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All Music Services Preserves Rare Musical
Treasures for Modern Audience
All Music Services owner Michael Mascioli holds a tall stack of
some of the rare recordings he has in his office.
By Jonathan Farrell
Cabaret fans and nostalgia enthusiasts take note, when looking for old records and rare one-of-a-kind finds one need and look no further than a little treasure trove nestled in the Castro.
Owner Michael Mascioli offers rare and unique records at his All Music Services that he runs out of his home on Prosper Street. Many of these music finds are being converted or re-mastered onto CD.
Being able to gather them is an effort, one that Mascioli knows very well. Back in 1991 he was co-owner of the Medium Rare Records shop on Market Street. After five years, he gave up Medium Rare but retained his passion for music.
“I love music and being around it is very rewarding to me,” said Mascioli. The walls of his office are literally stacked from the floor to the ceiling with music recordings from just about every era.
Some of the records and artists, like Pinky Waters’ “Let’s Be Buddies” album would be completely unknown to today’s “American Idol”–bred generation.
“Some of these singers were barely known in their time,” said Mascioli who not only does lots of research to find records to sell, but also to understand the story behind them.
At this point, Mascioli deals with all his customers through a mailing list. “I send out a mailing list, an e-mail catalog of what I have in stock and customers respond,” he said.
Local cabaret singer Bill Cooper often goes to Mascioli to find a recording. Cooper recently returned from NYC this past fall. His show, “You’re Soaking in It,” was a triumph at the Metropolitan Room there thanks in part to the help of Mascioli.
“To be able help someone like Cooper is part of the rewards of the job,” said Mascioli.
“Michael is wonderful. I am quite a collector,” said dancer and choreographer Jack Moore. Moore is from the generation that listened to music on 78s, 45s and 33 LPs. Moore now owns CDs thanks to Mascioli.
Moore noted that purchases arrive by mail and that “he guarantees everything. I am so surprised where Michael finds these things,” said Moore.
Transplanted to San Francisco from New Jersey, Mascioli got engrossed in music while at Temple University. “I got into various shows and concerts for free as a writer for the school paper,” he said.
This is when his passion for music – all sorts of music – began. “It sort of crept up on me, I would go to a show or a concert, write a story for the paper, but then discover an entirely unknown style or genre of music; at least to me at the time,” said Mascioli.
Each article took him from show to concert about town. He became enthralled with the music of Bette Midler, Manhattan Transfer and the Pointer Sisters long before they “hit the big time.” Performers like these were introducing audiences of their time to music from the past, re-packaging with contemporary flourishes.
“Before attending those shows I was just into the music of my peers, like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles,” he said.
Mascioli is developing a Web site to sell his wares.
For more information about All Music Services e-mail michael@allmusicservices.com. or call (415) 864-8222.
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