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For a DJ who calls himself The Record Player, there’s no need to complicate things. Just spin great music – from the rarest to the quirkiest, most common to the most unexpected – and let the people dance and enjoy the sounds.

Matthew J. Braun has turned a lifelong love of music and an early desire to collect records into a career as a celebrated DJ in the competitive musical hotbed of Philadelphia, PA, who has rocked crowds from around the world. Airtight mixes and an uncanny ear for what the crowd wants makes The Record Player the rare DJ equally at home spinning Classic and Modern Hip-hop, Acid Jazz, R&B, House, Soul, Disco, Funk, Rock and more.

With influences ranging from De La Soul, Miles Davis and Marvin Gaye to Bill Laswell, Led Zeppelin, Groove Collective and Fishbone, The Record Player sees no divisions between musical genres, only a unifying groove that removes asses from their seats. The Record Player was drawn to the turntables by Herbie Hancock’s seminal “Rockit” and being exposed to DJs and endless wax while working at Bobbito Garcia’s FOOTWORK store in Philadelphia.

A dedicated crate digger, The Record Player has amassed a ridiculous record collection – enough to fuel a side hustle as international record dealer, while maintaining a personal collection that is the envy of DJs and the delight of parties and clubs wherever The Record Player spins. Born of a love for the music, The Record Player boasts an encyclopedic knowledge of sounds resulting in a one-of-a-kind sonic experience for all in listening (and dancing) range. While many DJs may be content with Top 40 sounds, The Record Player himself observes, “There is just too much good music out there from the past and the present to only play what’s on the radio.”

No need for boisterous DJ names here. When The Record Player spins, the music is the star. As he explains his chosen moniker, “It seems to fit me well. It’s direct and to the point. It’s both descriptive and abstract. It’s humorous and lacks ego but is also confident and mature. Plus, it’s such an obvious and generic name it’s amazing that nobody else has taken it yet!”

But make no mistake, the records don’t blend themselves and the liberating selection of sounds is no accident. With a resume that boasts opening slots for Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, ?uestlove, DJ Premier and colleagues like Rich Medina, Illvibe Collective, Joey Blanco, DJ Skeme, etc…, Matthew Braun is a DJ of the highest order; achieving that status by being smart and humble enough to not get in the way of the needle and the groove. After all, he’s just The Record Player.