More Confessions of a Vinyl Addict, Part 1
Jan 30, 2010 Blue Note, Features, Jazz Memoirs, The Great Jazz Vinyl Countdown
Friends, my name is Al and I am a vinyl addict. It is necessary for me to confess once again because I have had yet another setback. Remember my mission to pare down my collection, which I have labeled The Great Jazz Vinyl Countdown? Well, as part of that endeavor I decided it would be wise to take inventory of my records so that I would know what I actually have, in intimate detail: Record, condition, provenance, value. I had never actually done this before, so yesterday I set up a spreadsheet and began the process. I started, naturally, with the Blue Notes, the 1500 series, Blue Note 1501, Miles Davis Volume 1. I pulled the record off the shelf, looked at the record, cleaned it, typed the information into the spreadsheet, put it back on the shelf and then pulled the second record, Blue Note 1502, Miles Davis Volume 2. Same deal: Looked at the record, cleaned it, wrote it down, then moved on to the next record.
What a mistake.
I was moving along fine through the first eight records in the
Tags: Miles Davis, Milt Jackson
On eBay Now: Watching Some Blue Notes
Jan 29, 2010 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Here are some interesting items on eBay now.
Here Comes Frank Foster, Blue Note 5043. This is an original 10-inch pressing from Euclid Records. The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG+. The price is around $235 with a few hours to go. This is another 10-inch LP from the same seller: Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes, Blue Note 5011. This one is in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. The current price is about $190.
Heres another seller with some interesting items, including: Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note 1569. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing. Based on the description it looks like the record is VG++ and the cover is VG+. The current price is close to $500. This seller has a bunch of collectibles closing today, many of which don’t have bids yet. Probably worth taking a look
Tags: Cliff Jordan, Frank Foster, John Gilmore, Milt Jackson, Paul Chambers
Giant Steps, Black Label, No DG?
Jan 29, 2010 Questions
Quick question from a reader: A black label pressing of John Coltrane Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311, with no deep groove. Black label, mono, no DG. If it’s not an original pressing, what is it? I’m not asking this as a quiz: I’m asking to find the answer.
Tags: Atlantic Records, John Coltrane
More Price Updates: Ernie Henry, Clifford Brown, Etc.
Jan 28, 2010 Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Riverside
We updated Blue Note and Prestige earlier this week. Here’s an update on some other labels we’ve just entered into the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
Ernie Henry, Seven Standards and a Blues, Riverside 248. This was an original pressing with the blue label, deep grooves, etc. It was sold by a reputable seller and was in M- condition, for both the record and the cover. And it got quite a hefty price: $564.32.
Brew Moore Quintet, Fantasy 3-222. This was an original pressing that looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $304.
Mal Waldron, Left Alone, Bethlehem 6045. This was an original red label pressing. The vinyl
Tags: Bethlehem Records, Brew Moore, Clifford Brown, Emarcy Records, Eric Dolphy, Ernie Henry, Fantasy Records, Mal Waldron, Max Roach, New Jazz Records
Updates: $1,000 Bin, Dizzy, Sonny, Trane
Jan 28, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Norgran
Still updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide. It can be a bit tedious, but it’s important, isn’t it? Let’s hope so. Anyway, here are a few items on the extremes: A couple more for the $1,000 bin and a few that normally don’t make the Price Guide but, for one reason or another, have broken through.
First the big ones: Walter Davis, Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This was an original pressing and it was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,300. Also, Paul Chambers Quintet, Blue Note 1564. This was an original pressing. The record and cover looked to be in VG+ or VG++ condition. The price was $1,032.
Here are a couple that don’t often get collectible prices: Dizzy Gillespie, Afro, Norgran 1003. This was an original yellow label pressing with a cover design by David Stone Martin. It was only in VG condition and sold for $72. That may not be a Blue Note price, but it is still somewhat surprising. Few of the Dizzy record
Tags: Blue Note, David Stone Martin, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz Vinyl, John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman, Paul Chambers, Sonny Rollins, Walter Davis
Price Update: 10-Inch LPs by Miles, Prez . . .
Jan 27, 2010 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Norgran
We’ve been updating Prestige and Blue Note. Here are some 10-inch LPs for the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
Miles Davis Sextet, Prestige 182. This was in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. We were thinking about bidding on this because the price was right, but in the end we’re getting rid of records, not adding records. We do have to remind ourselves of this, constantly, each time we see a nice item on eBay, which is several times a day. Anyway, this one sold for $102.50. That’s a pretty attractive price and was in my range. This was in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The price was $233.50.
Howard McGhee Volume 2, Blue Note 5024. This was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $234.
Here are a couple of nice 10-inch LPs by Lester Young:
Tags: Blue Note, Herbie Nichols, Howard McGhee, Jazz Vinyl, Jutta Hipp, Lester Young, Miles Davis, Prestige, Roost Records, Stan Getz
Prestige Price Update: Miles, Red & More
Jan 27, 2010 Prestige
Yesterday we updated some Blue Notes for the Jazz Collector Price Guide, this morning let’s turn to Prestige.
This one looked quite nice: Miles Davis, Relaxin’, Prestige 7129. This was an original pressing with the yellow label and New York address. The record and cover both looked to be in VG++ condition. The price was $294.
Jackie McLean and Company, Prestige 7087. This as an original New York pressing. The record was M- and the cover was VG+. The price was $265.
Red Garland, All Mornin’ Long, Prestige 7130. This was an original New York pressing with the original cover. It was in M- condition for the vinyl and the cover and it sold for $449.
This is another favorite:
Tags: Jackie McLean, Jazz Vinyl, Miles Davis, Prestige Records, Red Garland, WEbster Young
For the Price Guide: A Blue Note Bonanza
Jan 26, 2010 Blue Note, Price Guide
We’ve been quite busy updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide, so we will do a few posts over the next few days highlighting some of the new entries, starting with some Blue Notes, of course. There are no links to these, FYI.
Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and just one side deep groove. The record was listed in VG+ condition for both the vinyl and the cover and it sold for $285.
Baby Face Willette, Stop and Listen, Blue Note 4084. This was an original pressing with the NY USA label. the record looked to be in VG++ condition for both the vinyl and the cover. It sold for $200.
This one sold for a big price, but it didn’t seem to be an original pressing:
Tags: Andy Warhol, Baby Face Willette, Blue Note, Dizzy Reece, Donald Byrd, Eric Dolphy, Hank Mobley, Jazz Vinyl, John Jenkins, Kenny Burrell, Kenny Drew
On eBay: Walter Davis, Wallington, Prez
Jan 26, 2010 Blue Note, Norgran, Prestige
Another day, another $1,000 Blue Note on eBay. Today’s entry to the club will be: Walter Davis, Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing and it appears to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover, based on the seller’s description. The current price is $999.95, so it’s a pretty save bet it will sell for more than $1,000. Perhaps a lot more than $1,000.
Atomic Records also has a few nice items on eBay now, including: George Wallington, Jazz For the Carriage Trade, Prestige 7032. This is an original New York pressing. The condition of the vinyl looks to be about VG++ and the cover VG+ or a little better. The current price is more than $300, but it hasn’t yet reached the seller’s reserve. From the same seller is this item:
Tags: Atomic Records, George Wallington, Jazz Vinyl, Lester Young, Walter Davis
Updating The $1,000 Bin: Miles, Mobley
Jan 25, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
Let’s update the good old $1,000 bin, which seems to be getting pretty crowded these days, no?
This one was certainly expected: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was an original pressing. The vinyl was only in VG+ condition. The cover was M-. The price was $2,615.50. The surprise was the high price for the VG+ condition.
One of The Miles Davis Blue Notes sold for more than $1,000, which was a new high. Miles Davis, Volume 1, Blue Note 1501. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing from a very reliable seller. The record was in M- condition, as was the cover. We had written about this one when it was at $250. It eventually sold for $1,007. Also, Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 1502, from the same seller, in the same pristine condition, sold for $765.55. There was another Miles that made the $1,000. That was:
Tags: Hank Mobley, Miles Davis
Some Top LPs That Didn’t Sell
Jan 22, 2010 Blue Note, Prestige
We usually keep track of records that sell on eBay. Here are a few records that did not sell. Why? Because they did not meet the seller’s reserve price. We will probably see these records back on eBay either with a lower reserve or no reserve at all. I know many of you refuse to bid on records that have a reserve, but I’m open: If I bid my price and it doesn’t meet the seller’s reserve, so be it. Actually, I do get a bit angry, truth be told, and I am circumspect of that seller in the future. So maybe I’m not as open as I would like to be.
This first one is a record we’ve been watching quite a bit lately: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was a New York pressing. It wasn’t pristine. The vinyl was described as having a few marks and the cover was noted as having a small tape repair. The top bid was $1,554, which was below the reserve price.
Here’s another Prestige: Curtis Fuller, New Trombone, Prestige 7107. This was an original New York pressing. The record was
Tags: Curtis Fuller, Jazz Vinyl, Paul Chambers, Sonny Rollins
On eBay: Miles and Miles and Mobley
Jan 21, 2010 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Here’s a seller with some really nice items on eBay now, including: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is an original pressing. The vinyl is in VG+ condition and the cover is M-. This is one of the rare ones. It is already more than $1,000 with three days to go. From the same seller: Introducing Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1523. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the deep grooves, flat edge, etc. The vinyl is listed as VG+ and the cover is listed as VG. The current price is about $130. It will sell for more. Promise.
Tags: Hank Mobley, Jazz Vinyl, Kenny Burrell, Miles Davis
A Couple of New Ones For The Price Guide
Jan 20, 2010 Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Price Guide, Promo Copies, RCA
Here are a few items that don’t normally make the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
Sonny Rollins, The Bridge, RCA 2527. This was an original stereo pressing listed in M- condition by a very reputable seller who also owns the best record store on Long Island. Still, while this is an interesting record with an interesting history — the return of Rollins after his legendary practice sessions on the Williamsburg Bridge — it has never really been a collectible item, at least in terms of its selling price. Perhaps it’s starting to move up the ranks: This one sold for $90.99. Not quite Blue Note prices, but a collectible price nonetheless.
Here’s another one we normally don’t track:
Tags: Atlantic Records, Jazz Vinyl, Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins
Jazz Vinyl Giveaway: Duke At Newport
Jan 19, 2010 Free Collectibles
It’s time for our next contest to give away a free record, and here’s the record: Duke Ellington, Ellington at Newport, Columbia 8648. This is a classic jazz LP, featuring the famous Paul Gonsalves solo on Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue from the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, which was actually held in Newport, RI in those days. Many in the media actually credited this performance with helping to revive Ellington’s career. This is not an original pressing, but is a later stereo reissue. It is in near mint condition, for both the record and the cover, and it is being make available free to one lucky reader of Jazz Collector. As always with out contests, the rules are quite simple: All you have to do to be eligible to win this record is to
Tags: Columbia Records, Duke Ellington, Jazz Vinyl, Newport Jazz Festival, Paul Gonsalves
Nice Records, Very Nice Condition
Jan 18, 2010 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Savoy
Here’s a couple we’re watching on eBay now:
Eric Dolphy, Out To Lunch, Blue Note 4163. This seems to be an original pressing, although it’s odd that one side is deep groove and the other isn’t. It is from the same seller who was selling all of those pristine records last week, and this looks to be of similar quality: Just beautiful if the pictures are accurate. This one is currently sitting at about and it hasn’t yet reached the seller’s reserve price. You may recall that we at Jazz Collector — okay, me at Jazz Collector — were quite flabbergasted when a copy of this record sold for the astronomical price is $1,524. We think that was an aberration, so it will be interesting to see what this one goes for.
Here’s another rare record that looks to be in very nice condition:
Tags: Eric Dolphy, Lee Morgan
Bird & Newk for the $1,000 and $2,000 Bins
Jan 18, 2010 $1000 Records, 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Two of those Sonny Rollins LPs we were watching passed the $2,000 barrier: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original pressing in near mint condition from a reputable seller in Italy. The final price tag was $2,850. Also: Sonny Rollins Volume 1, Blue Note 1542. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing, also in near mint condition. This one sold for $2,025.22. Breaking the $1,000 barrier was:
Tags: Charlie Parker, Dial Records, Jazz Vinyl, Sonny Rollins
On Ebay: Newk & Jenkins, Blue Note & Prestige
Jan 17, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Prestige
Here’s another one headed for the $1,000 bin: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This is an original pressing that looks to be in near mint condition by a seller in Italy who has solid feedback. There are about 14 hours to go and it is already at about $1,800. The seller has five rare Rollins LPs on eBay now, also: Sonny Rollins Volume 1, Blue Note 1542. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing that also looks to be in near mint condition. The current price is more than $500, but it has not yet reached the seller’s reserve.
Here’s another seller with some nice Blue Notes on eBay today, including: John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This is an original pressing with
Tags: Jazz Vinyl, John Jenkins, Kenny Burrell, Sonny Rollins
On EBay Now: Griffin, Red, Blakey, Bird
Jan 15, 2010 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Prestige
EBay is loaded with nice jazz vinyl this weekend. Some of the top sellers are back in action, it seems. Here are some of the items we’re watching:
Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing that is listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. When we looked at this item last night the top bid was only $99. We thought we might be able to steal it for a decent price and we put in a Bidnip bid of about $230. Alas, no such luck for Jazz Collector today. The record is closing in a couple of hours and it is currently at about $425.
This seller has been selling some very nice records that seem to be in absolutely beautiful condition, including this: Red Garland, High Pressure, Prestige 7209. This is an original pressing in near mint condition and, from the picture with the listing it looks absolutely pristine, the cover as well. The current
Tags: Art Blakey, Blue Note, Charlie Parker, Dial Records, Jazz Vinyl, Johnny Griffin, Red Garland
Dave Brubeck LP: And The Winner Is . . .
Jan 14, 2010 Free Collectibles
Time to complete our latest giveaway contest. As you may recall, we are giving away a copy of the following record: The Dave Brubeck Quartet Plays Music From West Side Story and Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra, Columbia 8257. This is a reissue, very nice pressing, of the album Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein. We offered it in recognition of Brubeck being chosen as a recent recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. Did anyone happen to catch the broadcast? It was actually very warm and touching and the musical tribute was pretty good, featuring, among others, John Faddis, Bill Charlap and Brubeck’s sons. After the tribute I asked my wife and son: “So who do you think wrote Take Five?” They looked at me like I was nuts: “Dave Brubeck, of course.” It’s just the way these things go, I suppose. Most people also assume Duke Ellington wrote Take The A Train. In any case, we are ready to give away this very nice Brubeck LP. As always, the criteria for the giveaway are simple: To be eligible
Rare Sonny Rollins & Kenny Dorham Available Here
Jan 13, 2010 For Sale
Okay, here’s an interesting one for you. Back in the early 1970s there was this this guy in New York who had a massive collection of audio tapes that he would record from radio broadcasts. For a while he would issue these tapes on bootleg LPs under a variety of names. I have at least a couple of dozen of these issues, under labels such as Alto Records and Ozone and Session Disk, by a large number of artists such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins and many others.
He also, apparently, had tapes that were never issued in any format — and we’ve discovered one of them here. Not only that, but it’s quite a legendary performance by a legendary group of artists: Max Roach with Sonny Rollins and Kenny Dorham, recorded Dec. 12, 1956 at the Cafe Bohemia just seven months after the tragic accident that claimed the lives of Clifford Brown and Richie Powell.
This is the story: One of our friends and faithful Jazz Collector readers visited with the guy who had the tapes back in the 1970s and made a copy, on a reel-to-reel tape, of two
Tags: Max Roach, Sonny Rollins
More Updates: A $1,600 Cannon, Rare Ornette
Jan 12, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Someone had mentioned this record joining the $1,000 bin: Cannonball Adderley, Something Else, Blue Note 1595. It’s a great record, but we’ve tracked it many times in the Jazz Collector Price Guide and it had never passed $500 before. This one was in near mint condition for both the record and the vinyl and sold for $1,624.99. Wow.
Here’s a record I’ve never seen before: Ornette Coleman at Town Hall 1962, ESP 1006. I have a copy of this record with a different cover. This one has a silk screen cover with handwritten labels. It is also a review copy. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover looked like a VG++. The price was $987.
Tags: Cannonball Adderley, ESP Disk, Ornette Coleman, Town Hall
Price Updates: Newk, Cliff Jordan, Johnny Griffin
Jan 12, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
Here’s some more jazz vinyl for the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
Sonny Rolins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original New York pressing with the yellow label. Based on the description we would rate the vinyl as VG+ and the cover as VG+. Considering the overall condition, this one sold for a pretty hefty price tag: $1,705.
By comparison, based on the condition, we thought this might fetch a higher price: Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This was an original pressing in at least VG++ condition, perhaps M-, based on the description. We expected it to certainly break into the $1,000 bin, but it fell just short. It sold for $939.
This one did not fall short of the $1,000 bin:
Tags: Cliff Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Sonny Rollins
On eBay Now: A Few Prestiges, Plus
Jan 11, 2010 For Sale, Prestige
We’ve been spending some time cataloguing our records and making decisions about what to keep and what to sell on eBay. The result is that we’re putting some interesting records on eBay that are not duplicates, but are items from our collection. This week it turns out a lot of the records we put up are from the Prestige label, including:
Dorothy Ashby and Frank Wess, In A Minor Groove, New Jazz 8209. We saw a copy of this sell for about $150 a few weeks ago and figured we’d give ours a shot. So far this one has no bids at $30 with just a few hours to go. If it doesn’t sell, we’ll be happy to keep it: We were quite ambivalent about selling it in the first place. There aren’t that many jazz harp LPs to begin with, and this is a good one.
Thelonious Monk, Monk’s Moods, Prestige 7159. This one is similar to the Early Miles LP we also have up on eBay now. It’s an early reissue of classic music, with nice packaging and it’s part of the early yellow-label Prestige catalogue. As we had mentioned last week,
Tags: Dorothy Ashby, Frank Wess, Jazz Vinyl, Miles Davis, New Jazz Records, Thelonious Monk
More Blue Notes For The $1,000 Bin
Jan 10, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Here are a few more jazz vinyl records for the Jazz Collector Price Guide $1,000 bin.
Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing sold by Euclid Records. The vinyl was in M- condition and the cover was VG. The item was viewed more than 320 times, which is quite a bit these days, and it sold for $1,631.
Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was also an original Lexington Avenue pressing. Normally, with records fetching these high prices, I wouldn’t have to state that it was an original. But with the seller bobdjukic selling United Artists pressings for more than $400, perhaps I have to be a bit more circumspect. Anyway, this was
Tags: Jutta Hipp, Kenny Dorham, Zoot Sims
On Ebay Now: Blue Notes of Note
Jan 8, 2010 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Price Guide
There’s some nice Blue Note jazz vinyl on eBay now, including:
Louis Smith, Here Comes Louis Smith, Blue Note 1584. This looks to be an original pressing with the vinyl in VG++ condition and the cover just VG-. The seller goes out of his way to provide some nice clear pictures of the cover, which we always appreciate. This one is only $58 with more than a day to go, but the seller has a reserve price and it has not yet been reached. I know many of you are not fans of auctions with reserve prices, which is something to consider when listing jazz vinyl.
Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This is also an original pressing and it looks to be in VG++ condition, at least, for both the vinyl and the cover. Actually, it’s probably closer to M- than VG++, based on the description. The current price is $315 and there’s more than a day to go with no reserve. I would
not be surprised to see this one sell for more than $1,000.
Tags: Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Louis Smith, Sonny Rollins
