Carmine Street Guitars

In his shop and workplace in Greenwich Village, New York, Rick Kelly makes electric guitars from wood salvaged from old buildings in the city, giving this wood a whole new lease on life. He creates instruments with a unique look and sound − helped by his apprentice, Cindy. As the neighbourhood has been improved and now has more wealthy residents, Kelly (who distrusts electronic gadgets and doesn’t have a mobile phone) continues to go his own way, running his shop which is a place of pilgrimage for guitarists.

The film shows how Kelly makes his guitars and shows day-to-day business in the shop, including visits from musicians such as Marc Ribot, Lenny Kaye, Charlie Sexton and Christine Bougie, wanting to try out Kelly’s guitars. As well as from another regular customer, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, whose idea it was to make a film about this very special shop.

Scopitone Café, free admission