Dobell's
Established 1946 End 1992
Pocket History
Firstly a bit of history about Dobell's,it all started in 1946 when the founder was his groovy lordship Doug Dobell
took over his father's antiquarian bookshop in Charing Cross Road and reserves a small part of the premises for the
sale of 78 rpm records. Doug Dobell who was centre piece of the jazz scene in London in the fifties, sixties and seventies. It was the place where musicians used to hang out, smoke and where you find certain records nowhere else.
Some famous Associations (shoppers)
Muddy Waters, B.B.King, Rolling Stones, Alexis Korner, and Tubby Hayes.
Record Label "77" and Folklore.
Quote/Story
Whenever B.B. King was in London in the 70s he would go to Dobell's and buy
blues LPs by the truck load. There's documentary proof of this in a Melody
Maker interview of June 1971 thus:
"I (Max Jones) was surprised to find him almost literally knee deep in books
and records. It was the result of a shopping expedition. "Well I took some
time off and went to see Ray in Dobells shop. I remember him from before and
records" (Max Jones The Blues Boy In London, Melody Maker 19th June 1971
page 15)"
Ray Bolden at Dobell's would phone round and tell his mates "
shop". I last saw him there in 1987.
Mousetrap was playing for about 25 years) the serious - and I mean *serious* - jazz stuff was in the front of the shop and the
Blues/RnB stuff was in the back. I still have a handful of gospel albums that I bought there, but the atmosphere in the front part
of the shop was very intimidating. It felt like you had to have a degree in higher hipology before they'd even deign to sell you
something. It was an ambition of mine to own all the albums featured on the bags they used
Rob Hall
Doug Dobell had another shop at 10 Rathbone Place, where the mail order business was run from.
The shop was Dobells Folk and Blues Shop from (about) 1961 to 1965 I was the manager of the shop,
Bill Colyer ran the mail order dept. We also were the wholesalers for, Riverside, Blue Note, Folklore, 77, Prestige and
Electra among others. One of our first sales reps was Graham Bond.
I wrote many sleeve notes for Doug's own labels, and was present at all his recording sessions including the famous
Richard farina, Rik Von Schmitt and Blind Boy Grunt session, you can hear my dulcet tones on all of the choruses.
Fascinating and wonderful times.
rongould
Wave is a wonderful tune. I first heard this song on the first Oscar Peterson album I ever bought.
I cycled up to London from Poole to purchase it at Dobell's jazz record shop, and cycled all the way back with it strapped to my
rear cycle rack with a bunjy chord (a round trip of 200miles). It's a miracle it wasn't damaged, I still have it.
Mike Hatchard musician
I can remember buying a Louis Armstong EP in Dobell's, just around the corner in Charing Cross Rd, before they moved.
The second-hand stuff was downstairs in a tiny cramped cellar. After Dobell's moved to their shop (just along from where the
Mousetrap was playing for about 25 years) the serious - and I mean *serious* - jazz stuff was in the front of the shop and the
Blues/RnB stuff was in the back. I still have a handful of gospel albums that I bought there, but the atmosphere in the front part
of the shop was very intimidating. It felt like you had to have a degree in higher hipology before they'd even deign to sell you
something.
It was an ambition of mine to own all the albums featured on the bags they used - Rob Hall
With my husband, Robin, good memories of John Kendall presiding over the basement, Ben Webster smiling happily to all comers from his chair; an evening spent with John and Henry Red Allen; and celebration the arrival of the Ellington band.. Comment:Brenda Herdman.
Bill Carey Looks At The London Jazz Disc Jazz Scene. Image Mick Brocking
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