Between the Ears: Mole Jazz
January 21st, 2009 by Steve Bowbrick
Leni Dipple put up with her infuriating jazz obsessive husband Ed for as long as she could but in the end she left him. A few years later he and his amazing shop Mole Jazz died. In this lovely Between The Ears she sets out to find out what made him tick.
Here's the MP3, here's a page from Fly with some more history, here's a poem by Leni and here's a page of recordings from the British Library's oral history of British Jazz that you might be able to listen to if you're at a British university or college.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:25 am
That was good. Reminds me of London a lot, and Mole Jazz, which I went to a few times. Can’t remember what I bought. Probably some Evan Parker or somesuch. (See also Rays Jazz Shop on Charing Cross Road; also no longer there.) An odd tone to the programme – sometimes a bit arch, and a tad harsh on the Mole punters, perhaps. But good despite that.
February 7th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Thanks so much for the blog! finding it really made my day.
April 15th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Genuinely affecting – although curiously lacking in the kind of jazz you could find in the racks in the shop. Never knew or met Ed, but the poetry and voices built up a picture of a whole person. And the last description of the family cataloging his massive collection of records brought a lump to the throat.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:40 am
love and miss the shop badly , all my children play music like me in the swing soul jazz genre, my daughter used to steal my mole jazz record / shoulder bag for school i still use it today but need a new one as it is worn out (like me !!!) do you know where i can buy one ? are there any left
kindest regards
tony dewinton
(tony dewinton allstars st lucia jazz festival)
thanks again ed