In spring 1983 an ‘outdooring’ ceremony was held in a quiet back street off London’s Tottenham Court Road. The occasion, at which drums were played and libations were offered to the ancestors, was the opening of Sterns African Record Centre, a retail outlet, which grew into the largest distributor of African records outside Paris, with a catalogue of 3,000 titles, including 100 on their own labels (Sterns and Earthworks), and customers across the globe.
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… and this picture caption, on the same page, in the same edition: “It isn't often these days that a lady is serenaded in Tottenham Court Road, Euston. But who could resist lovely Greek-born cabaret artist and TV star, Kitza Kazacos? Certainly not George Browne. Out came the guitar. Seconds later, George's golden fingers were sending out these oh, so soft, and oh, so smooth sounds that do things to a lady's heart. Occasion was the opening of a new record bar at Stern's radio shop. George, one of the greatest living guitarists since Django Reinhardt, and Kitza were guests of the owner, 42- year-old Robert Martin, at a party to celebrate the opening. There are 11,000 jazz and classical records at this bar. Said Mr. Martin: Name any record and. before you can say 'Jack Robinson,' we can produce it. We're not quite sure whether Mr. Martin couldn't resist the lady or the lullaby. But, when this picture was taken, he was listening to both.”