$12

   A packed evening featuring the following -

- The final Portland performance of A People's History Of North American Music. Mississippi Records founder Eric Isaacson's psychedelic lecture / film / slideshow that attempts to tell the the entire history of music in America in just 80 minutes. It's filled with surprises and, if you've seen it before, this time around it has all kinds of new material. Eric will be accompanied by master musician Harlan Silverman's cello playing as he speaks. 

- Our pal Michael Hurley was scheduled to play this show, but since he exited to the other side of the veil before it was happening, we prepared a nice short film featuring some funny and moving songs and words. 

- Legendary rocker Toody Cole (Dead Moon, The Rats, The Range Rats, Pierced Arrows, etc) will be playing a short set after the presentation.

- Come early to hear the great Barry Walker Jr. play some beautiful pedal steel guitar. 

- We'll also have a merch table loaded with cool stuff and ALL proceeds (every cent you spend) will go to an organization that champions immigrants rights. Buy some records, shirts and old cool Mississippi Records ephemera to support a good cause. 

   TICKETS GO ON SALE ON OCTOBER 17TH!

It's the eighth Dead Moon night and we're celebrating with a serious bang. Eight is a very powerful number in Dead Moon numerology / mysticism (D-E-A-D M-O-O-N.....F-R-E-D C-O-L-E). So, we're bringing a HEAVY line up of surprise artists to do Dead Moon covers. (and yeah, Toody will be in the mix). It's gonna be a very good show. Everyone will do one song each. There will be free beer and whiskey. Kids are welcome. 

   Come by and celebrate the spirit of DIY real deal art and community. The world's greatest rock band walked amongst us. We'll light the candle in remembrance of the past and celebration of the future. 

Park across the street from Mississippi Records

FREE

Mississippi Records x Qobuz present the New York City debut of The Cosmic Tones Research Trio, Portland's finest practitioners of Great Black Music!

Featuring Roman Norfleet [Be Present Art Group, Angel Bat Dawid] on alto sax, Harlan Silverman on cello and various tiny instruments and percussive textures, and Kennedy Verrett on piano, The Cosmic Tones create truly beautiful and genre-defying spiritual music.

This special NYC showcase celebrates the release of their self-titled second LP, a follow up to their celebrated debut "All Is Sound" [released via Mississippi Records, 2024]. That record made many year end lists and resulted in invitations to Japan and Europe for the band The new LP builds on the last, diving further into transcendent sounds rooted in both meditative stillness and rhythmic propulsion.

Following the steps of musicians like Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra, and Laraaji, The Cosmic Tones Research Trio delivers music that is both restorative and sonically rich— exploring the space where sound becomes prayer.

TICKETS

Making Time 

On September 19th, Cyrus and Sam from the label will be DJ-ing to help kick off things at Philadelphia’s Making Time, exploring the Mississippi archive and beyond. You can find tickets here.

The Cosmic Tones Research Trio album release concert with screening of ETERNITY'S PILLAR (with Swamini Turiyasangitananda Alice Coltrane) and GRATITUDE TO THE MYSTERY (executive produced by Roman Norfleet, directed by Jason Hill).

A celebration of all things cosmic!

The evening will begin with a screening of Alice Coltranes' mid 1980's community access TV show ETERNITY'S PILLAR. Alice uses music, chanting and 80's special effects to showcase the harmony of the many callings to God and the ways that calling connects us all. A rare chance to immerse yourself in the music and aesthetics of one of jazz's greatest visionaries.

Next The Cosmic Tones Research trio will perform live in celebration of the release of their new record. The band plays a unique blend of healing music and spiritual jazz. Universal and ancient to the future.

The evening will conclude with another 20 minute episode of ETERNITY'S PILLAR and the world premier screening of the 15 minute documentary GRATITUDE TO THE MYSTERY. The documentary gives an impressionistic snapshot of  Roman Norfleet, The Be Present Art Group, and The Cosmic Tones Research Trio as they make music and art in Portland.

The new Cosmic Tones Research Trio LP will be available. Come buy it from the band and support your local music scene.

A night of powerful music not to be missed! 

TICKETS

June 13th, 8 PM
Jalopy Theatre, Redhook NY. 

https://www.viewcy.com/e/a_peoples_history_of

 In case you missed it at The Brooklyn Folk Festival, this film / slideshow / lecture presented by Mississippi Records founder Eric Isaacson is back for one night only.   It's the entire history of American music condensed into a 90 minute story. How could that not be fun?

It's been just about three weeks since our pal Michael Hurley passed away. If you missed it, here's a four hour radio tribute we broadcasted a few days back -

https://kboo.fm/program/ditch-digger
https://kboo.fm/program/dr-zombs-stereo-obscura

We miss Michael a ton. His corporeal self is gone, but the spirit remains strong. His memorial is coming up and you're all invited. Beyond what's announced below there will be some surprises. 

Michael was a strong presence on our little Mississippi Records / Red Fox / Cherry Sprout / Sweedeedee corner. He played in our park at least 20 times, if not 50. We look forward to hearing his pals and fans sing songs in his honor for a day. You're welcome to jump up on stage yourself.....just be fast.....

MICHAEL HURLEY MEMORIAL 
CHERRY SPROUT PARK  (ACROSS THE STREET FROM MISSISSIPPI RECORDS)
SUNDAY, MAY 4TH
12 - 4 PM

Come on down to celebrate the life of the great Michael Hurley. There will be free food and music. Dogs shall frolic and children shall dance. All are welcome.

If you'd like to play a song or say something, please sign up here -https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WL0KmJERxtg00MvMLNICBN4luUjrUHM3kK4mtDRqniE/edit?gid=0#gid=0

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO SING, PLAY MOUTH TRUMPET OR TALK, but please limit it to one song and speak for under three minutes. And - The Croakers will be on hand to back you up! Please indicate if you'd want that on the sign up form. Also - if you have printed pictures of Michael you'd like to hang on the clothesline, please bring them. We got plenty of clothespins. 

This is a public celebration, so even if you didn't know Michael personally but were touched by his music, art and/or the general concept of his singular being - YOU ARE WELCOME. 

CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF MICHAEL HURLEY. 
LO FI AND HI FI SNOCK HOG HEAVEN

APRIL 16th. 
8 - 12 PM
KBOO Radio (Portland)
https://kboo.fm/

Join Mississippi Records founder, store owner, and old pal of Michael's Eric Isaacson for a four hour deep dive into the music of Michael Hurley. Expect the hits, as well as songs you've never heard.

Michael Hurley was a singular American musician who released thirty one LP's and ten singles in his lifetime. He passed away on April 1st, 2025. We're excited to celebrate his vast catalog. Besides cuts from his releases and from the Mississippi Records vaults, we'll also be rebroadcasting an interview and in-studio performance by Michael that aired on Ditch Digger Radio around eleven years ago. 

Get hip to the sounds of one of the best musicians to walk this green earth. 

Dorian Supin
AND THEN CAME THE EVENING AND THE MORNING / SIIS SAI ÕHTU JA SAI HOMMIK
1989, 60 min, DCP. In German, Russian, and Estonian with English subtitles.
A sensitive, humorous, and deeply personal look at the pioneer of “holy minimalism,” Arvo Pärt, this film was shot by Estonian documentarian (and Pärt’s brother-in-law) Dorian Supin. Filming while Pärt and his family were in semi-exile in West Berlin in the early 1980s, Supin was given extraordinary access to both daily life in the family home and the artist’s burgeoning public career. Pärt as an artist and person shines through here – traveling the world, peeling potatoes, navigating fame and politics, laying his head on the piano, and just playing when words fail. Supin’s film is a rare music documentary that reflects the rhythm, language, and philosophy of the artist it portrays.

The screening will be presented by Cyrus Moussavi of Mississippi Records.

YO LA TENGO SOUNDTRACK RELEASE WITH AN INTERVIEW WITH SCREENWRITER JON RAYMOND!

A beautiful film made by Kelly Reichart in 2004. Shot in Portland and the Cascade Mountains, the film captures the feel of our region better than any other (maybe tied with DRUGSTORE COWBOY and MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO).

The movie follows two old friends who are growing apart as they embark on a road trip and manages to dodge all the conventions of telling that well worn story. It's just straight up beautiful and tells the truth.

Mississippi Records is showing Old Joy to celebrate the understated beautiful soundtrack by Yo La Tengo being released on vinyl for the first time.

Co-script writer Jon Raymond will be interviewed by Mississippi Records Eric Isaacson after the movie.
Director: Kelly Reichart
Run time: 76 mins

Ambient and Spiritual Music From Around the World with DJ Harlan Silverman

Mississippi Records
5202 N Albina Ave, Portland, OR 97217

January 31st, 5:00 PM

 A DJ set by master musician and straight up music head Harlan Silverman. It'll be a special night of peaceful tunes. 

The Wax Prayer Hour with DJ Roman Norfleet
January 19th, 1:30 PM

Mississippi Records
5202 N Albina Ave, Portland, OR 97217

An hour of spiritual and devotional music played by DJ Roman Norfleet. As good a vibe to shop to as there ever was. 

Nearly 20 years after the film came out, join us in celebrating the release of the Yo La Tengo original soundtrack to Kelly Reichardt’s understated classic “Old Joy,” with a screening of the film introduced by Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley.

Born out of a years-long friendship between the band and Reichardt, the music is low-key yet arresting, stripped down to the essentials, warm and unpretentious, similar to the director’s work. The film follows the trajectory of two friends in the context of post-9/11 America, surrounded by gorgeous wilderness, making for a minimalist yet powerful tale of friendship and alienation. The soundtrack will be available for the first time on vinyl at @filmforumnyc concessions.

🗓️ Tuesday, January 14, 7:15 pm
📍Film Forum (209 W Houston St, New York, NY)
🌐 Co-presented with @bombmag
🎟️ Tickets through the link in bio

🖌️ Artwork by @postmoves_

URAL THOMAS 85TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 

December 21st
Revolution Hall Portland
(1300 SE Stark Street #110, Portland, OR)

An argument could be made that Ural Thomas is the coolest person ever to make Portland his home. He's been playing DIY music here for 71 years. He invented the tearaway outfit, the backwards outfit and the human hair outfit. He's been nothing but kind and generous to everyone he comes into contact with. This is THE MAN. 

It's Ural's 85th Birthday on December 21st, so a major show is in order. He and his band the Pain will be playing, along with others. Surprises will happen and good vibrations will be spread. 

Come celebrate the birthday of a living Soul music legend. 

Sweet Wreath & Mississippi Records Present

Mister Sweet Whisper
by Johnny Coley and Worst Spills

Album Release Celebration
with Mother Harmony and Flusnoix

at Saturn (200 41st St S, Birmingham, AL 35222)
8 PM

About Mother Harmony
Mother Harmony is a cosmic folk choir dedicated to collective singing. Formed in 2019, the project grew out of Crystal and Amber’s band Minerals, and became a new effort amongst several collaborators. The group performed ceremonially oriented sets at The Firehouse, East Village Arts, and Saturn, recorded tracks for the Spring and Winter volumes of Seasonal Séance, and will open the Sweet Wreath Speaks! festival. Crystal describes Mother Harmony as an idea that “unites hidden voices in a hoop of connective expression. She invokes the healing frequencies of aural synergy and empowers the notion that everyone deserves to sing. Her illuminated quest: to weave people together through song and teach them to commune in the spirit of creative congruency!”

About Flusnoix
Flusnoix, a Montevallo, Alabama-based group of musicians, was founded by Jess Marie Walker and her need to connect drawing and making music. The group’s improvisations were recorded in March 2016 at the Kewahatchee Lounge in Birmingham. Using flusdrawxing and flusvoxing in other performances and art installations lead to the creation of Flusnoix.

20 YEARS IN THE CRYPT
EMBEDDED ON TOUR WITH DEAD MOON
November 25th
Hollywood Theatre

WORLD PREMIERE OF A NEW DEAD MOON PERFORMANCE DOC!
FILMMAKER JASON AXEL SUMMERS AND TOODY COLE IN ATTENDANCE!

In 2001 filmmakers Jason Axel Summers and Kate Fix teamed up with Dead Moon to film the documentary Unknown Passage - The Dead Moon Story. The filmmakers were welcomed into the world of the band as if members of their family.  Jason and Kate shot 180 hours of film and all of it except what was used for the Unknown Passage documentary remained in the can....until now!

This new film revisits the performances that Jason & Kate captured on tour with Dead Moon, most of it never presented to the world. We'll also see fun and interesting footage of a less formal nature, just hanging out and traveling with the band. This film is meant to be a window back in time for fans of Dead Moon, new and old.

Don't miss this chance to see Dead Moon footage on the big screen with great sound. Toody Cole and director of the film Jason Axel Summers will be doing a Q&A afterward! 

A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSIC

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn_lAwn8h1E

New slideshow & presentation by Eric Isaacson, co-founder of Mississippi Records, and new introductory soundworks by Corum of Psychic Sounds ... both traversing the American planescape for the first time since 2018 ! !

CORUM (of Psychic Sounds) opens the evenings with a short set of new compositions in the vibe of atmospheric "lounge / parlor" sounds to set the mood as people take their seats and enter in the room, then :

A new lecture / film / slideshow that attempts to tell the entire history of North American music in ninety minutes guiding you through this whirlwind presentation of archival film, sound clips and images.

Subjects include:

- Examples of industrialization devolving the human race to become dumber while other animals are getting smarter.
- The insane early American Puritan's visions of a utopian musicless society.
- How The Church Of Scientology saved the record industry.
- A brief history of Mississippi Records and details about the many chips on their shoulders.
- The dystopian world of Spotify and AI music.
- Hopeful messages about the future.

Overall, it's the story of how the powers that be try to control music and people throughout history finding ways to work outside puritans, corporations, and tech lords' systems despite these social engineers' best efforts. Don't worry, it's a fun telling of this tale with lots of great music, images, and wild stories.

About the presenters:
- Eric Isaacson founded the Mississippi Records store and label in 2003. The label has released over 360 records and 160 cassettes. Eric has toured with presentations like this one for the past eleven years, performing over two hundred shows in over forty different countries.

- Corum:

Grant Corum is a visual & recording artist. He is best known for his design & screen prints for music labels such as Sublime Frequencies, Psychic Sounds, Mississippi Records, Sahel Sounds, Feeding Tube, Aguirre, and Time-Lag among others. He has created & collaborated on many audio releases, installations, performances & exhibits throughout the United States, Guatemala, Japan and Europe. He currently resides and works in mid-coast Maine.

calendar by Tockify

TICKETS AND SCHEDULE BELOW:

11/4 - Richmond, Virginia - https://www.studiotwothree.org/event-tickets/p/a-peoples-history-of-american-music
11/6 - Philadelphia, PA - Brickbat Books - https://brickbatbooks.blogspot.com/
11/7 - Baltimore, MD - True Vine (TBA)
11/10 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn FolkFestival - https://www.viewcy.com/o/thebrooklynfolkfe
11/13 - Portland, ME - Washington Baths  https://washingtonbaths.com/
11/14 - Providence. RI - Lost Bag -https://www.instagram.com/lostbagspace
11/15 - New London, CT - Telegraph Autonomous Zone (TBA)
11/16 - Keene, NH - Nova Arts -https://www.novaarts.org/events/peopleshistory

We are beyond the moon to let you all know that Michael Hurley will perform at this year's Brooklyn Folk Festival on Sunday, November 10, at St. Ann's Church (157 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights)

From our friends at Brooklyn Folk Festival:

We are so honored to announce that the legendary Michael Hurley will be joining us at the 2024 Brooklyn Folk Festival! Our hearts are full as we welcome Hurley back to the Main Stage on Sunday, November 10th at 5:20 pm. The historic St. Ann’s Church in beautiful Brooklyn Heights. You won’t want to miss this one.

THE COSMIC TONES RESEARCH TRIO RECORD RELEASE PARTY
WITH THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS

SEPTEMBER 9TH
Hollywood Theatre
7:30 PM

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS PRESENTS THE COSMIC TONES RESEARCH TRIO - ALL IS SOUND RECORD RELEASE! Featuring The Secret Life Of Plants and a live set by The Cosmic Tones Research Trio.

To celebrate the release of ALL IS SOUND, The Cosmic Tones Research Trio (Roman Norfleet, Harlan Silverman and Kenney Realness) present a night of healing music and film.

First off will be a live performance by the Trio, The group plays music that is unclassifiable - At its heart it's healing / meditation music, but the Gospel and Blues roots are in there too, as well as hints of Cosmic Jazz and beyond.

After the live set, we'll be showing an AMAZING NEW TRANSFER of Mississippi Record's favorite documentary - THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS. The movie is part psychedelic Stevie Wonder music video, part art film and part mockumentary. It starts with the birth of our planet and all plants and ends with Dogon Space Rituals....and there are plenty of surprises that carry you through the journey, including interpretive dancing, Stevie rowing his boat through paradise and amazing time lapse videos of the life of plants.

A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICAN MUSIC 
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH
Hollywood Theatre 
7:30 PM

Thirteen years ago Mississippi Records started putting together, what we call for lack of a better descriptive," psychedelic slideshows/films". The first was called I DON'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE. It was a meditation on cultural extinction and a history of a bunch of artists on the Mississippi Records label. The presentation ended up touring around the world.

At the time of that first show's tour, there was no information about Mississippi Records available outside of Portland. We were an internet black hole. The only way to get in touch was to write us a letter or call us on the phone, which we picked up maybe 20% of the time. We never talked to the press - hanging up on everyone from Rolling Stone to the New York Times. 

Miraculously we were selling around six thousand of our labels releases per month without any promotion, press or social media. Suddenly appearing in towns around the world in person felt like the right and only way to make a first reveal of our "world vision."

That was thirteen years ago - before Trump, the pandemic, and the genocide in Gaza. The "world vision" I presented back then could be considered too precious for the current Portland populace. The modern Portlander might ask, "How can you wax on about the importance of culture preservation, how fun music is, and living outside capitalist norms in the face of the bigger fish we need to fry?" 

After the last few years of watching folks burn out on whatever front line they have chosen to fight on, it's only reinforced our belief that the best refuel is to immerse ourselves in culture. we're doubling down on our beliefs with this new presentation - a telling of the entire history of North American music.

To be honest, it's a pretty ridiculous show. It races through time and goes on unexpected tangents about things like Octopus intelligence, The Church Of Scientology, and my personal life. The show's definitely trying to be fun more than anything. But, you can't talk about the history of North American music without talking about injustice, oppression, and exploitation. So the darkness of America comes up, but not without some constructive and weird ideas on how to deal with it. 

August 30th at The Crystal Ballroom
Fred Cole's birthday celebration!!!!!

6:30 pm doors, 8 pm show
All ages welcome
$15 advance, $20 day of show

Our favorite rocker's Bday is being honored with performances by Toody Cole, Jenny Don't And The Spurs and Monica Nelson And The Jack London Trio. Impossible to even start to explain how important Fred is to our town, not to mention me personally. I still hear his voice in my head daily and look for signs he sends from the other side of the veil. I also still listen to an average of four Dead Moon records a week. 

 Watching Toody play shows over the past couple years has been one of the best times I've had. She brings it every time. The opening bands rule too. This is a great show not to be missed. C'mon Portland.

After a few years of a wonderful monthly night at the beloved New Orleans bar Vaughan's, the Domino Sound DJs have booked a summer getaway to play our beautiful and danceable records for a few dancefloors in New York. If you are in New York, please come out if you can. If you know anyone in New York that would be interested in a night out on the town with beautiful music and good cheer, please spread the word. The more, the merrier!

Soul, Cumbia, African, Reggae, New Orleans, Tropicalia, etc. vinyl records for you at:

Tubby's, 586 Broadway, Kingston NY, Saturday August 3rd
Radio Shop, 1136 President Street, Brooklyn, NY, Sunday August 4th

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 7 PM
Biblioteca Henestrosa (“Casa de la Ciudad Biblioteca Andres Henestrosa”)
Calle Porfirio Díaz, esq Morelos 115, Centro Histórico, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico
FREE

RELEASE EVENT: RADIOGRAFIA DEL ROCK EN OAXACA (PRIMERA PARTE: LOS SESENTAS)

Mississippi Records is proud to support the release of a new book, produced by the Archivo Sonoro de Oaxaca

Lineup for the event includes a conversation with the book’s author, Gamaliel Robles, and musician Jose Manuel Barbosa.

Live music by
EL GRUHPO
With special guest Jacobo Aragón Torres

Presentación del primero de cuatro libros que nos acercan a la historia de los grupos, los personajes, los sitios y formas de difusión del rock en la década de los sesentas.

Participan: José Manuel Barbosa y Gamaliel Robles
Actuación musical: El Gruhpo, invitado especial Jacobo Aragón Torres.
Get a copy of the book via WhatsApp: 9512519195

JULY 12TH
TRAVELS OVER FEELINGS 
AN ARTHUR RUSSELL TRIBUTE

ALL PROFITS GO TO JANUS YOUTH PROGRAMS
7:30 PM, HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

TICKETS

A celebration of the life of Arthur Russell and the release of Richard King's book Travels Over Feeling.
One of the 20th century’s true musical visionaries Arthur Russell (1951 – 1992) was a cellist, vocalist, and composer known for his fusion of classical and popular music including Disco, folk, and rock. Before his death from AIDS in 1992 Arthur defied genre and consistently challenged our expectations of what pop music could be. If you know his work, this event will be a chance to take a deep dive and hear his music resonate on the excellent sound system at The Hollywood Theatre.

If you're not familiar with Arthur, this event will be an excellent introduction to one of the 20th century's greatest artists.

Audika Records (Arthur's archival label, based right here in Portland!), Mississippi Records, and Lonesome Cowboy Iz present the following program:

- WILD COMBINATION; A Portrait Of Arthur Russell, directed by Matt Wolf.

- TERRACE OF UNINTELLIGIBILITY, a video by Phill Niblock.

- Live interpretations of Arthur's music by
Cellist Harlan Silverman 
Beloved experimental folk musician Dragging An Ox Through Water     
Singer/songwriter/producer Skyler Pia     
Full band Half Shadow

- A conversation between Mississippi Records' Eric Isaacson and Steve Knutson Audika Records founder and Arthur's primary archivist.  

A night to immerse yourself in the world of Arthur Russell not to be missed!

QUINTRON AND MISS PUSSYCAT
JUNE 16TH AT THE HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

Quintron and Miss Pussycat live! Legendary New Orleans musicians who filter the true psychedelic soul of New Orleans traditional party music through a Hammond organ, technicolor puppets, and a battalion of distorted, homemade instruments. Quitnron is the inventor of The Drum Buddy, a light sensitive drum machine used by folks like Laurie Anderson, and the Weather Warlock, which uses sun, rain, temperature, and wind to make music.

It's a show to behold. 

This special event will feature a puppet show, live music and a retrospective of films from the Quintron and Miss Pussycat archive. If you like fun, this is the place to be. 

TICKETS
https://hollywoodtheatre.org/tickets/25463/