JohnS

Jim Asman's shop was usually worth a visit. In my early days of record buying you could be pretty sure of finding almost all the Esquire (ex Prestige issues) at a bargain price. I also found the Blue Note Sonny Clark Trio there for a small sum - I was looking through the 'modern' rack keeping an eye on the chap next to me when I spotted it and remember hoping he wasn't going to pick it up. I also found my Smokestack test pressing there again at a remarkably low cost. Another early memory concerns Mrs Asman, she lost her balance and stumbled against the record deck knocking the pick up completely across the Charlie Parker US Verve album she was playing for me.

The Private Collection was released around 1994. It was a limited edition of two single cds. I believe it ran to 1000 (might have been 2000) copies, limited because of his contract with Verve. At first it was only sold through Naim dealers but a few appeared in specialist shops later. I'm not sure now how I came to hear about them but fortunately I had a Naim dealer nearby.

The shop in New Cross was Cris Wellard's. Chris was nice guy and great fun, monthly record recitals at the pub across the road. I used to live fairly close by and was a regular visitor there. Eventually the shop closed but Chris carried on distributing a small number of specialist labels. I can remember a notable party one Christmas that featured half a dozen or more south London players, it's bit hazy now but the pianist was Manfred Mann (good free jazz piano) and Malcolm Griffiths on trombone. Thinking about Dobell's, I walked in one morning to find Roland Kirk leaning on the counter listening to an Omer Simeon record. A wonderful time, an age of discovery, now just a memory.

When Collets moved to Shaftesbury Ave the folk section was at the back with an entrance in St Martins Lane. Interestingly Honest Jon (some nice stuff there too) had a shop immediately opposite. When Ray took over some some time later he took over the whole shop. Incidentally Collets bookshop was the subject of a sensational expose in one of the Sunday newspapers - because of its left wing and eastern european stock along the lines of 'would you let your child shope here'!! Anyone old enough to recall Dave Carey's shop in Streatham. Good stock, not just trad, but so small that there was no browsing and two customers was a crush.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Masabumi Kikuchi + Gil Evans. French Polygram

Just listened to the programme. Some nice observations, the size of collections and family life and as Sidewinder says, the rows of men in the shop. In the end strangely moving. So nice to hear Graham Griffiths after so many years.

Ah, Collets, I can still remember my first visit to the basement shop in New Oxford Street and the record I bought (Gil Evans, New Bottle Old Wine). Anyone old enough to recall the 'wall of shame', a dozen or so bounced cheques pinned to the wall. Great shop and helpful service from Ray Smith.

Couldn't agree more.

Cal Massey; Blues To Coltrane

Biggles, now wonderfully non-pc. Also enjoyed Swallows and Amazons.

Good to see this topic reactivated. Definitely one to put on the to play pile.

Get well soon Freddie.

You are talking ablout Jackie (surname temporarily forgotten). Bought the lps, put them on tape and sold them back to Ray without the jackets! I know I have a few. He worked at Tower for a short while when they opened but I guess that retailing wasn't his forte. Now you mention the name Jackie, its coming back to me. Didn't know about his Tower stint. Didn't seem to be obvious corporate employee material! Recalled- Jackie Docherty.

I went ot see a play there once around that time...'Zigger Zagger' - about football. More Holborn than Camden. I used to work just across the road from the theatre. About 5 mins from Holborn tube station. Yeah, its amazing that I didn't know it, as I used to go to the college up the road (UCL). Frequented Southampton Row quite a bit in those days. I don't remember this venue either. I know the Shaw, lots of good gigs there and the concert hall in University College (again lots of great gigs there). But that was in the pre Thatcher era when arts grants mean't that you could rely on a decent gig almost every month on top of the Camden Festivals. Those were the days.

You are talking ablout Jackie (surname temporarily forgotten). Bought the lps, put them on tape and sold them back to Ray without the jackets! I know I have a few. He worked at Tower for a short while when they opened but I guess that retailing wasn't his forte.

Yes - 'All Change Records'. Only called in there a couple of times. Didn't it run in parallel with the Mole shop for a short time? I seem to recall the Baker St operation closed down around 1979-ish. That's it, All Change Records. I seem to recall it was in the basement. I remember my first visit, it was chock full of some remarkable cut-outs from the US. I don't remember if it ran in parallel with Mole.

Most of my vinyl collection came from Mole too. Their first shop was in Baker Street (not called Mole though). Graham Griffiths was the person responible for all those Japanese imports we snapped up eagerly. Graham went on to work with Import Music Services when Polygram closed their import division. Last time I saw Graham some years ago he wasn't too well.

No one has mentioned Duke Pearson's Merry Ole Soul.

Happy Birthday John, have a great day.

Tracks not track - James Moody in Paris, Quintet and with strings recorded in 1951. Lovely stuff my favourite Moody.

Another vote for Jimmy Ponder's Guitar Christmas. With Don Braden and John Hicks, can't be bad!

Charlie Parker; One Night In Chicago; Arista Savoy

He was on right before Miles ! Miles obviously made a big impression on her! Same today.

My wife was born on the Isle of Wight and went to one of the festivals. When I ask who did she see all she can recall is Tiny Tim!