We were dropping off my daughter at a birthday party today downtown Raleigh. My wife suggests we stop in to that new record store I told her about. (Wha? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?? Nevermind I don't want to know.) I said sure dear, that sounds fine. It was only one block from where we were.
In The Groove Records is a real hole in the wall, he has a room in an artist colony building, each with their tiny little cubby room. One bin out of about 20 bins was jazz, but it was all good, and a wide selection. The hole was jam crowded with 2 other couples in there. There were some real tasty treats in the jazz bin, like "Mulligan plays Mulligan" for $40, some nice old Basie sides too, some Freddie, a VSOP, a nice Dizzy record. Under the jazz bin there were some slide out drawers for of classical stuff, and more in cubbies on the floor, more classical I think. Obviously I'll have to go back. Lots of rock bins by alphabetical. NCers looking for vinyl will enjoy this place. On Glenwood, one door north of Hillsborough.
I sold my copy of Jonah Jones 'Jumpin with Jonah' 25 years ago to raise cash. So I was thrilled to find it and 2 other Jonah Jones all $3 ea. They have seen plenty of action with scratches on the edges from sliding around without the covers, but they cleaned up nice and sound great. It is awesome to hear Jumpin again. Night Train was a huge hit. My father partied to this record in early teens, early 50s. Jonah Jones was a swing trumpet player, but could blow the socks off some of the bop players.
Also grabbed Lennie Neihaus "Vol 3, The Octet #2" with Shelley Manne, Bill Holman (playing tenor!) Stu Williamson, Jimmy Guiffre, Monte Budwig. It sounds nice and is in perfect shape. $20. John Wilson, NYT jazz columnist, wrote the liner notes. It is very cool to hear Niehaus and Holman playing lines together, two of Stan Kenton's best arrangers, and a master arranger with the perfect band.