This article will introduce you to some of the best jazz record shops in London.

Recent years have seen a revival of both jazz and vinyl. As more people have got into vinyl, we’ve seen a proliferation of new record stores, as well as a new lease of life for older stores that have held dear to vinyl all along.

The last decade has also witnessed a renewed interest in jazz music, with London’s jazz scene especially kicking off over the past five years or so.

However, only a few record stores can be said to specialise in jazz. This list will help you identify the hot-spots for jazz records in London.

Let’s jump in and find out about the best London jazz record shops.

Soul Brother Records

Address: 1 Keswick Rd, London, SW15 2HL

Soul Brother Records is located in East Putney, and is well-known as one of the best record shops in the UK for jazz, as well as soul.

Founded in 1991, Soul Brother has been a stalwart of London’s vinyl scene for over three decades. They boast a stock of over 50,000 vinyl albums in their catalogue, with a nice chunk of this devoted to jazz.

Go to Soul Brother.

Reckless Records

Address: 30 Berwick St, London, W1F 8RH

Located in the heart of London’s Soho, Reckless Records sits just off Oxford Street, on Berwick Street. Founded in 1984, the store is amongst the most historic and most-respected record stores in London.

Reckless Records boasts a fantastic collection of jazz, as well as soul, hip-hop, rock and pop, as well as a lot of hard-to-find and deleted records.

Go to Reckless Records.

Honest Jon’s Records

Address: 278 Portobello Road, London, W10 5TE and Unit 115, Lower Stable Street, Coal Drops Yard, London

Operating from Portobello Road and Coal Drops Yard at King’s Cross, Honest Jon’s is a staple of the vinyl record community in London. Established in 1974, the store has built its sterling reputation over four decades of buying and selling.

The shop is run by Mark Ainley and Alan Scholefield, who took over from the original owner, “Honest” Jon Clare.

With specialisms in blues, folk, soul, world, and dance, Honest Jon’s also boasts an impressive jazz collection. The picture shows the original Portobello Road store.

Go to Honest Jon’s.

Yo Yo Records

Address: 324d Hackney Rd, London, E2 7AX

Based in Hackey, East London, Yo Yo Records is one of the best London record stores for jazz. They offer a fantastic selection of funk, soul, Brazilian, Latin, disco, Afro, fusion, and jazz, with many vintage pressings available.

Go to Yo Yo Records.

Sounds of the Universe

Address: 7 Broadwick St, London, W1F 0DA

Sounds of the Universe is an independent record store that is also affiliated with the Soul Jazz Records label.

Based in London’s Soho, the store claims the best collection of “reggae, dubstep, house, disco, funk and soul, Brazilian, Latin, African and world beats in the UK.” They stock a very impressive range of both new and old vinyl jazz albums – a selection which is also amongst the best in the UK.

Go to Sounds of the Universe.

Atlantis Records Hackey

Address: 8 Clarence Rd, Lower Clapton, London, E5 8HB

A relative new-comer on the scene, Atlantis Records opened in 2020. However, the store is run by two record collecting stalwarts, John and Liam, with years of knowledge between them.

The shop buys a lot of records as well as selling, and they specialise in jazz, funk, soul, reggae, African, and rock’n’roll records.

Go to Atlantis Records.

Stranger Than Paradise Records

Address: Mare Street Market, 117 Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8 4RU

Based in the heart of East London’s Hackey, Stranger Than Paradise is an independent record shop selling new releases and reissues.

The shop offers a wide range of genres, with an impressive, dedicated jazz section. They offer hundreds of jazz albums, including some of the latest from the UK’s vibrant jazz scene, as well as reissues of classic jazz albums.

Go to Stranger Than Paradise Records.

If Music

Address: Currently online only

Based in Soho, the small but mighty If Music is amongst London’s most renowned record stores. What it lacks in size it makes up for with the expertise of the shop’s owner, Jean-Claude – a specialist on rare vinyls, and noted radio DJ.

The store offers a reasonably-sized and expertly curated selection of soul, funk, R&B, hip-hop, reggae, and jazz.

Go to If Music.

Out on the Floor Records

Address: 10 Inverness St, London, NW1 7HJ

Located in the iconic Camden Town, Out on the Floor Records is a legendary independent record shop. Owner Jake is a real music expert, and he stocks a truly eclectic mix of records, from punk, to reggae, to drum and bass, to jazz – representing the diversity of London’s music scene.

A fantastic record store to go digging in, with a respectable jazz offering.

Go to Out on the Floor Records.

Phonica Records

Address: 51 Poland St, London W1F 7ND

Phonica is an amazing independent record store based in London’s Soho. The shop specialises and electronic and dance music, with a stunning collection, but they also boast an impressive jazz offering.

Drop in to check out new jazz releases from many lesser known and emerging artists, as well as reissues of classic jazz albums.

Go to Phonica Records.

Any outstanding London jazz record shops we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments.

Header image: Honest Jon’s

You might also like:

• 20 Best Jazz Albums To Own On Vinyl
• 25 Rare Vinyl Records Worth A Fortune Today
• 10 Best Bossa Nova Albums Of All Time

The post 10 of London’s Best Record Shops For Jazz appeared first on Pink Wafer.