With this little posting I would just like to inform the planet that as of today I have a new favorite band(name). Thank you.

So O-TON is the original reason I headed to Friedrichshain as opposed to the flea market posted yesterday. This is a relatively new record store in Berlin. Good selection, quality stuff, good prices. I am in Berlin on low budget so did not buy anything but that should not be a measure, they have truly good stuff here of all kinds. I was on the virge of buying a Chicken Struttin of The Meters.

address: Krossener Strasse 18, Berlin.

I was on my to Friedrichshain cause there is supposed to be a good record store around here. It is a very nice neighborhood, one of many. Turned out there is a flea market here every Sunday … with many record booths. Don’t you just love a great flea market with a lot of records? Well this is definitely one of them. A lot of stuff, almost forget how much they like punk here. It has been a while since I’ve seen so many The Exploited and UK Subs records. You will find a little bit of everything though around here at reasonable prices: a lot of jazz, soul, metal, pop, punk, etc. And if it is a sunny day all the more reason to come here for the tons of cafe and restaurants and the nice park to spoil your senses, not to mention the local ‘talent’. Enjoy!

Moving west in Kreuzberg from Longplayer you can somehow curve into the Zossenerstrasse area which still is the Kreuzberg area. In that street is the Space Hall, probably one of the larger record stores I have seen with such a large focus on recent music (both dance, electronic, pop and so on). There is some vintage stuff, but not that much. Also a lot of singles on the walls. There are two stores about 30m apart with a cafe in between (3rd picture on the right). The part of the store not on the picture also has CDs and vinyl upstairs. Ask behind the counter to find out how the vinyl is diviedup between the two stores. Definitely a stop on the way if you are a DJ with a focus on more contemporary muzik. Walk north from Space Hall, cross the big road and find a totally cool vintage radio/stereo store on the left. See the middle picture below. It was unfortunately closed when I passed it.

address: Zossener Strasse 33, Berlin
website: www.space-hall.de

To quote the legend Leonard Cohen: first we take Manhattan then we take Berlin. BTW, Cohen is in Berlin July 2. Since we already did Manhattan, here we are in Berlin. In the South part of Kreuzberg (South/East Berlin) there is a pretty cool street and neighborhood in the Graefestrasse. Nice and cozy cafes and a small recordstore called Longplayer. The store has two rooms. Most of it is Hip Hop, both LPs and 12″ but there is some Rock, Soul, Funk and Jazz as well. Hip Hop is priced correct, not expensive, not cheap and surely people who look for this stuff know that this is the price. I found that the rest is more modestly priced, not too aggressive. For headz/bboys a must stop in Berlin. Peace to Nadim.

address: Graefestrasse 80, Berlin
website: www.long-player.de

Title: Radio Modern Deurne
Location: Expo Hall Deurne
Link out: Click here
Description: As usual dancing lessons to start our show, followed by Cherry Casino and the Gamblers from Germany, The Boppin\’ Benvis Brothers and dj Boss from the Internationals!
Start Time: 20:00
Date: 2009-04-25

Mongo Santamaria: La Bamba, 1965, Columbia
From the days when the US liked Cuba, when the Bugaloo was the dance to do, when afro, cuban, latin, soul, jazz and percussion were being mixed, when white chicas could dress and dance kinda cool … if you want to remeber/feel those days then this record by Mr. Watermelon Man himself is for you.

Other albums in store

Brother Jack McDuff: The Natural Thing, 1970, MCA/Cadet
Its not the first and it wont be the last posting we will put on of Jacky boy. Soulful organ with pounding drums, heavy bass, some jazzy/soulful sax in between and a subtle guitar. That’s the way we like it.

Click here to listen on Amazon

Other albums in store

Tom Scott and the LA Express: Tom Scott and the LA Express, 1973, Ode Records
Tom Scott is the definition of Fusion Sax player. Straight forward fusion with off course the classic Sneakin’ In The Back. I cant help it, I just cant judge a record objectively once there is a great break on it. I love it. Not to mention the great belly of the girl on the cover. yummy.

Other albums in store

Last Poets: Last Poets, 1970
Their self titled debut album is probably their most known. It was never clear whether these guys are the first rappers as some claim. I always saw them more as part of the 70’s black awareness era more than anything else. Their influence on the next generation was probably more political like Malcolm X, than it was musical. But I am pretty sure many might disagree with that argument. Who cares though when you listen to ‘When the revolution comes’ …

Other albums in store