- published: 07 Oct 2013
- views: 374
Robert Gregg "Bob" Koester (born October 30, 1932) is the American founder and owner of Delmark Records, the oldest jazz and blues independent record label in the United States, and one of jazz's best-known imprints. He also operates the Jazz Record Mart in Chicago, which is the world's largest jazz and blues record store.
Koester was born and grew up in Wichita, Kansas, during the heyday of big band jazz. He started collecting and then trading records in his high school years. Wanting to become a movie cameraman, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, to study cinematography and business at Saint Louis University, where he sold records by mail order from his dorm room. He was a founding member of the St. Louis Jazz Club through which he met Ron Fister, another record collector. Koester and Fister opened a small record store called K & F Sales. On moving to bigger premises they renamed it Blue Note Record Shop. After nearly a year together, Koester and Fister decided to split their business and Koester founded Delmar Records on Delmar Blvd. In 1953, Delmar first recorded a traditional jazz group, and then searched out and recorded blues musicians of the 1920s and 1930s (Speckled Red, Big Joe Williams, J.D. Short, and James Crutchfield among others) who were living in St. Louis. The name of the label was changed from 'Delmar' to 'Delmark', partly because of copyright issues.
Bob Koester, interview @ Delmark Records, Chicago, July 2013
Bob Koester remembers
Bob Koester
Bob Koester
Bob Koester "Hello In There"
Interview wit Delmark Record owner - Bob Koester. May 9th 2016
Robert Koester Lost Person Behaviour Presentation at BCSARA Northern Meeting
Dave Specter's Blues And Beyond Series Special At The Jazz Record Mart Pt1
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Cook like Chef Bob - steak seasoning.mp4