Jazz breaking news: Dobells uncovered at London exhibition
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Dobells, the legendary London jazz record store that ran from 1946 to 1989 at 77 Charing Cross Road WC2 and was world famous as one of the all time great jazz emporiums, is the subject of an exhibition at London’s Chelsea Space gallery during April and May.
The shop (pictured left), which also had a folk and blues outlet next door, attracted jazz fans and musicians from all over the globe and became a cultural crossroads for the music. During the 1950s and 60s it played a vital part in the rise of the British jazz and blues scenes and in 1957 owner Doug Dobell started his own 77 Records label to record jazz, blues and folk.
When the store closed in 1981 – prior to the redevelopment and rebuilding of that section of Charing Cross Road – it moved to Tower Street before closing in 1989. Many of its artefacts were donated to the Museum of London and these will form a major part of the Dobells exhibition. In addition, Leon Parker of the British Record Shop Archive, who is curating the exhibition in conjunction with Chelsea Space, has sourced Dobells’ memorabilia from former staff, as well as photographs, many by Jazzwise’s Val Wilmer. The exhibition, Dobells Jazz Folk Blues, runs at Chelsea Space, 16 John Oslip Street, London SW19 4JU from 10 April to 18 May, and admission is free.
For more info visit www.chelseaspace.org or www.britishrecordshoparchive.org
– Jon Newey