz
On an island near Istanbul, reachable only by ferry, lives a very special storyteller. She is a record collector, an anthropologist, a curator. What might read like the premise for a modern fairytale is, in fact, the story of Kornelia Binicewicz—the woman behind Ladies on Records. Through this project, her DJing, and her curated compilations, Kornelia tells us about the women both at the forefront and in the shadows of the male-led music industry. This is no ordinary record collector—this is
Paola Puente
If Paola Puente’s records, portable turntables, vintage toys and ephemera were housed in a museum, it would be enough to make The Smithsonian envious. The fact that one individual has single-handedly amassed such a meticulously curated collection is extraordinary.
John Armstrong
Listening to John Armstrong’s stories in his room with open cupboards full of vinyl records and books, I found to be very inspiring. Mahogany-colored shelves stretched from wall to wall. There were two other rooms crowded with vinyl in his New-Victorian house, most of them in boxes which he “still needs to unwrap.” I knew immediately that this interview would travel into deep and wide landscapes. John Armstrong started DJing in the 1970s while working as a lawyer at a Jewish law firm in
Carter Van Pelt
Carter Van Pelt had an inauspicious beginning for a reggae DJ, event producer, and historian. Born and raised in Nebraska, Van Pelt grew up surrounded by the sounds of John Denver, the Eagles, Simon & Garfunkel, and Bread—music beloved by his ever-encouraging, artistic mother. Although he had an ear for soft rock, Carter’s musical passion was grounded in something Nebraska knew little about–reggae. He found the genre as many would in the ‘70s and ‘80s, through Bob Marley and The W
Adam Mansbach
A transplant to the Bay Area in the mid-2000s, Adam Mansbach got his early musical education as a kid in the Boston area, obsessed with hip-hop. Like many of us caught up in hip-hop’s tidal surge across the U.S. in the 1980s, Adam was inspired to MC and DJ but he also found a calling to infuse his energies into writing as a journalist and novelist. While still a college student in the mid-90s, he started the hip-hop journal/magazine, Elementary, before launching himself as an author. Best know
Rafa Jazz
São Paulo’s Rafa Jazz has become a ubiquitous force on the capital city’s scene in recent years. As a shop owner, label boss, radio personality, heavy-weight vinyl junkie, and purveyor of some of the creamiest sounds in town, what drew her to the world of wax began as a way to procure the jazz music she loved in an affordable format.
Michael Kurtz
Now firmly established as an important part of the music retail ecosystem, Record Store Day was launched in 2008 as a celebration of the independent record store, as well as a means to boost consumer awareness of the mom-and-pop retailers that were still stocking new vinyl releases even as big music chains like Tower Records were going under. Initially conceived as an annual US event (but now expanded to a twice-yearly international one), RSD introduces hundreds of new limited-edition vinyl reis
Kassin
If you spot Alexandre Kassin in Rio de Janeiro’s Botafogo neighborhood, you'd be forgiven for thinking he might work at a tech startup around the corner. There is little about his demeanor or outward appearance to indicate that he is one of the most prolific and accomplished musicians, composers, producers, and arrangers in the contemporary Brazilian music scene. Despite his impressive body of work, filled with legendary names like Caetano, Elza, and Jorge Ben, Kassin prefers to stay far from
Mary G
Born and based in São Paulo, Brazil, Mariana Mendes Guarnieri—known as Mary G—has become a staple of the Brazilian house scene. It took years to break into the mainstream, but now she plays the biggest stages alongside artists who once filled her parents’ modest record collection. At the Coala Festival, she opened for the father of so many generations, Gilberto Gil, and at Blue Note São Paulo, she set the stage for the legendary “wizard” Hermeto Pascoal.
