Fittingly coming off the tail of @jazz_peasant’s recent interview, I bring you another refreshingly honest convo, this time with Christopher Brown a.k.a. @what_can_brown. Chris brings us yet another unique insight into the art of jazz record collecting. Chris does most of his buying online and has plenty of advice to offer in that … More→
Well folks, based on feedback I have recently received about the Heavyweights of Instagram series, I’ve decided to rename the series simply “Jazz Collectors of Instagram”. The series is intended to provide insight into some of the jazz collectors I follow on IG, not to make an outrageous claim about the “greatest” collectors … More→
It’s rare that I hang on to a record in VG condition, but this record has a couple things working for it: 1. Despite the pops and ticks, it has no groove wear, 2. I got it for (the vintage jazz record collecting equivalent of) a dollar bin price, and 3. The music and performances are both spectacular. Like my copies of Saxophone Colossus… More→
For the next installment of Jazz Collectors of Instagram, I’d like to introduce another veteran collector, @djpari_. Pari approaches the hobby from a similar angle to myself, having his roots in DJing. His collection boasts a long list of hard-to-come-by rarities, including Sonny Clark’s Cool Struttin’, Lee Morgan’s Candy, J.R. Monterose (Blue Note … More→
As with many of these compilations of earlier Blue Note material, there are several different configurations of musicians on each track of this album. But, unlike many of those compilations of 10” and 78 RPM material, this collection of sides contains some of the finest musicians in early bebop. Led by arguably the greatest trombonist… More→
As a jazz lover and record collector, I am very fortunate to live near New York and its dusty record stores, as well as fellow collectors like the namesake of this blog, Mr. Mono himself. If we can’t hunt for LPs together in person, he will sometimes send me pictures of any records I might be interested in from the stores in the city — and… More→
Before stereo sounded the death knell of the mono format in the late 1960s, mono records were made with the intention of being played with a conical stylus measuring one thousandth of an inch, also known as 1 “mil”, at its longest radius. On the other hand, stereo records have always been made … More→
There’s something about the Internet that has a tendency to bring out the worst in people, namely prejudice, close-mindedness, and personal attacks in instances where a simple, respectful debate would do. In light of this and several disheartening exchanges I’ve had with other collectors of late, Deep Groove Mono has decided to remove … More→
It’s been a while since I first discovered this album but I’m pretty sure I first heard it on Spotify back when they had that cool Blue Note app that allowed you to sift through the albums like actual records. This album mesmerized me instantly; the thunderous chorus of horns that introduces the album alerts the listener to the arrival of jazz royalty. More→
My discovery of this album came as a pleasant surprise. A record-dealing friend had recently pulled a mammoth score including a dozen or so cardboard boxes packed with jazz reissues. Sifting through the boxes, the bold lime green of this cover caught my eye as most modern, mid-century cover designs do. I knew nothing about Steve… More→