Month: June 2004

Original Pressings, Reasonable Prices

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Back from the weekend, so it’s time to catch up on eBay. Here are some of the records we were watching.

 Donald Byrd Sextet, Transition 5. This was an original pressing in what seemed to be M-/VG++ condition. The LP had the booklet and sold for $300.

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This was an original pressing with the purple label. The seller listed it in M-/M- condition, although there seemed to be ringwear on the cover, based on the photo. Still the price was $278.99. Read more

What Makes a Jazz Hero? Our Readers Weigh In

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In our newsletter last week we asked readers to tell us about their heroes. Here are some of the responses. We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to write to us.

“Please keep up the fantastic work with the newsletter…every one just gets better. As for heroes, I’d have to start with Art Pepper, then Dave Pell, Shorty Rogers, Zoot Sims and who can forget Cal Tjader? All mostly West Coast cats but they had ‘the sound’ and knew what we wanted. Guess I better add my most favorite and versatile sax man: Charlie Ventura. Man, could he wail! Read more

What’s A Signed LP By Frank Sinatra Worth?

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Here are the results of some of the items we were watching yesterday on eBay:

 

Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This was an original pressing of this very rare record. The dealer uses different terminology than we use for grading, but it seems like the record was what we would call VG++ and the cover was VG+. Price: $798

 

Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing from the same dealer as the Jackie McLean record. This was in VG++/VG++ condition. It sold for $713. We expected this to go for a higher price. In our Price Guide Read more

Rarities From Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean

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Back watching eBay today and we’re pleased to see that the seller JBLD44000 is back with two of the rarest of the rare jazz LPs. We expect both of these to net prices near or above $1,000. We’ll watch and let you know tomorrow: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1685. This is an original pressing in nice condition. As of the time we posted today the price was $685. Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This is an original pressing in what appears to be decent condition. As of the time we posted today the price was $618.

In addition to these items, this seller has several others closing today, tomorrow and later in the week. Interesting, he sold a copy of the Art Pepper LP Modern Art, Intro 606, for more than $2,000 last week, but it’s up on eBay again for a start price of $1,500. We assume something happened to prevent the other sale from going through. Here are some of the other items we’re watching:

Sonny Rollins Volume 1, Blue Note 1542. This is an original pressing with the Lexington Avenue address on the label. At one point there was a question in our Forums whether this LP was issued with that address. Here’s definitive proof.

Sonny Rollins, Moving Out, Prestige 7058. This is an original pressing with the New York address on the label. It’s not in great shape but, for those who are not sticklers for condition, it’s an opportunity to add a rare record to the collection at, perhaps, a reasonable price. We’ll see: Sometimes even records in not-so-great condition fetch hefty price tags on eBay.

The seller Atomic_records is also back on eBay with some nice items. Take a look at this one and click “View Seller’s Other Items” for a complete list. Donald Byrd at the Half Note, Volume 1, Blue Note 4060Another dealer with some interesting records is sadg. He is selling several later Blue Notes and Prestiges. Check this one out and look at the others. John Patton, Let ‘Em Roll, Blue Note 4239

Finally, the seller bullsite2000 has this item and several others in very nice condition. Take a look: Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038

That’s it for today. See you at Jazzcollector.com tomorrow. — Al

Summer Doldrums?

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If it’s Monday, it must be time to check in on the weekend’s activity on eBay. A few high-priced items sold over the past few days, but my general sense is that activity is beginning to slow down for the summer. At the bottom, I’ve listed a few items that failed to meet reserve prices this weekend. In some cases, the reserve prices may have been a bit high, but in others the items were selling for bigger prices just a few weeks ago. We’ll continue to monitor pricing and keep you posted. Anyway, here are some of the items we’ve been watching:

 

Sonny Rollins, Worktime, Prestige 7020.  This was an autographed copy in VG++/M- condition. Price $482

 

Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4081, in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $1,625. Of course $1,625 is a high price for any record, but we anticipated this one might break the $2,000 barrier, considering its rarity and the condition.

 

Curtis Fuller Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address on the label in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $401.88

 

Jim Chapin Ensemble featuring Phil Woods, Prestige 213. This was a 10-inch LP in VG+/VG++ condition. Price: $202.49

 

Sonny Rollins, Sonny Boy, Prestige 7207. This was an original yellow-label in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $79.99

 

Sonny Stitt, 37 Minutes and 48 Seconds, Roost 2219.  This was an original pressing in VG+/VG+ condition. As we anticipated, the price was not too high. Price: $39

 

Miles Davis, Steamin’, Prestige 7200. This was an original yellow label in VG++/VG+ condition. Price: $34.33

 

Mal Waldron, Mal-1, Prestige 7090. This was an original yellow label with the New York address in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $274.99

 

The following items all failed to meet their reserve prices:

 

Richie Kamuca Quartet, Mode 102, in VG++/M- condition. High bid: $178.49

 

Horace Parlan, Speakin’ My Piece, Blue Note 4043, in M-/M- condition. High bid: $158.50

 

Gil Melle Quartet Featuring Lou Mecca, Blue Note 5054. This was an original 10-inch LP in M-/M- condition. High bid: $178.50

 

Sabu, Palo Congo, Blue Note 1561. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address in M-/VG++ condition. High bid: $338

 

We’ll spend some time today looking ahead at eBay for the coming week. We’ll post the results tomorrow on Jazzcollector.com. See you then. — Al

The Tal Farlow Album, Autographed

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For those of you keeping score at home, here are some of the items we’ve been watching on eBay:

 

Tal Farlow, The Tal Farlow Album, Norgran 1047. This is an autographed copy in M-/M- condition. Price: $249.95.  This was one of those records I planned to bid on but figured the price would go too high because of the condition of the LP and the presence of the autograph. The first bid was $249.95 and I expected it to go way up from there. But nobody else bid, including me. Read more

What is Soul in Jazz?

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Quote of the Day:

      “What is soul in jazz? It’s what comes from within: It’s what happens when the inner part of you comes out. It’s the part of playing you can’t get out of the books and studies.  In my case, I believe that what I heard and felt in the music of my church was the most powerful influence on my musical career. Everyone wants to know where I got that funky style. Well, it came from the church. The music I heard there was open, relaxed, impromptu – soul music.” — Milt Jackson, from the liner notes to the LP Plenty, Plenty Soul, Atlantic 1269, liner notes by Nat Hentoff.

 

One of the criticisms of the Modern Jazz Quartet was that the structure of the band held back the playing of the brilliant vibist Milt Jackson. This was Jackson’s response when he was asked if, indeed, being in the MJQ held him down:

            “No, not actually. It may not sound or look like it when you’re listening out front because it’s all so well planned, but I still get to play more or less what I want to play. I’m relaxed. I’ve always been able to adjust myself to a situation. When I first joined the MIQ, there were times when I looked at the planning as a handicap, but now I’ve come to look on it as an asset. In terms of the business, and musically too. Discipline can be a good thing and having been under discipline can be a help when you do let loose.” — Source: Liner notes to the LP Milt Jackson, Plenty, Plenty Soul, Atlantic 1269. Liner notes by Nat Hentoff.

 

 “Lester was a one or two take man. He’d say, ‘I can’t do anything better than that,’ and usually that was it. His statements were emotional ones and when they were done, they were done.”

            Norman Granz on Lester Young. Liner notes from the album The Lester Young Story, Verve MG V-8308, 1960. Liner notes by Nat Hentoff.

The Gift Of Hindsight

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One of the pleasures of having an extensive jazz collection is that it gives you the opportunity to go back and review the history of jazz in real time, as it was happening. This is particularly the case when you look at old issues of Downbeat or Metronome, or review old liner notes, an art form that began approaching extinction with the advent of the compact disc format. In any case, allow me to share some interesting stuff from my archives.

           

Downbeat, January 18, 1962

Review: John Coltrane, Africa/Brass, Impulse 6

 

This record was a departure for Coltrane: The first time he ever played with a brass section. It is now regarded as a classic, rightfully so, particularly the title cut, which makes up the entire first side of the album. At the time, however, the Downbeat reviewer, Martin Williams, didn’t see it that way.  He gave it only two stars, out of a possible five. Here’s a sample from the review:

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Billie Record, Warhol Cover

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More eBay watching today. Here are some of the items and dealers we’re keeping an eye on for you:

 Billie Holiday at Jazz At the Philharmonic, Clef 169. This is a 10-inch LP with the beautiful illustration on the cover that is either by David Stone Martin or Andy Warhol. We looked in our price guide for earlier mint copies of this LP and it sold twice recently, for $610 and $325. This copy is also near mint and was only in the $70 range as we posted this.

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Lots and Lots on eBay

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Back from another weekend away, so it’s time to see what happened on eBay the past few days. We were watching auctions from a group of dealers that had some amazing records. Here are some of the dealers and their wares. You can do a general eBay search on completed items for any of these dealers to see more.

 

Here are items sold by the dealer Jazz5060. This dealer also has a bunch of great records for auction now.

 

Charlie Persip, Jazz Statesman, Bethlehem 6046, in M-/M- condition. Price: $157.50

 Walter Benton Quintet, Out of this World, Jazzland 28, in M-/M- condition. Price: $449

 Zoot Sims, Stretchin’ Out, United Artists 4023. This was a promo copy in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $460

 Freddie Hubbard, Goin’ Up, Blue Note 4056, in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $349.95

 The Return of Howard McGhee, Bethlehem 42 in M-/M- condition. Price: $676 Read more

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