Ray's Jazz: Ray's obituary

[BillF]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/apr/19/ray-smith-obituary?INTCMP=SRCH

[sidewinder]

Sad news, Bill - sorry to hear this. I certainly recognise the familiar face holding fort behind the counter on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the days when they had the 'Rare as Hen's Teeth' vinyl section (not that I ever bought anything from it). I remember those Jazz Journal adverts with 'From George Lewis to George Lewis' too. Also 'Harry Barris to Barry Harris' and 'Son House to Sun Ra'.

Glad to hear that he was able to enjoy a retirement watching the beloved cricket though - RIP.

[JohnS]

Very sad news. I bought my first record from Collets in 1958 and I've known Ray ever since. I always found him kind, considerate and helpful. Thanks for everything Ray.

[A Lark Ascending]

I don't recall the man himself - though I'm sure he must have served me over the years. But Ray's was always a place I'd visit (and often spend too much money in!) on my infrequent trips to London. A great place.

Edited April 21, 2011 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

I certainly recall seeeing Ray himself behind the counter there well into the 1990s. Always helpful - whereas the guys in Mole could be a bit intimidating at times.

[A Lark Ascending]

I certainly recall seeeing Ray himself behind the counter there well into the 1990s. Always helpful - whereas the guys in Mole could be a bit intimidating at times.

Yes. The guys in Mole clearly never went on the 'Have a Nice Day' Customer Relations Course!

[sidewinder]

I certainly recall seeeing Ray himself behind the counter there well into the 1990s. Always helpful - whereas the guys in Mole could be a bit intimidating at times.

Yes. The guys in Mole clearly never went on the 'Have a Nice Day' Customer Relations Course!

No 'Stakeholder Management' there..

[Steve Gray]

RIP Ray

Long time Collets habitue here from about 1965. I found Ray a little aloof but I was very young then and I guess to him I was a mere whippersnapper.

I used to love the English local newspaper cuttings they had on the wall, usually about small-time law breakers, who just happened to have names like Lee Morgan.

[BillF]

RIP Ray

I used to love the English local newspaper cuttings they had on the wall, usually about small-time law breakers, who just happened to have names like Lee Morgan.

(Friend of mine used to carry round a cutting about golfer Peter Thompson headed "Lucky Thompson")

[Head Man]

Ray was someone I used to see and talk to whenever I called in to Collets or Ray's Record Shop. He could be a bit intimidating but was very knowledgeable about all forms of jazz..and cricket, of course!

I really missed it when his shop in Shaftsbury Avenue closed. The shop in Foyles has never been a replacement for it.

I'm really sorry to hear that he's died. Richard William's excellent obituary brought back a lot of memories. R.I.P.

[Jazzjet]

RIP Ray

Long time Collets habitue here from about 1965. I found Ray a little aloof but I was very young then and I guess to him I was a mere whippersnapper.

I used to love the English local newspaper cuttings they had on the wall, usually about small-time law breakers, who just happened to have names like Lee Morgan.

Me too. I used to go down to the Collet's basement in New Oxford Street regularly as a teenager. Ray had a certain curmudgeonly aura about him but he knew his stuff when you summoned up courage to ask for advice. Until I read Richard Williams's obituary, I didn't know that the rather imposing white haired Gill Cook, who used to run the folk part of Collets, died back in 2006.

[JohnS]

Some of Ray's regulars may remember Bob Glass behind the counter. I understand he passed away some years ago.

Another feature of Collet's basement shop was the 'wall of shame'. A collection of bounced cheques stapled to the wall next to the listening booths.

Collet's ( it was a left wing bookshop as well as a record store) was also exposed by a Sunday newspaper as the headquarters of a communist cell, a serious danger to all young jazz and folk fans.

[A Lark Ascending]

I remember Collets 'lefty' bookshop when it was at the top of Charing Cross Road, just beyond Foyles. Full of things you'd not find elsewhere.

In fact in those days every town had its lefty bookshop, often a good source for out of the way jazz, folk or world music. There was a good one in Nottingham which fed me lots of alternative views on the Ulster situation (you could even buy 'An Phoblacht' there!) but also served as an outlet for ECMs!

[sidewinder]

Another interesting obit here from The Telegraph - and yet more about the 'Hen's Teeth' vinyl box. I recall it being a rack near the counter, not so much a box on the counter itself though.

Telegraph Obit

Edited April 22, 2011 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

Another interesting obit here from The Telegraph - and yet more about the 'Hen's Teeth' vinyl box. I recall it being a rack near the counter, not so much a box on the counter itself though.

Telegraph Obit

I'm sure you are right, it was one of the bins in front of the counter. There was also the Jackie's Bag bin where Jackie Docherty(?) sleeveless albums were sold.

[Head Man]

Another interesting obit here from The Telegraph - and yet more about the 'Hen's Teeth' vinyl box. I recall it being a rack near the counter, not so much a box on the counter itself though.

Telegraph Obit

I think it moved about a bit over the years. But you're right, in it's final resting place it was a box facing the door on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was always the first thing I looked at when I went in.

[BillF]

It was still there in Foyle's last time I looked.

[sidewinder]

But you're right, in it's final resting place it was a box facing the door on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was always the first thing I looked at when I went in.

That's it - last location was location facing the door. I remember seeing Tal Farlow Norgrans in there. Before that it was under the counter I think (end of my pedantic recollections for the day ).

Edited April 22, 2011 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

It was still there in Foyle's last time I looked.

Indeed it is ! Some of the prices are pretty ballistic though (e.g. £50 for a Freddie Hubbard Pablo 2LP and £150 for Bill LeSage's 'Directions in Jazz').

Last time I was in there that rack had Bill Oddie's old mono/NY USA copy of a Dexter Gordon Blue Note (I know as it was monogrammed by Mr. O himself on the back) but inspection of this £50 'find' showed that it was pretty well beat up.

Edited April 22, 2011 by sidewinder

[BillF]

It was still there in Foyle's last time I looked.

Indeed it is ! Some of the prices are pretty ballistic though (e.g. £50 for a Freddie Hubbard Pablo 2LP and £150 for Bill LeSage's 'Directions in Jazz').

Last time I was in there that rack had Bill Oddie's old mono/NY USA copy of a Dexter Gordon Blue Note (I know as it was monogrammed by Mr. O himself on the back) but inspection of this £50 'find' showed that it was pretty well beat up.

I was gratified to find that some of the "hens' teeth" had been sitting in my collection since the sixties - and in good condition, too! (Not for sale, incidentally )

[ornette]

Like others here I was a regular in the basement on Saturdays mornings in the late '60s - Central Line from Northolt with my schoolfriend Tony. BYG/Actuel (anything by Shepp) and Terry Riley's Reed Streams in a very heavy card cover are purchases I remember plus lots of chat, wonderful music. Great times. RIP Ray.

[sidewinder]

Called in at 'Ray's Jazz' at Foyles bookstore yesterday and noticed they had some pretty nifty 'Ray's Jazz' cofee mugs and totes for sale. A stack of Mosaics in there too..

Edited March 22, 2013 by sidewinder

[cih]

Mm - the merchandising people have been in. It'll be action figures next - first staff, then clientele. I suggest something like:

[sidewinder]

[A Lark Ascending]

Mm - the merchandising people have been in. It'll be action figures next - first staff, then clientele. I suggest something like:

Just back from the Bay of Pigs?