Recent jazz-related aquisitions from various digging adventures. Big shout to Paradise Trading Post in Lompoc - found an Ahmad Jamal album I'd never seen before! Dig in. Tracklist: Ahmad Jamal, Kenny Barron, John Wood, Horace Silver, Ted Vining Trio, Jack Walrath

Another celebration of the beautiful and revolutionary music from the Indigenous, Latin and Afro-Latin diaspora - only other thing to say right now is F*CK ICE and stay strong everyone! Donate to CHIRLA here: www.chirla.org/donatenow/ Tracklist: El Chicano, Eddie Palmieri, Ismael Rivera, Willie Bobo, Fania All Stars, Bobby Guajardo and the Latin Br…

Some recent digs and old records. Sending strength to everyone dealing with these ICE raids. Stay safe out there! If you have the funds, I recommend donating to the Coalition for Humane Human Rights - www.chirla.org/ Tracklist: Gil Scott Heron, Herb Drury Trio, Peter Herbolzeimher, Charles Tolliver, Masaru Imada and George Mraz, Paco Rossana…

There was a time when I owned 4-5 copies of Sly Stone's "FRESH" album, it was so vitally important to me. I remember hearing it for the first time in the 90s and it blew my mind. I preached the Sly gospel since to many friends of my age in the years since. That album will always be a cornerstone of musical history and importance to me, and helped m…

A few jazz digs and tracks this time around, as I continue to get my set-up together. Dig in! Tracklist: Grant Green, Peter Duchin, Los 5-U-4, Les Demerle, Karen Hernandez, John Wood

Been a couple weeks - I had to replace my old desktop that was starting to crash too frequently and move all the music files etc to the new machine. Back up now with an episode I recorded a week or so ago! Just a few longer tracks from recent records found and purchased. Hope to be back on schedule soon! Enjoy. Tracklist: Keifer Trio, Pete Jolly, C…

I was late to the library game, and only own a short stack of these gems, but for folks unaware, some amazing studio musicians (especially in Europe) recorded some of the funkiest and weirdest music on "library" records, that were available to radio and tv producers to use on their shows or elsewhere. Recently I discovered that one of the iconic so…

Went back to the "Jazz 45s" box and pulled a few things out that I hadn't played in awhile. Spring is here and it felt right. A short set of selections, new and old - enjoy! Tracklist: Sam Hankins, Eric Kloss, Nautilus, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Takumi Moriya, Phi-Psonics, Unknown artist, Eddie Harris, Jukka Eskola Trio, Mary Lou Williams…

Spent a week on a work and mini-birthday trip, and got some serious digging in at a number of spots, both places I'd been and some I'd never been to before. Some great come-ups and here's just a few of stack I brought back with me! Hope you dig it. Tracklist: Alvin Queen, Oscar Peterson Quartet, Al Hobbs, Howard University Jazz Ensemble, Jasmine, M…

It felt important right now to come back to the words and teachings of Howard Zinn, when the U.S. government is causing and propagating so much fear and racism and oppression and just plain meanness, and things seem tilted toward hopelessness. This is the third in my series of mix-tributes to Zinn, and the vocal samples here come from a few great i…

Two legends have passed on recently - Roberta Flack and Gwen McCrae, both of whom had records that have been important to me for many years. Unfortunately some of my Roberta Flack records were damaged in a flood years ago, and so I tried to pull a few favorites from what I still have, and mostly less obvious pieces from both artists catalogs.…

Back this week with some amazing pianists covering jazz (?) standards (?) old and new! Some recent digs and some old favorites. Enjoy. Tracklist: Tony Lee, Johnny Costa, DJM Trio, Eugen Cicero, Ashley Henry, Herbie Hancock

Ok, this is a really special one. The amazing artist Josh MacPhee, of JustSeeds.org and many other places, has dug deep into his incredible collection of revolutionary wax and put together an incredible and inspiring mix for Pullin from the Stacks! Everything from funk, free jazz, hard rock, folk, nu-wave and more, from all parts of the globe, all …

I love records. But I love records because I love music. And sometimes, in fact often, great music doesn't get pressed on vinyl. And that's ok! That's why Bandcamp is so great. It's endless in how much great stuff is available there. Here's just a small sampling of the beautiful music I've found that as far as I know, has not been pressed onto viny…

Some music for these extremely troubled times. Hope everyone is staying as safe and healthy as possible. Tracklist: Adrienne Rich, Dollar Brand, Melvin Sparks, Sly5thAve, Ill Considered, Latarnik, Dezron Douglas and Brandee Younger

Seemed like a good moment to salute the city of LA, a city I never thought I'd end up residing in as a kid but where I now live and don't plan on leaving. A huge city, where horrible fires and climate change have destroyed the homes of thousands of people including some of those featured on this mix. If you are looking to support folks in need, che…

Spent the holidays in Portland with the family, had some good adventures at the record shops and thrift stores - one of these records I pulled out from underneath an old rug at a Goodwill for a dollar. Was fun getting back into the sale bins and antique stores rather than just shopping at the fancy places. Grabbed all of these while on the trip, wi…

Ending the year with a number of my favorite purchases this past year. Maybe one or two of these I actually "dug" up somewhere - the Dick Drew Trio was something I pulled out from deep under other record racks in a store in Las Vegas last May, for instance, but I also bought several of these via Discogs. Record collecting continues to change in way…

Putting together a mix of my favorite digs this past year, but first, a few more recent finds and classic selections! Tracklist: David Axelrod, Howard Wales, Visioneers, Barbara Carroll, Don Randi, Patrice Rushen

RIP to the legends Lou Donaldson and Roy Haynes, who passed recently. I play a couple of their records on the bookends of this episode. The Lou Donaldson joint that starts things off, a cover of "Everything I Play Gonh Be Funky," reminds of my very early days of digging, finding this at an East Village bookstore in 1997 or so, and always treasuring…

I began the Pullin from the Stacks podcast just over 10 years ago, publishing my first episode on October 19, 2014. The name is from the classic Digable Planets cut "Pacifics," a song which has a lot of meaning to me. I think I actually messed up and called it "Pullin from the Crates" for that first episode. The first record I played was a cover of…

It's a heavy week - bombing and violence continues and expands in Palestine and Lebanon, funded by the United States and seemingly unstoppable as we all just watch in horror. Here's a set in remembrance of so many who have been murdered by bombs and other weapons in the name of white supremacy and power. Tracklist: Najah Salam, Mustafa al Kurd, La …

Omega and I go way, way back, co-hosting a college radio show in the late 90s, talking shit about wack emcees and going on wild digging missions in the 2000s when these tracks were recorded. He remains one of my best friends and partner in crime today. He also happens to be an incredible emcee, with a style that certain emcee(s) making a name for t…

Been a lot going on, but finally I've returned with some treats! The records have been stacking up and need to get filed - so let's get into it! RIP to the legend Sergio Mendes, I played a short set of a few of my favorites of his. (Also RIP to the legend Frankie Beverly, tribute on a forthcoming episode.) The rest of this episode is an adventure t…

Following up on last summer's salsa mix, here's some more of my favorite selections and digs to play loud in your car, living room, porch, or wherever! Tracklist: Ricardo Marrero, Bobby Valentin, Brooklyn Sounds, Latin Tempo, Ray Barretto, Joe Torres, Tata Vasquez, Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers

Sorry for my absence - but I'm back with some mellow sounds, starting and ending with two great versions of the classic "People Make the World Go Round." The first is by Monty Alexander, which I only recently found out about, and the last is a more well-known take by Johnny Lytle. In-between are a variety of mellow-ish tunes for coolin out in the A…

I don't own much reggae or dub music, and am absolutely no expert in the music or culture. But I deeply respect the politics and music, which is absolutely incredible and creative. Especially dub music, with its intricate sounds and rhythms. So here's a few selections from my tiny collection. Enjoy! Tracklist: Ernest Ranglin, Al Brown, Heptones, Bu…

So I spent a few weeks trying to do something 'special' for episode 250 of Pullin from the Stacks, but all my attempts just didn't feel right. Which meant I just kept putting off uploading a new episode this past month. But this week it was time for the latest Walking in Space livestream (second Thursday every month on Twitch!) and I felt like it c…

So I'm a big fan of Sean Kantrowitz's podcast, especially "Making Illmatic" which he hosts with Midaz the Beast. The latest episode had them - and guest Supastition - breaking down the best tracks on the JayLib album, and at some point there was mention of how great De La Soul would have sounded on these beats. So I decided to test some of that out…

Back this week with some digs from the private press crate, one of my favorite places to find unique sounds and creative flavors. Hope you dig! Tracklist: Morning Sky, Faces of Jazz, Dale Jacobs Group, Lamont Johnson, Guzzia Bros. Band, Danny Ward and Reality, Les James Trio

I've been starting to index my records on Discogs recently, and it's been a good exercise to go back through a lot of albums I haven't listened to in a minute and decide whether I still want to keep them. When I first started digging in the mid-90s, Jimmy Smith albums (except for the elusive Root Down) seemed to be in dollar bins everywhere. I eage…

Third mixture of eclectic flavors in my Walking in Space live stream series. Monthly every Thursday live on Twitch at 7pm PST and 10pm EST - twitch.tv/djianhead - playing all types of things analog and digital.

Back from a short Las Vegas trip where I grabbed a few private press jazz pieces I'd been after for a minute (Moondog Records is highly recommended!) and spent a lot of time in antique and thrift stores. Here's some of those finds plus some newer releases for a more spacey vibe. Tracklist: Faces of Jazz, Tommaso Cappellato, Full Circle, Frank Straz…

Decided to go back to the Serato box (yes I still rock the original Serato 1 box and have yet to upgrade) and just "freestyle" a mix of all kinds of joints! Ran through a number of things and kept it all around 98bpm, per the title of this episode. Might start doing this once in awhile - fun to just mix stuff quickly and see what happens. Enjoy!…

Some recent digs and purchases mostly on the mellow side. Tracklist: Oliver Nelson, Alan Lee Jazz Quartet, Marc Di Marco Trio, V. Mustafa-zade Jazz Trio, Janko Nilovic and Soul Surfers, Rupert Cobbett, John Wood Group

Second in my Walking in Space live stream series. Monthly every Thursday live on Twitch at 7pm PST and 10pm EST - twitch.tv/djianhead - playing all types of things analog and digital.

I don't remember who hipped me to Frank Cunimondo - I think I saw one of his records in Rob and Damien's old shop Sideman Records and was intrigued but didn't buy it then. And then maybe someone posted on IG something off of 'Echoes' and it was right up my ally - beautiful piano trio jazz with some rhodes as well. Snagged a copy of that album at WM…

Trying my best to get these episodes out when I can! To tell the truth, it's been getting more difficult for a number of reasons. There will always be new mixes, though later this year they might be less frequent and in a different form. Stay tuned! For now, peep the latest set, various obscure digs along with a few that landed in the mail box rece…

It's been three months since I released the limited cassette version of this and so I wanted to share the full version now that the cassettes are mostly sold out (a few still remain - djianhead.bandcamp.com) - hope folks dig it. The full story is on the Bandcamp page but I made this breaks mix to submit to Wax Poetics, who rejected it so I figured …

More and more, I've been collecting solo piano records, I imagine partly because I grew up listening to my mom play piano and partly because my ears have slowed down a bit as I've gotten older. Here's a first short stack of some favorites, which won't be the last. I have continued to be working with just one needle for most of this month, and this …

Been having some needle issues this week so apologies for the delayed episode. Also was in NYC last week and managed to grab a few things, plus acquired a few more from online dealers recently. So here's a cool mix of various styles, genres, flavors and whatever else! Dig in. Tracklist: Takumi Moriya, James Moody, Jacky and Company, Joe Bataan, Len…

A set of cooled out selections from recent buys the past couple months. Been marinating on some new record and music-related ideas for the spring and summer as well. For now, hope you dig this! Free Palestine! Tracklist: Solar Plexus, Marcos Resende Index, John Neptune, Ian Carr and Nucleus, John Wood, Dark Horse Reunion…

Back with an episode for the new year - some mellow-ish selections to set a tone. Trying to get back on pace with some weekly episodes for you all but it remains a little tough with everything going on. Hope folks are healthy and safe out there. Tracklist: JJ Whitfield, Jazz Co/Op, Rudolph Johnson, Alan Hawkshaw, Brian Bennett, Tangerine Dream, Atl…

Just fifty favorite records of mine that I happen to own in vinyl in no particular order. Mostly 90s 'backpacker' type stuff - it's a reflection of when I was collecting at the time, and doesn't necessarily represent all my favorite artists or favorite songs, many of which never were released on vinyl. I've never made a mix this long, and admittedl…

Back after being absent for too long. Too much going on in my life and the world to put one of these together, but am trying to get back on track. This is a sample of the various records I've been stacking up in the meantime - hope you dig it! Tracklist: Adam Makowicz Unit, Frankie Ortega, Frank Cunimondo Trio, Don Elliot, Johnny Lewis Quartet, Nan…

Hard to put a mix together right now with what's happening in Palestine. Sending love to everyone fighting against apartheid and to FREE PALESTINE! Here's a few low key tunes for when you need a break from the madness, if you're able to take one.

Decided it was worth pulling from my small stack of 10-inch size jazz vinyl for a variety of jazz cuts and styles. Enjoy! Tracklist: Nicola Conte, Cal Tjader, Music De Wolfe, Amanda Whiting, Jancsi Korossy, Johnny-Cretu Raducanu, Langston Hughes, Carol Kaye, Greg Foat, Randy Weston Trio

Been a hectic past month, but in-between it all I've picked up a few things here and there. Lots of 7inch heat on this one! Enjoy. Tracklist: Armand Boatman Trio, The Kanpai Quartet, Frollen Music Library, Aesthetic, Nautilus, Timo Lassy, Release Music Orchestra

This dedication mix is long overdue. In 1996, my friend Dave played me Journey to Satchidanada and I was blown away. A year or two later, I recovered a weathered copy of the record from a book and record store on East 7th Street in Manhattan while digging around with the same friend and it became a prized possession. Over the coming years I educate…

This week I threw together one more summer mix of just a few records I don't play often enough. Big Nicola Conte vibes on this one, which some great, upbeat jazz-house-ish flavors! Enjoy.