Vinyl Day, Sat. August 9, 2025 at the Silver Spring, MD
Vinyl Day: Just for the Record BYOV August 9, 2025 Silver Spring Library
Another fine day in the VINYL listening world. The worst part of the day was getting through the road closures around the library due to construction of the new metro Purple line. Many session events. One of the highlights of the day, for me was attending the keynote speaker event of DJ GI Joe, also known as Joseph Rivera, a celebrated figure in hip-hop culture whose life and career embody the power of music to educate, inspire, and connect. He has a very inspiring story of his life and how it led him to becoming a well-known and respected DJ.
DJ GI Joe
We had a wild and wide mixture of selections and artists today.
· In Da Club – 50 Cent - I thought I would start the set with a tune that would get listeners in the mood. This particular album has many versions of this hit song (clean, dirty, instrumental, a capella)
· Let’s Dance – Donna Summer
Speaking of Summer, the next tune played was:
· Summer Madness – Kool & The Gang
· What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye – This one of my All-Time favorite albums. It was very instrumental in my life during the 70’s and showcased the reflection of the country during this time.
We were introduced to the vinyl recordings of The Voyager Golden Record introduced by a celebrity guest, movie actor Clayton Lebouf. This was a unique box album that contained over 100 images and a variety of sounds on a 12-inch gold-plated copper disk. NASA chose this recording in 2012 to showcase Earth's life and culture to extraterrestrials.
· HOT – Roy Ayers – A Jazz-funk vibraphone tune that’s really HOT. Roy erased the boundaries between various genres.
· Mellow Kisses – A track by the M.E.B. (formerly Miles Electric Band) led by Vince Wilburn, Jr. collects a progressive all-star ensemble featuring Miles Davis alumni and Miles inspired players. This brand new, never-released studio recording captures a multi-generational who’s who of acclaimed artists performing new Miles-inspired compositions. The album, produced by Miles’ alumni Lenny White and Wilburn, features music legends including Ron Carter, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Donald Harrison, Darryl Jones, Vernon Reid, and John Scofield. This was a 12-inch vinyl record that should be played at 45 rpm. We started out not realizing that it was playing at the wrong speed. However, at the 33-1/2 rpm speed, this tune still sounded mellow. The speed was changed to 45 rpm. The MEB crew still had a smooth vibe.
· Beyond the Frontier – Lam Fung - Now this was Different. Another interesting musical selection. This was a pipa concerto. Do you know the pipa instrument? It’s a Chinese lute, often featured in traditional Chinese music. This song is a well-known example of contemporary pipa music. The good and bad news was that the beginning of the song was being played at the 45 rpm because of the previous selection. At that speed and the unfamiliarity of the song, it had a pleasant vibration. Somebody mentioned rpm and we realized that the speed was incorrect. The rpm was changed back to 33-1/2. The updated version and sound was great as well.
· Buck Jump – Trombone Shorty – Paying tribute to the contemporary New Orleans style of music combined with the traditional brass band sound with modern jazz-funk beats and rhythms. Recorded in 2011, this track combines the traditional brass band sound along with modern electronic beats and rhythms. The tune is played in the key of D minor.
· Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground– Willie Johnson aka Blind Willie Johnson was an American gospel blues singer and guitarist. who displayed a combination of powerful chest voice singing and slide guitar skills that influences generations of musicians. He was a dominant player of the type of music which conveyed religious themes in a blues style.
I later discovered that song was also included as part of the vinyl recordings of the NASA Voyager spacecraft mentioned earlier.
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· String Quartet #13 in B-Flat – Budapest String Orchestra
Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major, Op. 130, is a complex and highly regarded work. The Budapest String Quartet's recordings of this piece are considered some of the best interpretations, known for their musicality, passion, and commitment to the composer's spirit.
· James Brown Dark live at the Apollo Theatre – This live album recorded at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and released in 1963 is considered one of Brown’s most convincing albums and it has become one of the most influential R&B soul albums ever, with the live band showing its tenacity for tightness and the frontman of course showing why Mr. Dynamite was one of the greatest showman ever.
June 26, 2025 at Crooked Run Restaurant
Curated Vinyl Selection Just For You
We had a great evening at the Crooked Run. In addition to a few of our regulars, we shared the room with others having other celebrations. We needed a private room. The vinyl selections we played kept the room vibing. To avoid multiple . We decided individual selections
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