Jason Wilder

Our apartment, June 2025. Rochester, NY

While camping at Gifford Woods State Park recently, we made a trip into Rutland on Memorial Day so I could do some record shopping at Mountain Music. Prior to the trip, I saw that they had Sun Ra’s Paris Tapes on vinyl and for sale on the Discogs. It was meant to be as they still had it in their backroom. An easy sale. Take my money.

Beth and I love to travel anywhere and find experiences. Mountain Music was an experience. I love stopping into out of town record stores. (I must mention Mystery Train Records in Gloucester as another wickedly pleasant surprise from our travels as well). You go to the local ones so much they sometimes lose their lustre. Mountain Music particular shop had a selection that I just do not see here in Rochester for a shop of its size. Also, I enjoy noticing how shops outside of Rochester organize their stores, what kind of music they play and especially how they treat 7 inches. Aside from the Bop Shop, digging through 7 inches in Rochester is not especially enjoyable. Mountain Music was much like the Bop Shop. It felt very similar and different at the same time.

Sadly, I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to the owner. Despite them being open on Memorial Day, they were quite busy. I was hoping to get a suggestion and buy something blind on the suggestion from the owner but alas that never happened.

I never did get to see them while Sun Ra was still alive. I know the band carries on and seeing them has never come to fruition. The Paris Tapes is a live album. You can hear the crowd clapping and I can imagine some of them being affected how bands like Spiritualized and Slowdive affect me when I see them live.

Not many people in life enjoy Sun Ra. It’s a lonely endeavor.

I guess this is a round about way of saying at some point I’ll be having another Sun Ra Saturday or Sunday on June 28th or 29th. Maybe I will make a flyer and put it up in a couple spots.