Jazz breaking news: Dobells Jazz Folk Blues Exhibition, Chelsea Space, London
Thursday, April 18, 2013
It’s a window onto a lost world.
A time when the Second World War rationing still bit hard, Soho was an arcane hub of dark, subterranean pleasures and jazz records first became available in the UK. A window that now beckons you to crawl through and, given much of today’s lowest common denominator popular culture, take time to find your way back.
When the Dobells Jazz Folk Blues exhibition opened last week at London’s Chelsea Space gallery on John Islip Street, SW1, the sheer extravaganza of photos and memorabilia on display – dating from when this legendary record shop held sway at 77 Charing Cross Road from 1946 until it finally closed its doors a block away in Tower Street in 1992 – flipped the years back half a century, sent ripples of déjà vu prickling down the spine, and even teased the odd tear. 
It did the trick again too last night when Brian Peerless, who worked part time at Dobells from 1962 until its final days, gave a humorous anecdote-strewn talk of his time behind the counter working for founder Doug Dobell, and his long time manager Don Sollash. Peerless played selected tracks from Dobells’ own 77 record label releases as well Bud Freeman and Phil Seamen favourites, and tickled a rapt audience with insider tales of the musicians and crazy characters who visited this shrine of shrines, one of the most famous jazz stores in the world. 
The exhibition, which runs until 18 May, drew a packed opening night on 9 April, including faces such as jazz filmmaker Mike Dibb, writer and photographer Val Wilmer – who contributed many photographs – Cadillac Records' John Jack, who worked there back in the early 1960s, former Melody Maker and Time Out editor and Guardian writer Richard Williams, Middle Earth club and Roundhouse DJ Jeff Dexter, mod tailor Lloyd Johnson, Propernote’s Graham Griffith and a number of former Dobells staff including Brian Harvey and Leslie Fancourt and Sollash and his wife Monica Dobell – daughter of Doug Dobell. 
Thankfully someone had the foresight years ago to secure Dobells’ old shop signs, counter displays, record racks, the shop record player, the famous record bags, 77 record label releases, posters and memorabilia and bequeathed them to the Museum of London. Together with over 40 photos of the store and its many visiting musicians over the years, that have been sourced and curated by Leon Parker, of the British Record Shop Archive and Chelsea Space’s Donald Smith, it makes for an enthralling visit, whether you’re an old jazz and blues customer, young jazz fan or one of the many that mourn the passing of the great old specialist record shops that contributed so much to the hip cultural scene. As Humphrey Lyttelton once said about Dobells: “The record shop with the club atmosphere.” Go taste this bygone magic while you can.
– Jon Newey
For more info and a list of talks and events at the exhibition go to www.chelseaspace.org
Pictures: Dobells Jazz Folk Blues at Chelsea Space (top - by Geoff Francis); Dobells manager Don Sollash at the exhibition opening in front of a photo of him, Stan Getz and Doug Dobell (2nd from top - by Geoff Francis); Dobells Jazz and Folk/Blues shop 1980 prior to move to Tower Street (3rd from top); The late Doug Dobell auctioning 78's at the shop (bottom).