Subway Record Mart

While hoping to find the time to get to the Record Mart in the Times Square subway station, we stumbled upon it on our way to the Mets game. We haven't been in New York in 14 years and it's probably been 15 years since I last visited. I've since discovered that the Record Mart closed down in 1999 because of Guiliani's plans to beautify New york. The Record Mart may not have been much to look at but it always had soul. The story was finally able to reopen eight! years later, 2007. It is a small but a great place to purchase Afro-Caribbean/Latin music, to the extent that many of these musicians would seek out records there for their collections. In particular they come to talk to the manager of the store.

Opened in 1957 and still owned by music fan Jesse Moskowitz, the newer version of Record Mart is just 75 feet away from the old location and now stocked additionally with hardware in respect to today's marketplace. I was concerned that there might not be any music and although there may be less vinyl, there is still plenty of music-somehow tucked in that small space. Moskowitz is quoted as often saying, "we have three people shopping;the store is full". Cramped, indeed.

Despite our intention to get to CitiField asap, Maria gave me the okay for some spontaneous shopping. As I did years ago I scribbled some names on the back of a piece of scrap paper and asked a clerk for help. I mentioned that I enjoyed the listed artists but was instead seeking something not by them, but new recordings that shared roots with these players. The clerk directed me to a busy man who was flipping through and filing discs in rapid fashion. He popped his glasses up, looked over my list, listened to my request and walked over to two areas (everything is nearby) and in 30 seconds came back with three discs. He said these are all good. It occurred to me that many years ago I had a similar request- the music given to me then are still favorites: Grupo Folklorico Y Experimental Nuevayorquino,-Concepts in Unity and perhaps my first Manny Oquendo and Conjunto Libre record. This was the same person who helped me then- Who is this guy?!

I have since found that this man is Harry Sepulveda (see the http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/30/arts/one-man-university-latin-music-record-salesman-wins-following-for-his-knowledge.html, (Peter Watrous).

Sepulveda! I've read his liner notes - his name is always connected to New York music, Latin Beat Magazine . Sepulveda was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Brooklyn in 1959. His initial interest was in rhythm and blues records but the music at home was the music of Puerto Rico and Cuba. For this, no better place to be in America than New York. Sepulveda would spend much time at concerts, meeting musicians, documenting and listening, building his record collection and soon becoming the manager of Record Mart.

He has become a resident expert and historian for musicians, audiophiles, record labels preserving and promoting the traditions of the past to the present . Sepulveda continues to expand his knowledge and apparently is still willing to help out someone who hands him a meager list..



I handed Harry this list; Jimmy Bosch, Machito, Manny Oquendo and Libre Orchestra, Eddie Palmieri, Chocolate Armenteros. He handed me these: No to Equivoques...as Frankie Morales, Jose Alberto-El Canario, Luis Gonzalez-Tributo aun Gigante. The records are excellent!