A good bargain is music to his ears

L.A. DJ Cut Chemist, who has grooved with such diverse partners as hip-hopping Jurassic 5 and Latin funksters Ozomatli, will mix up another of his sonically potent potions Sunday night at the Hollywood Bowl.

The recording artist also known as Lucas McFadden (his latest release is “The Audience’s Listening”) will co-headline the KCRW World Music Festival event with DJ Shadow.

Harebrained ideas

Actually, my normal Friday would be nervously packing in preparation for going to the airport and appearing somewhere over the weekend before flying back on Sunday -- but if I had that time off, I’d probably start out with some home improvement. I bought a house that I’m completely redoing, with my own studio and record room where the horse stables used to be. My indie label’s called A Stable Sound. I find great pleasure in mapping out for my contractor what harebrained scheme I have next. Every room will have a theme and different types of records and a small portable turntable. World music in that room. Rock music over there. Rap in here.

I get some ideas on decorating from the independent shops on La Brea near 3rd Street. Indian-style furniture, a little bit of Asian; I’m pretty picky.

Then I like to stop for a little sushi at Nippon on Riverside in Toluca Lake. The people are nice, they know me, and they serve the Japanese pepper shishito, which I like for an appetizer. Ten tables max, very casual. Then I’d go home and listen to my old Red Alert mix tapes from New York.

Playing it by ear

On Saturday morning, I get up and make myself an omelet and then do some light record shopping. I’ll scour around in Inglewood or Torrance, but the problem is that the little independent record stores have been dropping like flies. There was one called Go Boy in Redondo Beach, but the last time I went by there it was gone. I might stop by El Tarasco for some fish tacos and then get home around 5 and get ready to go to the club Star Shoes, where I have kind of an unannounced residency. So I’d be picking records that I’d play that night. Will it be Turkish or Ethiopian jazz? Old-school hip-hop? Depends on my mood.

I’ll take Belgia, my Belgian sheepdog, for a run. I use this for my exercise as well. I go uphill in Hollywood, winding from Franklin to the Oaks residential neighborhood. We’ll walk on the way down. Then I’ll meet friends for pizza and a glass of Pinot Noir at Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock. And we’ll hit Star Shoes and warm them up with some obscure stuff. It’ll go until about 2 or 3.

Flea market fan

I might leave straight from the club and take my flashlight to the Pasadena City College flea market. I didn’t used to go into the non-records part, but since I got the house I’m poking around more and more at the antiques and furniture section too.

Later I’ll go to my place in the Valley -- Bronco on Woodman and Moorpark, a casual but really amazing taqueria. I’d then head to Do-Over, a weekly party they do at Crane’s Tavern on El Centro near the Henry Fonda. If you didn’t like your weekend, it’s a chance to do it over. It goes from 2 p.m. to around 9, not your usual club hours. They’ve got a nice patio, and they barbecue too. It’s a great place to get your last part of the weekend in.