Nick “Bounce” Castle, 37, hailing From the North Side of Chicago (Ravens-Wood to be exact but has family on the South-Side as well. If you know Chicago then you know that these regions are crucial) now resides in Brooklyn, NY as both Director and Co-Founder of “VeryTaste”, which is a NY x Chi based video production and creative agency ran by him and his brother. In all honesty, meeting up with Nick was so mutual that I can’t even tell you where it began (he may be able to tell it better than me). The truth is and I can say this without regret, anyone who is genuine and true to the vinyl community from my experience, is always open to build and talk about music ; especially if they have an amazing set up.

My first visit to Bounce’s Brooklyn home was a breath of fresh air. I lived in Bed-Stuy for years and passed by this house constantly not knowing what beauty laid in side. These kind of gems speak to the allure of Bed-Stuy (another topic for another day). Bounce’s admiration for space and community in his place is on full display. He had a huge bean bag which laid out in the middle of the living room with tons of art from Chicago artists such as Hebru Brantley, Bianca Pastel and Max Sansing beautifully placed on his walls. I could also tell that he loved to travel due to his line of work as well as his huge admiration for Indian culture (which I would soon find out was attributed to his amazing wife). While setting up for the shoot, we happily talked life while drinking some much needed water and fresh fruit. He showed us the cabinets that were filled with aromatic spices and grains brought over from India. We talked about photography, photo equipment, travel and of course we talked vinyl records.

After talking and playing a few of Bounce’s produced records ; we dived into it. Bounce was given the name  from being a household Dj in Chicago from his early teens (15-16yrs old) and his affinity for boogie b-sides that kept the crowd bouncing. He would be schooled in the DJ art form from his Aunts and Uncles during his early formative years. According to Bounce, they were the ones who would take him to gigs and have him carry boxes of laser discs for Karaokes, Parties Etc. He shared with us that after a year + of working for his uncle, he would save enough to buy two Stanton Turntables where he would begin his own voyage into sound. Heavily influenced by movies, underground hip-hop and the radio.  Bounce describes his sound as influenced by early dance music, groovy R&B and house edits with really smooth blends (e.g. Nights Over Egypt by The Jones Girls). 

Watching Bounce play, I noticed how he easy and comfortable he was cutting in and out of songs while still keeping the BPM ; you can see that he in no shape or form a rookie.  I fanned out during his set and asked for doubles of any record played ; which he still had a few copies. Bounce makes it a mission to purchase doubles or triples of records that he loves and sells it or gifts them to friends. He says that it doesn’t make sense to pay way over the asking price for records. So as opposed to paying the crazy shipping cost for one record he would pay for three to justify the shipping cost. It also speaks to who Bounce is and to why his home is set up in such a communal way. 

His sound room opens up to the living room which he has speakers connected to from his office/sound room for when friends are over. Bounce had his great friend Ben Hanisch of The Last Workshop build out an amazing mobile DJ/Sound Station made out out of oak-wood that aesthetically enhances the room (I remember him posting the station on IG and immediately wanting to feature him in an audiophile). The customized sound station has accessible storage for his 45’s, 12’s and equipment ; a beautiful piece of art (I want one!!). After our interview, his wife walked in and we chopped it up about family and raising children in Brooklyn etc. The highlight of the day was how they first met. The story goes like this, his wife walked up to the DJ Booth (which is a no no) and asked him to play a song from Jeru the Damaja’s debut album “The Sun Rises in the East”. He played it and the rest is set in stone. In fact he has the record framed on their living room wall. Epic!

To see and hear the interview shot and captured by the amazing Sebastian Tello, check out the video below and subscribe to our Youtube Channel. Tell a friend to tell a friend to tell another. We love to tell stories around Vinyl. If you know some one who has an amazing space and record collection please let us know so we can feature them in an episode of OTV Audiophile. 

Marcus “Great Dane” Paskel, 45 hailing from The West Side of Chicago is a Rapper, Art Collector, Vinyl Enthusiast, Lo Collector who is currently Head of Merchandise for Creative Control (Coodie and Chike). The thought of approaching Dane to be apart of the OTV Audiophile series, started during the height of the pandemic. Individuals who normally wouldn’t post their pastime activities, started showcasing their affinity for baking, health awareness, running, cycling and to my surprise DJ’ing (e.g D-Nice, Verzuz etc). Aside from the masses, Dane took the initiative to share his love for music in a unique way.

He turned on his I-phone and went digging in the crates. He wasn’t just Dj’ing but rather teaching. It started as simple posts on his IG stories of rare 12” records. There would be no set day or time ; it would be at random. I guess because during the height of the pandemic we all were social, we all had time. There was a time where he posted a rare Black Moon cut that I never heard of and a Jay-Z B-Side that I never thought would be on vinyl. He would share a little backstory to each record too. It wasn’t just the post either, it was how he cared for the records. You could see that he was inviting us in to something he would’ve only shared with close friends. The sleeves were mint, the plastic looked like it was barely touched, the record was pristine.

Visiting Marcus’s home for Audiophile, I was able to see that music and visual art act as a gateway to communicate information through inspiration. As a rapper you are constantly digging for information and Dane has created a hub to feed that craving. If you were a Hip-Hop lover during the early 2000’s you may have caught wind of a group from Chicago called Project Mayhem. It was the summer of 2009 and I remember distinctively hearing a horn loop along side visuals that were street but yet elegant from a song entitled “Lo Sweatas”. There was imagery of Ralph Lauren as well as MCM. Some may say it was all about Ralph but if you look closely it was all about Chicago. Kanye’s presence and overly confident persona elevated Chicago’s relatability of fashion to the world which paved the way for a Project Mayhem to be received in its own right. Speaking with Dane, I was able to see that fashion and music have always been synonymous with Chicago.

Growing up in Chicago Dane was surrounded by the sounds of bordering cities but the identity of Chicago is “House” music. If it isn’t Detroit then its Chicago when talking about “House” in my opinion. But when talking about the earlier stages of Hip-Hop, especially the late 80’s early 90’s I never thought of meshing House into the equation. Dane’s overall thesis, was how the late 80’s Chicago “House” scene birthed the Daisy Age era of Hip-Hop. He beautifully and meticulously broke down how silk floral shirts and Girbaud Jeans was the style for “House Heads” during that period. He gave credit to the key players, Dj’s, record stores and family members who aided in his enlightenment. It wasn’t until he played his favorite De La Soul track entitled “Buddy” the extended cut on a 12” record featuring A Tribe Called Quest that I heard and saw everything about the Daisy Age in a new light.

My mind went back to how the Jungle Brothers referenced “House” music heavily in song titles and beat selections. It took me back to how Q-Tip dressed and how De La Soul dressed. It was as though Chicago was there the whole time during Hip-Hop’s maturation and I was naive to it. It showed me that Hip-Hop and House are more relatable than we think and its no surprise that in the last few years we are seeing a resurgence of House in Hip-Hop through the sounds of Gold Link, Masaego, Drake, Kanye etc. Shout out to Chicago’s own Marcus Paskel aka Marco Dane aka Chicago’s Native Sun for being apart of this initiative and community. Check out the interview in its entirety in the video below.

If you are an Audiophile with an amazing setup and would love to be featured in an upcoming article, please drop us a line at odetovinyl@gmail.com. Or if that’s too much. Slide in our DM’s on Instagram @odetovinyl

Charles Sands, 32 from Akron, Ohio is an amazing men’s wear designer and vintage collector who loves collecting jazz, soul and funk records. His first record was purchased while working at a home town flea market. When asked, what made you start collecting? His reply was simple, “the cover art”.

Five years later, Charles’s record collection has both grown and diversified immensely. The growing hobby now spans between a Brooklyn loft and an upstate cabin.

As a supporter of OTV and an avid reader of Audiophile, Charles in response to one of our recent articles, sent us a photo of his audio set up. Being the humble individual that he is, he immediately began to explain how his audio setup may not be up to par with our aesthetic. Our response was the complete opposite ; “it’s exactly the set up we love and look for.”

A few days later, we were on our way to talk life through records at his beautifully curated loft in Bushwick. We talked Jazz, childhood memories, cassettes, travel, hip hop and his growing passion for Djing. Which by-the-way, if your are ever in the LES, stop by Black and White. He has a monthly residency where he takes the pleasure of sharing his rare records with bar regulars and friends. When asked, why do you love playing at Black and White? He simply replied

“I get free drinks, I get to play whatever I want and I dont get paid to do it, so the house stays happy.”

To many that may seem crazy. Djing for free? Especially, with the growing number of DJ’s in NYC who are demanding top dollar ($350 or better for a 4hr session). The love which Charles has for music is the exact reason why we interviewed him. Sometimes you just can’t put a price on things.

We are similar in many ways. Mainly, the understanding that the best things in life are free. As for us, all we need are a group of good people who love good music and if lucky, the music is being played on an amazing Hi-Fi set-up. Check out our time well spent w/ Charles Sands in our latest episode of Audiophile.

If you are an Audiophile with an amazing setup and would love to be featured in an upcoming article, please drop us a line at odetovinyl@gmail.com. Or if that’s too much. Slide in our DM’s on Instagram @odetovinyl

Chris Gentile, 46, is an avid surfer, business owner and record enthusiast from Rhode Island. To be honest I met Chris way before a physical introduction. I say this because just like any one who has had the chance to stop by Pilgrim Surf, the first thing that strikes you is the colorful music. Well, let me rephrase that, the first thing that strikes you is the smell of Palo Santo incense.

If you’re just like me, you might take a look around this purposefully curated shop and see that the owner doesn’t only love surfing, but has a love for architectue, sculpture, nature and an authentic appreciation for sound. The staff at Pilgrim have always been super chill. So when I asked my good friend Joey Falcone whose immense record collection this was behind the counter he simply replied “ ah man that’s Chris’s.” The moment I met Chris was like the moment Jordan met Tinker ; it was synergy. He would soon educate me on everything he listened to or thought I should know of ; I became a sponge.

I mean he would let me listen to records I’ve never heard of and reference names of artists that I would consistently have to Google. I was in school again and rightfully so, he became the teacher. Chris discovered music the same way I did and the way countless record enthusiasts have. Chris’s hunger for records started with his Grandfather, who believe it or not lived in Rhode Island, a few blocks away from Pilgrim Park ; The surf shop’s name sake.

Stories and people like Chris is what’s keeps us digging, not just for records but for authenticity. We were able to sneak into Chris’s Pilgrim’s Surf Shop on a beautiful morning before the shop opened, lit some palo santo sticks and just vibed out. We  took pictures. He put Ona record and immediately took us on his journey. I had no time but to “keep the camera rolling”.

If you’re a fan of great clothing and good music stop by Pilgrim Surf Supply located at 68 north 3rd st in Williamsburg. One of the few places that repeatedly take my money. Every once in a while Pilgrim hosts a record dig where people from all over fly in to get their hands on rare Brazilian records.

Anna Stephens aka Anna Collecta, 29, from Madison, Wisconsin is an amazing old soul with a captivating smile. Anna has called Brooklyn home for the past 6 years. She would definitely agree with me, when I say that her parents helped shape her musical taste and style. Her vibe alone resembles a time when New York was filled with authenticity. Puma Clyde’s and Lee’s were sporty. Alpaca pelted seats and padded Chevy floors was luxury (and still is). Skating rings were the clubs and platforms or “heels” were made for dancing. Anna wears that era like a medallion or a birth right, growing up in a musical home like hers. That passion and that authentic love for vinyl has allowed her to Dj alongside solidified names  such as Dj Red Alert, Stretch Armstrong, Natasha Diggs, Tony Touch and Marley Marl. It was such a blessing and honor when she agreed to allow us into her beautifully sun filled apartment to talk about life through records.

When did your love for music start? Was it introduced to you at home? 

My love for music started very young. Both my parents were and still are hyper creative people. My Dad is a pianist, a drummer, who also played the trumpet. Growing up he would play with numerous bands. Aside from being a musician he was a sculptor. My Mom is a singer whose father was a vocal teacher for over thirty-five years. So, growing up in this hyper creative household, it allowed musicians and artists to be over all the time. My mind and ears would be  filled with so much sound and vibration, that I began playing the piano seriously. In relation to records, my Dad who saw that I had an invested interest in Vinyl started buying and putting me on to records from the 70’s. In fact he bought me my first record player. I mean as a musician he was excited to help launch me on to this path. In fact within the past 5 years I started digging through my parents Highschool collection that they both were more than happy to give up.

When did you start collecting Vinyl?

It started for me towards the end of college. I was going to school for Fine arts at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. I was in this weird space of figuring out what my niche was. I was print making at the time and I stumbled onto this budding junky record scene. I mean to be honest, the last thing I was thinking about was DJing at the time. At the time it was more of my love of digging, going to Chicago, going to record stores. Anywhere I could go to that had records or that scene I was diving into it. 

Wait.. not to cut you off. But do you remember some of the record shops you would go digging at? 

Umm.. I mean it was such a long time ago. To be honest I don’t know if many of these spots are still open anymore. But my favorite spot in Milwaukee was Bulls Eye Records. That place was basically the hub for everything. I loved their funk and soul collections. My other spot when I first started digging, was in Chicago.

Why Chicago? I mean I love Chicago and how soul filled it is. But these are the early stages of digging for you, and your traveling to Chicago. Why? 

I mean some of my closest friends from college lived in Chicago. Aside from visiting them, I would hit up live shows and well.. dig for records. Chicago was a place where I would find all my Hip Hop Records. One particular spot was called Dusty Groove. Dusty Groove was definitely a favorite of mine. Their collections ran deep. Chicago also had Logan Hardware and Reckless Records, where I would pick through heavily. To be honest, I picked up most of my Dilla, Madlib, Slum Village and MF Doom collection in Chicago.

What drew you to Dilla, Madlib, Doom and Slum? I mean that’s a pocket.. and what time period are we talking?

This is around 2008-2013. Dilla was an on-going discovery same with slum village. They blended the soul fullness of what I consider to be the signature sound of Midwest Hiphop / production. All the random soul cuts I was collecting back then were also in the samples and vibe of those groups. Same goes for Common and Kanye which were huge staples for me at the time. I love old Kanye production for the same reasons ; the soulful samples etc. and Common for all of the above haha.

Facts! Common definitely benefited from the production of NO I.D., Dilla and Kanye. Before I cut you off, we were talking about what gave you the passion to start collecting records and Djing It started in college right? You are in a fine arts school and there was a scene buzzing that you wanted parts of. 

Yea there was definitely a scene at the time and there were Dj’s who would be playing all Vinyl. But on a quick side note, this is happening in Milwaukee, It’s not like  New York. The scene is much different. It was smaller and it was all Dudes. There weren’t many people that I could really identify with in terms of getting into Djing because well to be honest there weren’t many females Djing at the time. The Dj’s who occupied that scene were mainly all dudes. I say this because I really didn’t start fully getting into Djing fully until I got to New York directly after college where I would meet and know women who were into what I was into. In fact, I  had a neighbor who started DJ’ing and asked me if I wanted to mess around with Serato and see if we could figure this out? I was like, cool. It was at that point that I became addicted and started really searching for new sounds. So now, I use Serato mainly, but vinyl still feeds my music knowledge and carries so much sentiment. Each record, I can remember exactly when and where I got it from. That’s why even now I still hold on to my records and still collect.

What sounds are you digging for now?

Right now, I’m digging for that early New York dance music and straight disco. I mean you may say from looking at my collection that I already have enough disco. I mean, I’ve played hip hop for so long and I’m starting to shift gears a bit, I’m ready for a change. I want to do straight dance, disco and house. Just straight high energy. I’m starting to dig for sounds that I know I know people will feel and respond with dance and movement.  Anything from 115 bpm to 125 bpm is what you’ll get from me. 

That’s dope. I feel the same way. Since your a DJ right? Give me five Dj’s that are significant to you.

• Jazzy Jeff 

• Kid Capri 

• Spinderella 

• Premier 

• Natasha Diggs

And lastly where is your favorite place to dig in NYC?

A - 1 Records. The records are always in great condition. I can spend hours in there if I want to. It’s to the point to where if I have enough time I can walk out with a set for that night. At times they can be pricey. But I know that I can play a record straight from the shop and not worry about it being dusty. That’s hard to come by. 

A-1 since Day 1. I totally agree. A-1 Records is one of the best spots  to grab everything and anything you want pertaining to vinyl in NYC. Also, the staff is super knowledgeable which is always a plus. Please follow Anna Collecta on Instagram and mixcloud. If you are in NYC and want to dance non stop you can find her at RollerWaves. The event is a monthly at the House of YES and Time Machine on every last Wednesday of the month at Better Days locates at 302 Broome st. 

GAIAearthpeace, Born Circa 1976 is a beautiful southern girl, who has called Brooklyn home for over a decade now. She is a Master Barber, MC, Producer, DJ and Co-owner of the amazing Chokmah Hair Lab located in Bedford Stuyvesant. My best description of Gaia would be of a wise Owl. If given the opportunity, Gaia and I can literally sit down for hours listening to unreleased beats, songs or “treats” as she often calls them and talk about life. It wasn’t until she started showcasing her collection of rare African records, I started to take notice of her love for vinyl. In this issue of Audiophiles, we took a trip to her beautifully plant and record filled studio in Flatbush to talk about life through Vinyl.

Gaia first off, I want to thank you for allowing us into your beautiful space. I’ve noticed that people who love and take care of their records and equipment usually arrange their space as a sanctuary. When I was younger, I would see a record player and a dope set up and be like man… I want that set up when I get older. I would imagine being able to play my records on my own set up.. But, In relations to you..

Was this a similar situation? Growing up, What type of music did you hear in your household? Were there records being played? What was the audio set up like?

Growing up, my mom played a lot of soul music, r&b and gospel. My mother had a compact but amazing collection of about 100 records. She had Melba Moore, The Temptations, LTD, Jimmy “Guitar” Watson, Stephanie Mills, Labelle, Sister Sledge, Sylvester, Shirley Ceaser, the Commodores, Bohannon, Mahalia Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Al Green and Teddy Pendergrass. You know, that kind of vibe with a little disco sprinkled in there too.

Ahh man. Those are all classics…

Yup! She had a component stereo in a cabinet with one turntable on top. The cabinet had a radio and a receiver with big wooden speakers. I remember cutting the plastic off of the speaker wires to expose the copper to fit into the red and black buttons circled in the back of the receiver. If I’m correct, I took that set up with me to college. I was always a person who loved the fullness of a big sound.

So let me get this.. you had a dope audio set up in college. Was this around the time you started collecting records? When did you start investing in buying vinyl?

I started to collect vinyl around ‘99. This was around the time I started producing. I began experimenting with new sounds and started moving away from my musical core. The guys I was making music with, I began to learn from. Guys like Bear-One, Ojike, Mike Slifka aka MOOCH. Most of them had the ASR-10, while others were using an MPC. I chose the ASR-10 since it was the one I could communicate better with. They taught me about chopping samples so I figured I better get some material.Also, my love for history, time, the fullness of a story is what keeps me digging. I love having archives, records, books, magazines, tapes, even clothes that speak of a moment in time that will never exist again. These things can be so monumental in the fullness of a story and yet it can be sometimes quietly so.

I know with the rise of e-commerce and discogs, the action of digging isn’t the same as what it was before. Do you still dig physically? Where do you dig? Where are favorite places to dig for records?

I definitely still dig. Physically. My favorite two places to dig for records so far is probably, Sound Garden in Baltimore MD and Balades Sonores in Paris..sooo vast, both places have EVERYTHING .. .and the records are organized so well, so many sub genres to chose from. The honorary mentions would be 27 boxes in South Africa and Spinster Records in Dallas, Texas.

What’s your process when your digging? What do you look for? What stands out to you?

I mean there are so many different things that pull me to a record. Sometimes the cover grabs my interest. The curiosity of the unknown is something that always gets me. Some times, it’s the name. My mom had so many records when I was younger and the names and covers of these records would excite my senses Like Johnny Guitar Watson has a record where he was being pushed in a wooden wagon. I was like I need to listen to this. This is crazy. I actually bought that record later on in life. Touching the record again brought back those memories.

Recently you started to heavily get into collecting a ton of early high-life and Afro Funk. Explain how you got into that sound?

To be honest. It was the moment I heard that Fela Kuti, Red Hot and Riot album. That album totally got me digging for that sound.

I love your audio set up. It looks functional and accessible. Can you break it down for me? From the turntable to speakers etc.

I have two numark turntables and a numark mixer that I paid only $150 for from a pawn shop located in Baltimore on Pratt street over 15 yrs ago ; Crazy. I mean my set up isn’t high end by any means but it’s efficient, cost effective and gets the job done. I may have needed to get 3 new needles since then, that’s it. My speakers are KRK Rokit Gold studio Monitors. Everything runs through a Behringer Xenyx X2222USB 22-channel mixer. You know, easy work flow for sampling from one instrument to the other and just playing records/tunes.

Thank you Gaia, it’s always love when we connect. If you want the best haircut in brooklyn please stop by Chokmah Hair Lab in Bed-Stuy and set up an appointment. She is normally booked, so don’t half step. You can also catch her playing some “tasty treats” at Bunny Bedstuy in Brooklyn.

Joshua Rodriguez aka Dj Woof 33, is a brooklyn born hero, raised in Red Hook before there was any thought of an Ikea. Woof is the son of the amazing George Rodriguez, who played congas for Herbie Olivieri’s Latin-Funk- Soul band the Olivieri Orchestra. Woof, is an open encyclopedia when it comes to all things vinyl. A lot of people might be intimidated or taken back by his confidence on the wheels of steel but thats because he is from brooklyn baby. “Growing up in the 90’s you had to show and prove or someone was taking your lunch. I feel like there is too much Kumbaya when it comes to Dj’ing nowadays. It’s like what Dj Steve D, who created beat juggling said, we could be cool, i mean we are all family but when that battle or that mix starts, I’ma eat your food. I don’t care who you are, I mean you could be my brother. Look, I’m not against community, thats not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is, is that I miss the days when DJ’ing was like sparring. Honestly when you see Dj’s go back and forth like that, the crowd benefits. You are getting the best out of both DJ’s because at the end of the day, its a competition.

I mean, when I’m preparing for a set I’m coming with my best every time and if your on the tables and I’m next.. I’m like oh yeah your done? alright now I’ma cook you. I mean I got boo’d when I just started off and had to eat it. I had to go home and get better. It gives you tough skin to play every other set like you never want that to happen to you again.”

Woof is a rarity, while everyone transferred to CDJ’s in the early 2000’s the homie was racking up on records from near and far. “Dj’ing with Vinyl is an art form, it’s showmanship.” Not to mention, he was and is more than likely the record connect for your favorite hip-hop producer. “If you’re just digging for records in your city you are doing yourself a disservice, you have to travel outside of your comfort zone. Digging for records took me to places I never would’ve imagined.” Woof is an A-1 record shop alumni, Lo’ Head and one of my Top Ten Dj’s of all time. It is only right we met up at his home/studio in Brooklyn, to play some of his favorite records and reflect on his life through vinyl.

Growing up in NYC, were you aware of the sounds and culture of the city. Can you give us that view from your lens?

Growing up Puerto Rican in NYC gave me the experience of living in two worlds. My parents were all about salsa and latin music and growing up in bk and having access to things like mixtapes and older cousins and siblings really put me on to rap and hip hop. No to mention freestyle, house and disco. I mean, I was def aware of it even though I couldn’t really put a name on it, I just knew that this is what the sound of the city was, a lot of those sounds/moment/ are burned into my memory.

If we were to walk into your house during your adolescent years, what type of music would we hear?

Basically anything you could imagine got played in my house. My mother was a dancer and my father was a musician so basically they were into anything that had a groove or a great rhythm. A lot of salsa, disco and Caribbean music from my parents side. Not to mention all the rap mixtapes my brother and I would cop in sunset park or Albee square. And surprisingly enough a lot of country, indie rock and new wave that my older brother put me on to at a young age.

Wait! Can we expound on your dad being a well known musician a little more.

My father was a musician for over 40 years before retiring in the early 2000’s. We actually played a gig together in 2018 at the Museum of the city of NY. (in the video below Woof opens up a little bit more about his father’s career, his first record collection etc.)

I bet playing a gig with your dad is like the passing of the baton from one era to the next. Which leads me to ask. What is your favorite era in music ?

If I had to choose an era it would be New York in the 1970’s. It was such a melting pot of sound that all came together at once and really changed the world in many respects.

Woof. Im here at your space and I’m overwhelmed at how many records you have. I know you have records sprawled through out your house. How many records do you currently own?

I kind of stopped counting after a while but, considering all the shelf space that has taken over my home, I would guest close to 13,000.

What are you currently digging for?

The last month or so I’ve been listening to a lot of post punk, new wave and ambient/experimental stuff. Orange Juice, YAZOO, , Robert Quine, the Windham Hills Catalogue etc.

And lastly if you were to describe yourself in 3 albums, what would they be?

• Paul’s Boutique

• Siembra

• Endtroducing

You can follow Dj Woof on Instagram @recordsbywoof. He has residency’s at Friends and Lovers, Ode to Babel, Bierwax, Plaza 33 etc. You can also find him bodying 45 sets at Mobile Mondays at the Bowery Electric. All photos for DJ Woof’s Audiophile interview was taken by Amechi Ugwu. Follow him on instagram @_ugwu. For more videos in regards to this interview, check out and subscribe to our Ode To Vinyl Youtube Page.

Jessica Cross 31, from the trees of Marin County, California has created an insurmountable buzz in South Africa and now New York City from an all vinyl party and live music event entitled Vinyl Digz. I was able to sit down, relax, water some plants and talk about her life through music. We spoke on her earlier years jumping up and down hearing Earth Wind and Fire from a record player to how she got to this point as a DJ and creative. I mean it ‘s crazy how easily it was for her to open up. Therapy.

Alright Jess…

What got you into music? Was there someone in your family that introduced you to music or was it something you discovered on your own?

My Dad was who initially introduced me to music, was a singer. He actually was a Banker, but was a singer. Every morning going to school he would pick my brother and I up and he would be singing various scales. I mean every morning. He would say “c’mon Jessie c’mon!! Sing! So I would sing with my Dad. My Mom funny enough was a DJ who worked at a record store and had an amazing collection of records. So to answer your question, my relationship with music started early; like 5 years old. I think my earliest memory of records was Earth Wind and Fire’s Greatest Hits.

My Mom had left me by myself and had gone to the grocery store. Being the inquisitive individual that I am, I remember digging through her collection and putting on various records. Earth Wind and Fire is the one that stuck out to me. Listening to the melodies; from that album even at the early age of 5, I remember dancing my heart out. I mean not just dancing but non-stop jumping from couch to couch.

So… I’m guessing you still have some records from your Mother’s collection. Right?

Sad Story, she gave her collection away to one of my brothers friends. This was before I showed interest of her any interest that I would have wanted and appreciated it. For the most part, right now in my personal collection I have attained most of the records that my mother owned.

Isn’t that the best feeling? Attaining records that you lost or weren’t able to get in the past and now being able to own them and add them to your collection. Which leads me to ask, how many records do you currently own?

Honestly umm… I think I might have close to 3,000 records. Wait… I have anywhere from 3 – 5,000 records. This is totaling my collection in San Francisco, South Africa and New York.

Wow. That’s a hefty collection. I mean at this point you must have everything your looking for or ever-wanted right? The only issue would be shipping your collection from one place to the other. What keeps you digging and adding to your collection?

New Music. There is always new music. I love collecting new music on vinyl. I love going to record store and finding new artists, then I’ll come across something that I don’t have.

That Sounds expensive lol. I mean you don’t have to tell me, but how much would you say you spend on average visit to the record shop?

Well… I don’t go out and buy records that frequent believe it or not. I usually first shop with in my own collection. I don’t buy a record once a week. I instead, create a list and then hit a designated record shop and buy 20-25 records. But to answer your question, price isn’t really an option when it comes to records, so I honestly don’t keep a track on the total. But it gets up there in price. Okay, I would say on average it can get anywhere from $200- $400 per visit.

Wow. I mean that is expensive lol. On another note, I don’t think I’ve told you this enough. I continue to learn so much about music, records, refining a sound and over becoming a better DJ from you. I don’t believe I ever asked you, when did you start DJing?

With Vinyl or just DJing in general?

In general…

I started of DJing… Well… I was a singer at first and I was in a band. I started as a lead singer in a band when I was 12yrs old. An all girls rock band put together by my music teacher. In fact the band was called “The Girls Rock Band”. He approached me and said we are starting an all girls rock band and you are going to be the singer. I was like no (laughs), I don’t sing. He was like yes you do. We went back and forth for a little while and I finally gave in. He was right. I did sing. I mean I would sing in the shower and of course I was singing every morning with my Dad in the car. But, I didn’t tell anyone that I could sing.

So how did he know?

He just knew. I guess, I mean he was the music teacher (laughs). He never heard me sing either. He just had a gut feeling that I could sing. Maybe it was my talking voice that gave it away. “The Girls Rock Band” was dope. We had a break out performance at my schools Christmas Showcase in our gymnasium. There were about 500 people in attendance. This year though, being that it was our first showcase, I decided to sing, “Everything is Everything” by Lauryn Hill. I sang and did the rap too… and we received a standing ovation. I mean everybody stood up. It was amazing. It was like something that I have never experienced before. I was like WTF. It was like my first performance like that and from there, that’s where my music career started. I was in that band for 3 years up until 8th grade. I would right after enter this amazing school that had a phenomenal music program. I would start a soul band at that school. Soon after I started a reggae band. In that reggae band we would have 2 huge concerts a year for a total of 4 years. My last year of high school we would sing at the Golden State Warriors half time show. In that show we sang Stevie Wonder’s Superstition… uhhh James Browns Sex Machine. The Meters. Yeah we sang dope shit. I would leave high school and enter college on a basketball scholarship where I would take this music program. The program was centered on classical music. I say this because since I was a musician and I was constantly searching for new music, I would DJ parties or for the most part by curating playlists. Matter off fact I was always expected to play music since I was always the one who had exceptional musical taste. I was so intertwined with being associated with music amongst my peers that when we went to a party and the DJ sucked. I would go to my car and blast music from out my trunk and we would have a huge party in the parking lot smoking blunts, dancing, the whole thing. I mean, I still do that from time to time.

So basically, you had a musical taste level that people were both intrigued by and drawn to. When did you invest in your first Dj set up? I mean the set up at your loft now is pretty dope.

So... when I moved to DC for college, I was at Howard for a year. I came upon a collection of records. My relationship with Vinyl has been magical. It has always connected me to a spiritual path that I have been on. Like I knew I was always in the right place when I would see records on someone’s wall. I would always curate records, like vinyl on my wall since high school. It was more so for the art. I wasn’t able to listen to the records, well because at that time I didn’t have a record player. So when I got to DC. Which is a whole other story. I ended up staying at this house that had an amazing soul collection that was left abandoned in a basement that I would end up inheriting. I still have those records now. A lot of those records were pretty beat up which led me to repurchase select copies. I can say that, that was the first time I attained a huge amount of records. But it wasn’t until I went to South Africa that I really

started DJing professionally. That is when I really started investing in equipment. The people over there were drawn to my musical taste. They wanted to know what I was listening to since I was an African American. At that moment I knew this was a unique situation because I had something to offer on a greater scale. If I were in the US, my sound wouldn’t be as potent, since there would be more competing sounds. The people of Cape Town were eager for this music. They loved it, and I was eager to give it to them. I would soon link up with Dj’s in Cape Town who would swap music with me. It was an exchange of culture; it was an exchange of sounds. It was amazing. That is when my sound became more unique. It became a blend of African Sounds like Kwaito, House, Trap, Hip Hop, Reggae, Soul and Sultry R&B.

So wait.. You discovered House in South Africa?

Yea. Before that, I never listened to house (laughs). I was never a house person.

So let me get this… you grew up listening to soul, funk, hip-hop, R&B

I also grew up listening to a lot of Punk and Rock since I hung around a lot of skaters. I was a rebel, a soul Rebel. I hung around those kids and lived that life that was relatable. That was my connection to that music. That is something that I miss. I’m searching for that connection in New York where I can play that kind of music and introduce other sounds to people. My overall goal as a DJ is to bring people together. I feel like there are people who would relate to a certain sound that might not know of another sound during my sets but are coming because they trust my knowledge and taste. I mean that’s my mission. It’s very personal. It’s a soulful connection to me. I can relate to people through that.

That’s Dope. That’s how we connected, we vibe on the same ethos. I feel that music is the remedy for people to understand culture and perspectives on life. Thank you for your time and openness to sharing your words of truth. It really means a lot to us at Ode to Vinyl. But before we wrap this up, what should people know about Vinyl Digz… What is Vinyl Digz?

Vinyl Digz is a gathering of people around vinyl in cities where people can be themselves. Vinyl Digz isn’t genre specific. We try and capture the soul of the city, in soulful venues where we can attract soulful people by playing soulful music. It’s really the magic of the people that creates a soulful experience. That’s what Vinyl Digz is.

Jess Cross is currently touring South Africa until May ‘19. Follow her IG @crosscolours where you can be kept up to date with all things Vinyl Digz.

All photos in Jess Cross interview were taken by Amechi Ugwu. Follow his IG page @_ugwu

We joined forces w/ Even Headphones for an Audiophile session at their Pop Up Shop at 130 Greene St. in Soho. We unraveled the life of the amazing Malik Abdul Rahmaan through vinyl.  Dive into this audio recap.

If you are an Audiophile with an amazing setup and would love to be featured in an upcoming article, please drop us a line at odetovinyl@gmail.com. Or if that’s too much. Slide in our DM’s on Instagram @odetovinyl