Best of 2003: Best Rare Records Source

Folk Art Rare Records
3611 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights
619-282-7833

The jazz vocals, reggae, Brazilian guitar, western swing, pop, gospel, and bluegrass draw clients from all over the world. The shop's proprietor, Lou Curtiss (father of the Adams Avenue Street Fair), is a big part of the draw. Besides his Sunday night "Jazz Roots" radio show and "Melting Pop" -- his Internet program of ethnic, country, folk, and old-time music (www.worldmusicradio.com), he curates the Lou Curtiss Sound Library, a 90,000-hour archive of vintage recordings dating back to the 1890s. But come for the records. Yma Sumac singing her high C over C ($10), Johnny Ray sobbing "Cry" (single $4, LP $10), or J.C. Johnson's "Red Hot Hottentot" ($500).