All Over Albany

Rev Records

For local music label The Rev Records, it's all about cooperation from friends, families and neighbors. Even founder Harith Abdullah's mother has pitched in, helping to sew fabric CD covers for one album.

Since it's official launch in November 2006 with singer-songwriter Laura Boggs' debut album, "Whiskey & Springtime," Harith says he's worked to maintain that community spirit.

"The original idea was always about cooperation, and helping artists do things they couldn't necessarily do on their own," he says.

The label now has four albums under its belt, puts on two monthly events and has plenty more to come. Almost all of the work, even some of the recording, is done out of Harith's Center Square apartment and is aided by his friends, neighbors, family and fellow musicians.

For the label's first album, Harith says he even had his neighbors painstakingly silk-screening fabric to use as album covers, with sewing help provided by his mother.

"I'm kind of like the conductor," he told AOA. "I have the ideas and I get people to help me execute them."

Harith, 25, says that whatever an artist wants for their album, he'll try to figure it out, basically. For some albums, this may include recording in a professional studio while others have recorded in places like Harith's living room and friends' basements.

Even the name is homegrown: The Rev in The Rev Records in none other than Harith's cat, the Reverend Scot Sloane.

In addition to recording, the Rev Records also sponsors two monthly events. Revealed, which features several musicians each month on the last Tuesday at Tess's Lark Tavern and the Following Friday series, an acoustic series held at the Point 5 arts space.

You can check out the Rev Records this Friday with a special Following Friday event. Twelve local solo musicians and bands will each perform a song, which will be then be recorded and turned into a compilation album. All proceeds will go toward the Capital District Federation of Ideas, the arts cooperative that runs the Point 5 space.

The details:
Friday, April 11, 2008
7 to 10 p.m.
Point 5, 383.5 Madison Ave, Albany, NY 12210
With performances by: Laura Boggs, Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Band, Scientific Maps, Gay Tastee, Swamp Baby, Bessam Sam, The Red Lions, Lord Kimboat, Tom McWatters, We are Jeneric, The Silver Screams and the Woodstove.