I came here a while back. Personally I found this place to be a little gem. Rasputin in Berkeley has a bigger selection in genres; at the same time DHM carries items that are very rare to find in the area (both new and used). I actually found rare copies of two different jazz albums on CD that I love (still sealed even though I didn't need to buy them) so that says a lot to me. Also, I noticed that they're products are overall pretty reasonably priced. I don't care for Vinyl, but I noticed they have a big section for that that in there too. They even sell live music performances DVD's that might interest you even if you're into Rock mostly (which is not the highlight of this store). I walked out with a brand-new copy of Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue for a friend, and I am grateful for the owners allowing me to browse in peace. Would definitely come back again. read more

These folks are the real deal when it comes to being true professionals with their vast music knowledge and amazing customer service. Please take a moment and SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES that care about you and your patronage! Stores like this are an absolute treasure so make sure you help out by shopping with them in a physical "brick & mortar" store instead of online. Smell the vinyl records and experience a magical journey by digging through their collection! If you have any old albums, take them in and monetize it for some fresh new stuff. Remember, one man's junk is another man's treasure. These folks have my loyalty and future business, now get down there and score some amazing vinyl records!!!!! read more

Down Home Music Store - Kraftwerk -Trans Europe Express - Music & DVDs Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Down Home Music is raising money to buy the building that houses the music store and two other nonprofits. I heard about it on KCSM when Chuy interviewed two people from the nonprofits. Today I stopped by to make a donation and was helped by a lovely woman about my age. We talked politics and demonstrations, of which there were many today, and agreed we no longer demonstrated, though we did in our youth. I wrote a check to the Down Home Music Foundation and they will mail me a receipt. It's a great cause and I wish them the very best in their endeavor. read more

I found an old record from the 50s on CD that my 92 year old dad was looking for. This was a great find. Thank you.

Great selection an excellent personal service. Easy to access location with its own parking lot.

This is the best record store on the planet. The people who own and operate this store are true music lovers. This is a shrine to the best music produced in this country and elsewhere in the world. It is clearly a labor of love. They have an incredible selection of music in different formats. They also have music related items. The guys who work here are extremely knowledgeable and really class acts. They are really helpful with customers needs and wants. Their prices can't be beat. They even have a fascinating selection of music memorabilia, including original Woodstock tickets from 1969. I urge you to go and visit this institution as soon as you can. It is breathtaking in its devotion to the best music in the world. They have their own parking lot next to the store. They also have regular events at the store. Just an incredible place. read more

Greatest music store in the entire Bay Area! Fantastic people behind the counter too. A Bay Area treasure if ever there was one.

If you are in the market for vinyl, or used CD's then this is the place for you. Friendly and helpful staff, they will leave you be to roam at your leisure but are there to answer any questions. read more

A wonderful selection of high quality records and CDs, new and used. Very well organized and priced fairly!

Somewhere between a museum and a trade mart is what this is. Museum if you've just heard a few names and want to see what the fuss is about, but likely won't buy anything. Trade mart if you've been listening to everything from country blues to world music since... well for a long time anyway, and want to fill out your collection in some new way. Chris Strachwitz the owner has been awarded lots of commendations for his work in recording numerous artists while they were still around, creating the Arhoolie label. He's a bit like John Goddard, a similar character over in Mill Valley who operated Village Music for years. Except that Chris took it on the road for years, re-discovering musicians who had folded their tent after years of practically giving their music away meanwhile living in poverty. To describe the extent of music you can browse at Down Home would be a waste of time which is to say impossible, just say if you've got any interest in blues, jazz, country, celtic, African, Carribean, or just about any other music from various periods of time, from most other places in the world where music happens, you really need to drop in here. Things don't last forever, just ask those of us who frequented Village Music for years and then now we can't anymore. read more

Went to Down Home Music today to checkout a record show that was in the parking lot but lended up finding more of what I was looking for inside the store ! This place has so much music and the prices are very reasonable. Had a great time perusing through the different rooms of music, books, cds, etc.. Music lovers should definitely checkout this treasured music paradise . read more

This review is long, long, long overdue! They may not have what you originally wanted when you made the trek there (which was the case when I headed over one rainy night a couple years ago), but they are guaranteed to have something you forgot you wanted or weren't expecting to have. The place is huge and their main focus seems to be classic rock, soul, and Americana. They have a treasure trove of 78's lining one wall and an international and cajun/zydeco section, which is unique compared to alot of record stores I've visited. Should be in the rotation of shops for any self-described Bay Area vinyl aficionado, if you're not focused on just hip-hop records. read more

Legendary Down Home Music!!! Vinyl!!! CDs!!! Other goodies!! In-store artist appearances!!! Legendary Chris Strachwitz (Arhoolie Records)!!!Legendary John McCord!!! What's not to love?! I give this fine establishment ten out of five stars!!! Did I mention: Legendary?!?! read more

This place is off the beaten path but well worth the trip. Actually a pleasant walk from BART.An amazing selection of the music I love and lots of hard to find and import stuff too. The only thing I find hard about going there is I never have enough money to buy all the stuff I want. The staff knows their stuff too, try to stump 'em why don't ya. read more

The record store is a dying institution, and most of them (like Tower and Virgin) will not be missed when they go. But Down Home Music specializes in the niches of less mainstream American music like Zydeco, Blues, Bluegrass, Western Swing, Folk and Rockabilly. So every visit there draws your attention to something you didn't know, or had forgotten about. The gentlemen (and occasionally, woman) at the counter are friendly, knowledgable, and will by your records or CDs if they are within the store's musical parameters. There are also live performances. So for god's sake, go spend some many there, so that Down Home continues to be a physical manifestation of music. Do be aware, though, that they are open Thursday through Sunday. read more

Love this Local Music Store. Ample supply of Jazz and blues Albums... pre-owned and new. Very fair pricing, great service... doesn't have the volume of options that Amoeba Berkeley has, but you can find some great gems here! Additionally they have a turntable to "check out" preowned LPs before you buy! Both my favorite and my "go to" spot for Vinyl... great selection of CDs as well!! read more

Time and escalating rent in the Bay Area coupled with the advent of Ebay and Craigslist seem to have shuttered many a record store, but Down Home Music still opens its doors for part of the week. Some might say it owes its survival to its location in El Cerrito, but I like to think it is because of the gold mine that it it truly is. For while the plaid-clad neo-hillbillies stand in front of their mirrors and try to decide if their outfits are too ridiculous to wear out to the 'bluegrass' show on Valencia Street, the lights are out at Down Home Music, and on its darkened shelves rest the real vinyl versions of the scratchy transfers they listen to on Spotify... Down Home Music is a real-deal record store. Regardless of your knowledge of music and the scale of your record collection, you will always find something you don't own and that you have not yet heard, and the prices are very reasonable. While I usually go straight for the old-time country and British folk records in the back room, their offering spans the globe over from old to new. Their selection of Cajun and roots music material is abundant, likely due to the fact that the store was opened by the founder of Arhoolie records, who kept offices in the back of the building well before he opened the store in 1976. Down Home Music is really very much more than a record store; it is a cultural hub for real music enthusiasts and collectors. The staff is extremely knowledgable, the record, CD and book selection top-notch, and you can catch a performance on their stage here and there. read more

Down Home Music Store - Music o' Tennessee-Roan Mountain Hilltoppers, Virgil Anderson and others - Music & DVDs Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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WARNING: Down Home Music is dangerous! It is impossible to leave this store without buying something or wanting to buy $100 worth of CD's. cassettes, vinyls, DVD's on anything from do-wop; Tex Mex; salsa; international; polka; Sinatra; Elvis; Peter, Paul & Mary; Jake Shimabukuru; Iz; Hapa; and hundreds of other genres that you didn't even know about. I've bought countless gift certificate for friends and without exception they have redeemed those certificates within a week, if not the same day! Not for everyone... for anyone with an open mind and eclectic taste. Treat your heart and soul to this fabulous independent music store! read more

This is one bad ass old school music store. No bells and whistles. No frills of lights and jarring club type music. Just good ole' blues, country, blue grass, great jazz and a little bit of everything else in between. The staff here knows more about music than most anyone, and if they don't know about it will look it up for you. They will even let you work on their computer to find something needed. I have had the privilege of introducing many people to this place. People who have lyrics running through their brains and notes in their heart. They do get new releases. They do have used music. They will special order. They do not offer Target or bargain store prices on their cd's, but it will do your soul wonders to support a local mom and pop! read more

10th Reviewer! I drove by DHM when I was on my way to a shopping spree for my condo (Restoration Hardware, Z Gallery, and Crate & Barrel on on the same block). I spent a total of 30 minutes browsing all 3 stores and decided to stop by DHM because I was determined not going to go home after coming to east bay and not bring anything home! It was a truly amazing experience. I had no idea what this music store was all about, except that I LOVE MUSIC. I started to browse through the store and started to stop by the music station to sample their music. I was pleasantly surprised to the eclectic variations of music this store carries. Then I wondered to the World Music section and met Herman. I am usually leery of strangers ;), but Herman started our encounter by passionately telling me to listen to Wilson Corniel Chembo's "What are you doing the Rest of your life" sang by Grady Tate. After listening to the song, I felt that I was in another era. After seeing my reaction to the song, he patiently but persistently took me to a journey into Latin Jazz Music. He introduced me to "Tune Up", originally composed by Miles Davis and accompanied by John Coltrane. The remake was done by Wayne Wallace, another mind blowing experience as I listen to the songs this amazing musician made. The sound track was "The Reckless Search for Beauty". Herman then took me to my final journey to this experience by introducing me to Bola. It was a tribute to this great musician done by Francisco Cespedes & Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Herman told me the extremely sad story of Bola and introduced me to his music. I immediately fell in love! What an experience! It has been a long time since I felt this alive! I was moved by Herman's passion and intensity. He was so adamant to share how these music had touched him and made him so happy with me. He shared with me what his grandmother once said to him: "Music is the heart of the family. It grounds you by centering yourself. You honor you parents, your family, the earth, and most importantly, you will learn to love yourself through music." I am grateful for this experience because Herman has brought me back to basics. He reminded me all the beauty in the world and above all, to love myself. I later found out that Herman is a music professor and he is there to share his love of music to the world. PS. Herman is married with a grandson named Michael who is close to my age. :) read more

in the pleistocene, I bought a bunch of arhoolie records' zydeco releases. Would never have known about the Savoy-Doucet magic if not for arhoolie, an ear-opener that helped me gain appreciation for the people of the bayou. recently we saw the documentary "this aint no mouse music" that chronicles the musical journeys of Chris Srachwitz- displaced immigrant aristocrat from war-broken silesia-germany-poland who combines a great curiosity about and love of music mixed with on-location recording genius. down home music is Chris' home base. it was great to have the back story to help understand the incredible offering at down home music. if you have an open ear and unprejudiced love of music, you could just get lost for hours at down home... a bouillabaisse of cultural histories and musical forces. They have listening stations throughout the store to hear staff suggestions... they have good taste! we wound up taking away some Flatt&Scruggs TV show recordings from the 50s-60s, some Big Mama Thornton, and a couple other blues/dobro/slide collections. our wallets are probably not happy about the certain prospect of future visits to down home music! read more

They're vinyl selection is delicious ... in a nice room where you can wander through all of the vinyl without being burdened by other shoppers. I like this place so much that I own a t-shirt. This really is a great record store. I wish I lived closer ... but, then again ... that would probably be a bad thing. Word. read more

This place should be designated a Bay-Area Treasure and given a stipend to stay open in the era of downloads and record stores as just memories. Today I picked up some music for my road trip--support real music supporters: Down Home Music--and BUY LOCAL! read more

I finally found a Trombone Shorty cd, and also a Stuff Smith cd I didn't know I absolutely required, at Down Home this weekend!! Life is again worth living. (Huge sigh of contentment.) A tiny store worth cruising periodically, as they seem to tuck rare gems among the standards, and have both new and used offerings in vinyl and cd. read more

I walked in just to check it out, an I ended up buying $1,500 worth of great old blue CDs. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. read more

This is a great music store. It is a serious place. Some very unusual finds, including those put out by Down Home's own label. I came in looking for an old Ella Jenkins from my childhood, and found 2 new ones from her on a Smithsonian label. Who knew? Folk, blues, Polish-Texas, Mexican, bluegrass....I've discovered musicians there that I felt like I knew all my life, but never would have found on tinny itunes or mainstream stores. Knowledgeable staff. Bonus: You can open any 3 CD's or LP's per visit and listen to them on a nice hi-fi with sweet earphones. Try before you buy the old fashioned way. A real East Bay treasure. read more

A national treasure. If you have any interest in North American roots music, Down Home is a must-visit!

I decided to stop by Down Home Music based off the strength of its reviews here for records but like many things in life, Down Home turned out to be a disappointment. Their records were a bit more eclectic than most record stores and they had a selection of blues, r&b and folk that was larger than most stores. The problem is that the records themselves were pretty lackluster. Yes they have a big selection...but it's a big selection of (mostly) crap. They did seem to have a bunch of early 80s folk/blues/r&b collections that looked as if they were made in some dudes basement; most of these mentioned having "electronically stimulated stereo" YES! As well as having some more professional looking Arhoolie Records collections, which is the studio next door. These records seemed to be priced inexplicably high. Their new arrivals was decent, though some items were a bit expensive. There was a nice copy of Cream's Wheels of Fire on the purple & brown ATCO for $30. I walked off with one record for $9 that I thought looked interesting. The music wasn't that great but I found it selling for $75 - $100, so I guess you can find some deals there. As a final note, I was going to give the store 3 stars but decided on 2 because of the staff. Not one of the 3 employees said "hello" or offered their assistance. All that was said to me was "this it?" and "that'll be 9 dollars" They seemed preoccupied and uninterested. I would stop by infrequently just to check out their new arrivals. read more

Rinky N. is so right. This place is dangerous! My wife loves Down Home's selection and my wallet takes all the hits. But what can I say, if the Mrs. is happy, I'm happy. read more

Down Home is a national treasure. Blues, country, folk, rock cds and vinyl. The staff knows the music! I can spend an hour, walk out with outrageous finds. Maybe the best cd store in the Bay Area!! read more

Country, Bluegrass, Western Swing. LPs, CDs, DVDs, 45s, 78s. Original issues, reissues. Just don't expect to walk out with anything unless you're ready to pay the 25%+ markup on EVERYTHING. Maybe if the staff weren't so cold and unfriendly, their prices would warm as well. Amoeba, Rasputin, Dave's, Groove Yard , and Mod Lang are all recommended over this miserable place. read more

If you like real R&B, reggae, soul, etc go To this place! I can't put this great music store under a specific "label" because you can find what you want & they will order for you! Customer for many, many years read more

Though this store is quite well liked by many people (just see the other reviews) I found this place to not be my cup of tea. The stock panders to mainly to the folk/bluegrass/country crowd, although they have jazz CD and vinyl sections, it is filled with the basic big band and straight ahead jazz finds (Ellington, Basie, Rich, Davis, etc.) and with the items that they do have, I find the vinyl and CD prices to be on the higher end of the spectrum. The store is divided into two rooms; one for CDs and the other for vinyl. Kudos for having a turntable in the vinyl to listen before you purchase. In my 10+ trips to this store I have only made one purchase, though I have not given-up hope that i will one day find a gem here I only hit this place up when I am in the area and will not go out of my way to visit, read more

At the Little Store in BEREKLY, I was Encouraged to "PLAY JAZZ on THE BENCH" in Front, & was EXCITED to have "Famous Folks" SIt & Listen... Neighborhood: Fourth Street 1809B 4th St Berkeley, CA 94710 http://johnnysjazz.blogspot.com/ read more

yes, pure music in el cerrito. i feel humble grateful and enchanted when i am here. my pops raised me on geeky folk, from sea shanties to celtic, bluegrass and my favorite, abiyoyo. it is not snobby, as i have been noticing in specialty shops in sf . it feels good in there. a real hot spot for the truly talented, anonymous musicians of the bay area. read more

My absolute favorite music store. Everytime I come here I spend too much buying great music from all over our planet. Blues, jazz, Indian classical (well, not a great selection of that), African, country, rock, Mexican, Cuban, Venezuelan, Tibetan - you name it, they've got it! (Well, no B. Spears, etc.) The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, and you can listen to any CD in the store. This is also the world headquarters for Arhoolie Records, started by Chris Strachwitz many years ago. They've been helping to preserve a lot of music from this continent - recording and producing CDs. read more

This is heaven for people who love blues, folk, bluegrass, soul, jazz, reggae, and world music, etc. There are many many hard-to-find items located in this one store. Lots of cds and vinyl and music-related books. I bought an armload of music here and left with a smile on my face. I will definitely be back. read more

For the kind of store it is, this is definitely a 5-star spot, but since it's a niche store and isn't for everyone, I'll give it 4 stars overall. Like the Bop Shop back home in Rochester (see my review), Down Home specializes in American roots music, from blues and country to jazz and zydeco, from bluegrass and rockabilly to dixieland and old-timey mountain music. What can you say? Most folks who focus on a specific market do so because they have a genuine, consuming passion for it, and the employees here are no exception. They know their stuff and are friendly and helpful to boot. I'm still unclear as to whether or not this is actually the storefront for Arhoolie Records, a great roots music record label that is based on San Pablo in El Cerrito as well. Either way, this is a great place... read more

To resolve a prior reviewer's uncertainty, I will first verify the proposition that Arhoolie Records is intimately connected to Down Home Music (hereafter referred to as DHM). DHM is the best place in the Bay Area to find recordings of traditional music from all six human-inhabited continents, authentic blues, real country, early jazz, and, of course, the complete catalog of Arhoolie Records. They carry imports that can only be found with great difficulty on the Web and have a delightful array of DVDS and videotapes. This store is not just for hardcore folkies: they have the best Sun Ra section I've ever seen and sell nearly every Frank Zappa DVD put out by Honker home video. The boxset selection is immense, and on and on. Do yourself a favor and drop on by! read more

One of the East Bay's best kept secrets! The CD's can be a bit pricey but they come from independent artists from around the world so I don't mind. The real gem here is the vinyl room. I stopped by once to get some old Taj Mahal CD but didn't realize what secrets they kept in the side room until a friend told me they had mountains of vinyl in there. Amazing stuff! Tons of deals and lots of crazy imports and old school LPs. The staff is awesome too! Every time I buy some old vinyl I learn something really interesting about the records I'm getting from the dude at the counter. Great Place! read more