Good places to shop in NYC

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Toon Town Dave
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Good places to shop in NYC

#1 Post by Toon Town Dave » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:14 pm

So I'm going to be in NYC for a few days before Beantown, playing tourist (my first time there). Any of you New Yorkers or frequent visitors have any suggestions for places to go shopping for swing music?

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kbuxton
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#2 Post by kbuxton » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:23 pm

I had good luck at J&R's music world when I was there. Big Jazz section upstairs.

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#3 Post by Shorty Dave » Sat Jun 26, 2004 5:23 pm

Hey Dave! I think I can answer this one :)

I've found a lot of treasures at great prices at Academy Records, on 18th bet 5th and 6th. Also, what I love about it is if you bring your own discman, you can listen to the used cds (and listen while you're still looking; it's not like you have to walk to grab a bunch of cds and walk to the corner where the listening stations are)

My other favorite is Jazz Record Center, 236 W 26th St, #804 (www.jazzrecordcenter.com). You need to buzz to get in. It's all jazz; tons of LPs and CDs. It's a Mom and Pop shop, and the owner knows everything about jazz. The cool thing about it is that all their cds are only $10, whether it's new or used. And you can also bring your discman here and listen while you look.

St Mark's Place (8th St bet 2nd and 3rd Ave) has a few used cd stores that are all ok, but the best store in that area is actually right around the corner on 3rd Ave bet 7th and 8th St. It's called Normans. It's mostly new, but prices are pretty good, and they have a *great* jazz section including a bunch of imports.

J&R Music World right across that City Hall Park also has a great jazz selection. Not used stuff, but once again, fairly good prices.

Greenwich Village has a bunch of random used cd stores, but quite frankly, none are that great with jazz selections, and most are pricey ($9 and up for used stuff, rarely great $5-$7 bargains)

And I hate to admit it, but the two Virgin Megastores (Times Sq and Union Sq) and the two Towers (Washington Sq and Lincoln Center) actually have amazing jazz sections. I hate selling out to The Man, but indeed I've gotten some great stuff at all those spots.

So that's my little summary :) My recommendation if you got a couple hours and want to go hunting is to start at Jazz Record Center, than head to Academy (15 minute walk) and then if you still have time it's a 7 minute walk to the Union Sq Virgin Megastore and then another 7 minute walk to St. Mark's Place to check out those stores and Norman's around the corner. Start up and walk/work your way down.

Hope this helps. Let me know how you do. Good luck!

Best,
David

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#4 Post by Toon Town Dave » Sat Jun 26, 2004 8:52 pm

Awesome, thanks for the info!

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RaleighRob
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#5 Post by RaleighRob » Mon Jun 28, 2004 8:55 am

Nice, timely thread. I'll be in NYC after July 4th and was gonna ask you (Dave) where I should go CD hunting.

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#6 Post by Nando » Tue Jun 29, 2004 9:15 pm

Just a couple of footnotes to Dave's expert suggestions.

Academy has probably the best prices out of any used CD store in the city.

Most, but not all of the CDs at Jazz Record Center are 10 bucks. At least the ones I always end up wanting are more expensive, but that's just me. Also they have a great vinyl section. I know Jake has had some good fortune in there.

There are places where you can get a 10 dollar discount card for J&R Music World. Just about any place where they have tons of tourist flyers may have the J&R specials. I remember seeing some at the Staten Island Ferry and at the Marriot Marquis, but I'm sure the Times Square Visitors center and other tourist attractions downtown should have the J&R flyers. It's only 10 bucks, but it might push you to buy an extra CD or two. I have a voucher if anyone needs one.

And there's another favorite place of mine to shop. NYCD on the Upper West Side is another great used CD store. They're on West 81st between Columbus and Amsterdam (Much closer to Amsterdam.) You can't listen to the CD's in the store, and their prices aren't as good as Academy, BUT if you buy 4 used or sale CDs, you get one free. I've found some good gems there. Since the Upper West Side is filled with good Jazz venues, I suspect there's a couple of afficionados that sell some good stuff to that store from time to time.

If you decide to go up to NYCD, check out the Tower Records Superstore by Lincoln Center. They probably have the biggest Jazz section next to J&R. Virgin probably has more imports, but this Tower will surprise you. Again, I think it has something to do with it's proximity to Lincoln Center and all the Jazz schools up there. The employees know their stuff.

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#7 Post by Toon Town Dave » Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:46 am

I managed to find J&R and picked up a couple Proper box sets at a good price (a little cheaper than I can get them back home with the exchange rate factored in).

I also took Dave's advice and checked out Jazz Record Center, managed to find a couple classics CD's I liked and even a couple of items off my want list. Prices definitely weren't cheap but the quality of the inventory was good. I stopped in at Academy but they were really busy and it was late in the day so I only looked for a few items off the top of my want list.

Thanks again for the advice!

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RaleighRob
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#8 Post by RaleighRob » Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:18 pm

I was only able to make it to J&R (not much of a discount, but they had a quite a few things I wanted), Academy (nice selection of used CDs, being able to preview as I flipped through the CDs was awesome), and Jazz Record Center (awesome store, but everything I wanted was $13).

I picked up 13 CDs for just over $100, including:
  • The Original Edward "Duke" Ellington Hits, vol 1: 1927-1931, vol2: 1931-1938 [King Jazz]
    The Indispensable Count Basie (2 CD - French - recorded 1947-1949) [Black & White]
    Jack Teagarden - Muskat Ramble [JAM]
    Jack Teagarden - Texas Tea Party [Naxos]
    Cab Calloway - 1930-1931 [Chronological Classics]
    Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band - Ory's Creole Trombone [Past Perfect]
    Slam Stewart - Bowin' Singin' Slam [Savoy]
Plus some basic filler, like the Basie Swingsation comp, the Benny Goodman Ken Burns comp, the Louis Jordan Swingsation comp, and the Verve 'Ella and Louis'.

I've found some nice stuff on the ones I've made it through. Most of Texas Tea Party is slow, not really danceable, but it's got "A Song Was Born", recorded with Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars in 1947. Awesome tune.

I did a search for Kid Ory on the board and didn't really come up with much. Does anyone play any of his stuff?

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#9 Post by lipi » Thu May 25, 2006 10:07 pm

this thread is hard to find. believe it or not, it does not contain the words new york or manhattan -- just "new yorkers". o.k., now that's fixed...

i went to jazz record center (indeed excellent), norman's (so-so; the used stuff was meager, and i was rushed so i only looked for a few things in the new section -- it seemed o.k.), and academy (pretty good prices).

nycd has moved -- i asked around at some surrounding stores, but no one knew where to. i wasn't clever enough to check up on it before heading out, but here's what their website says:

"OUR NEW ADDRESS! 325 West 38 St., Suite 505 (between 8th & 9th Ave.), but it's NOT A STORE, it's an office! We can buy and (in some cases) sell stuff there, but be sure to make an appointment before you come by!"

right. i'll post something about what i bought in the "last 10" thread, perhaps.

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#10 Post by lipi » Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:50 pm

*bump*

I'll be in New York in a few weeks and the advice in this thread is old. I plan on visiting Jazz Record Center and Academy Records (the CD one in Manhattan). Are there any other places worth going to?

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Eyeball
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#11 Post by Eyeball » Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:43 pm

I have a friend who swears by MR. CHEAPO out on LI.

http://www.mrcheapocds.com/

And I am on a music list of NYers. I wil see what they have to say and get back to you.

Do you need a piece and ammo, too?

*Hmmmmm...I am trying to dd an emoticon and each time I click on one, it send me to the main forum page.
Will big bands ever come back?

lipi
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#12 Post by lipi » Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:13 pm

Eyeball wrote:I have a friend who swears by MR. CHEAPO out on LI.
http://www.mrcheapocds.com/
Hmm, that looks good, but it's a little too far out for me, at least this time around. Will keep a note of it for another trip.
And I am on a music list of NYers. I wil see what they have to say and get back to you.
Thanks!

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#13 Post by Eyeball » Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:13 am

lipi wrote:
I plan on visiting Jazz Record Center and Academy Records (the CD one in Manhattan). Are there any other places worth going to?
Nope - no other places worth visiting - except Princeton Record Exchange,
about 40 miles outside of the city, but accessible by NJ Transit.

Dave

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#14 Post by Eyeball » Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:50 pm

Will big bands ever come back?

lipi
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#15 Post by lipi » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:57 pm

Report on my travels:
. Jazz Record Center has become more expensive and seemed to have less things that interested me than before. I only got two or three discs and one book. CDs are almost all over $10.
. Academy Records. I only went to the CD store, not the vinyl store. Better prices than JRC, but selection wasn't very big. I was very rushed for time, but I found two very cheap Basie discs I didn't have yet. Score!
. Louis Armstrong House Museum. You should go, because seeing the man's house is...strange. Also, the gift store has some very hard to find CDs (the Ambassador series) and books (as well as some common ones). I spent almost $200 getting all the Ambassador discs I didn't have yet. (I believe the guy that ran the label died a year ago, so I don't know whether they'll disappear or remain in print or what. Email to the label directly goes in a black hole. The museum received all remaining stock at the time of the owner's death, according to the guy in the gift shop.)

So go to the Armstrong House. Skip the stores. Just visit the Met instead.

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