This record shop—ancestral home of the indie record label—is heaven for collectors. The 30-year-old Baratos Afins began to issue its own records in 1982, when Arnaldo Baptista of “Os Mutantes” fame worked with the shop’s founder Luiz Calanca to independently release Singin’ Alone, his second solo album.
The internationally renowned label mainly focuses on local rock bands and a few choice jazz acts (notably the legendary guitarist Lanny Gordin), but musical myopia is certainly not a problem at Baratos Afins. The shop specializes in Brazilian pop music but sells absolutely everything. Calanca himself still shows up behind the counter, so even the most casual of visits could turn out to be an iconic São Paulo experience.
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