Portrait of Britain - 2025 Shortlist
Don Travis - Newton Dunbar ‘The Four Aces’
Newton Dunbar By Don Travis Photographed at Eldica Records, Dalston, London “ I opened ‘The Four Aces’ in Hackney in 1966 when black music was not played on radio stations. First came the local sound systems and then the musical talent with artists like Desmond Decker, who performed ‘The Isralites’. Bob Marley and many other musicians passed through my club, creating a legacy of welcoming everyone. It was a cultural space where people could celebrate, dance and be together. There were challenges, such as police harassment, raids and prejudice but I kept going right up until its closure in 1997. It was a place of wonderment and filled me with great pride.” I created this documentary photograph with Newton as a testimony to his pioneering club, activism and love of music.