Visit to the record store

[TC Chris]

We had the day off today for the holiday so I was running errands. I dropped the winter commuter bike off at the bike shop for some tune-up, and swung by my office to get some info for my sister, and then stopped at the record shop. It's two blocks from my office, painted orange, next to the pot-supplies shop, and I pass it twice every work day for the last 3 years. Time to visit.

Whoa!! Lots of LPs!! I came with a plan. Our public radio station had a nice online video about the saxophone, using their historical instrument collection and a curator's own as well. It had a nice link to a Sidney Bechet piece and it just filled me with joy, so that was my plan. Bechet and Thelonious Monk. They had (and now I have) Bechet, but the Monk collection was thin. Instead, I picked up a disc of Count Basie playing with Bennie Moten in the early 30s.

On the way out I passed a room with equipment for sale. Whoa!!! again!!! Lots of 60s-80s components, mostly labelled "serviced" with ample prices. They had a Harman-Kardon 430 receiver (I paid $20 for mine with an H-K cassette deck and turntable thrown in) and a Technics SA-5460 just like the one in use in my shop, a trash-pile find. Both were available for $450 each.

The really cool stuff included a Pioneer RT-909 reel tape deck and a Thorens TD-124 turntable. I've never even been in the presence of a TD-124. It was marked down to $1,400. It's nice to dream and to see nice equipment in the flesh. Meanwhile, I've got more equipment than I can deploy in my small house, so the wallet stays in the pocket.

Chris Campbell

[19&41]

I'm partial to Sidney Bechet, and enjoy the Bennie Moten band from around the Count Basie period as well. Keith Nichols and his band in Britian did an album of Bennie Moten's popular numbers, but he had the tempo wrong. I had hoped to hear a higher fidelity recording of his work, as it was.

[walyfd]

How are their album prices?

The day I find "Kinda Blue" at Sally or Goodwill for a buck, I'll plotz...

[TC Chris]

Prices were variable, depending on quality, rarity, etc. The discs I bought were $6.00 and were absolutely pristine, like new.

Chris Campbell

[hermitcrab]

That wasn't by chance Eugene's was it? ....not sure how many record stores are in TC ...but I was there last year when we took the kids to Wolf lodge to lighten our wallets , we originally went downtown to get fish at scallywags but they were closed ... then I saw the record shop... nice place and good prices

[TC Chris]

No, this one is RPM Records, away from downtown and just two blocks from where I work.

http://www.rpmrecords.net/

My office used to be downtown and it was easy to check in on the merchants for things I needed. Now it requires a special trip, and during working hours. I had been avoiding business places as much as possible because of Covid, but now I have it anyway. The good news is that it should add one more level of immunity....

Chris Campbell