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John Dixon is an absolute guru of vintage and obscure vinyl, a wizened historian of Arizona music, and one helluva esteemed disc jockey. The 60-something record hound, who goes by DJ Johnny D. when he’s spinning, boasts a meticulously compiled and catalogued platter collection (which numbers into the tens of thousands) that fills two buildings. It is the stuff of local lore, and Dixon has influenced more than a few notable Valley DJs (including the likes of Z-Trip, Smite, and Djentrification) and his weekly radio show, Mostly Vinyl with Johnny D., is always a fascinating trip into music history, typically filled with R&B, funk, and blues rarities. Such is the case for the new Sha-Boom Bang! compilation, produced by Dixon and featuring vintage gems and jams from a slew of long-forgotten Arizona doo-wop, soul, and R&B bands, including Chuck Womack and the Sweet Souls, The Four Dimensions, Little Worley and the Drops, and Butch McGhee. Dixon will spin songs from the disc along with Smite on Saturday, May 31, at Zia Record Exchange, 1850 West Camelback Road, during an all-vinyl DJ session featuring 45s. The needle drops at 6 p.m. Admission is free.
