Blue Train: Honing In On The Original Labels
Jul 31, 2010 Blue Note, Collecting Tips
Here’s a great one from our friend Don-Lucky on Blue Train:
Good afternoon Al,
I am not sure if your were watching this one already or not, but it sold quite for a record high today…
John Coltrane BLUE Train Blue Note 1577 w.63rd 23 NM!
Item Number: 400138742036
Selling Price: $1838.04
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400138742036&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:CA:1123
I was also chatting with Larry Cohn about this one earlier in the week and here is what he had to say on this auction: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Blue Train, Jazz Vinyl, John Colttrane, Larry Cohn
A Couple More Nice Prestiges
Jul 29, 2010 Prestige
While we’re on the subject, sort of, here are a couple more nice Prestiges, both from the same seller.
Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This looks like a nice one, with the vinyl in M- condition and the cover looking like a VG++. This is closing tomorrow and is now in the $260 price range, although it will sell for much more than that, right? Elmo Hope, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043. This looks to be the second cover, but it is a beauty nonetheless. This one looks to be VG++ or so for the vinyl and probably about the same as the cover. The current price is in the $250 range. When you look at these also click the seller’s other items: He’s got a huge batch of collectibles on eBay this week, including some very nice Blue Notes that will make handsome additions to the $1,000 bin.
Tags: Elmo Hope, Hank Mobley
A Couple More For the $1,000 Bin
Jul 29, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note
Here are a couple for the $1,000 bin in the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
Lee Morgan, City Lights, Blue Note 1575. This was an interesting one. The seller had it on last week with a reserve and didn’t sell it despite a bid of more than $400. He put it back this week, the bidding accelerated way past the $400 mark and the record wound up selling for a buy-it-now price of $1,200 before the auction closed. The seller must be pretty happy he put a reserve price on this record the first time around. The vinyl was listed as M- and the cover seemed to be VG+.
Bent Axen-Bent Jaedig, Let’s Keep the Message, Debut 133. This was the original Danish
Tags: Bent Axen, Debut Records, Lee Morgan
Tracking Some Prestige Jazz Vinyl
Jul 27, 2010 Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
We have an eye on some Prestige jazz vinyl on eBay. Despite the high price of the Jackie’s Pal we noted yesterday, it seems the disparity between prices on original Blue Notes versus original Prestiges seems to be getting wider. Here are some of the ones we’re watching:
Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, Idrees Sulieman, Three Trumpets, Prestige 7092. This is an original New York pressing. The record is in M- condition and the cover sounds to be VG++ as we would rate it. The starting price is around $170 and there are no bids.
This one is of a similar vintage but from a different seller: Art Farmer and Donald Byrd, Two Trumpets, Prestige 7062. This is also an original yellow-label New York pressing. The record is M- and the cover is VG+. The start price is $150 and, again, there are no bidders. There’s a $200 buy-it-now price on this, which would seem pretty reasonable to me.
Olio, Prestige 7084. This is an album featuring
Tags: Art Farmer, Donald Byrd, Doug Watkins, Elvin Jones, Idrees Sulieman, Jazz Vinyl, Mal Waldron, Oliver Nelson, Thad Jones
2 For the $1,000 Bin, 2 For Resale
Jul 26, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Prestige
Let’s catch up once again on some more jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:
Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This was from that seller in Switzerland who was selling off pieces from his own collection. This one was in VG++ to M- condition for the vinyl and M- for the cover. The price was $1,345.67. This came from the same seller and is definitely the highest price we’ve seen for this record, proving, I guess, that it’s not only a Blue Note world: Jackie McLean, Jackie’s Pal, Prestige 7068. This was in M- condition all around, vinyl and cover, and it sold for $1,592.89.
Here’s one that did not meet the seller’s reserve price and is now back on eBay, with a $300 bid and a buy-it-now price of $1,200:
Tags: Cliff Jordan, Jackie McLean, Jazz Records, Jazz Vinyl, Lee Morgan, Louis Smith
Some Surprises in the JRC Lot
Jul 24, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note
I’m sure you’ve all been waiting anxiously for the results of the Jazz Record Center jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, so here goes.
Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. This was listed as an “early” pressing, and it seemed to have the Lexington Avenue address, flat edge and deep grooves, so I’m not sure why it wasn’t listed as an original pressing. Nevertheless, it was near mint for both the record and the cover and it sold for $1,915.
Hank Mobley, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This was an original pressing and it also was in near mint condition for the vinyl and perhaps a drop less for the cover. This one sold for $1,825.
Horace Parlan, Headin’ South, Blue Note 4062. This one was interesting because
Tags: Hank Mobley, Horace Parlan, Lee Morgan, Paul Chambers
Jazz Vinyl For The $1,000 (Blue Note) Bin
Jul 23, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note
It looks like this will be a busy weekend for the $1,000 bin. In addition to some of the items from the Jazz Record Center auction, which we will update momentarily, there are also several other items for sale on eBay that are destined to be sold for high prices.
Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This is from a seller in Switzerland who says he is selling off pieces from his personal collection. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and M- condition for the cover. The price is already more than $1,000 and there are still two days to go. From the same seller is this one: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This looks to be similar to the Sonny Clark record in condition: VG++ for the vinyl and either M- or VG++ for the cover. This one is also already more than $1,000.
The Jazz Record Center auctions close today and the bidding has not been fierce on most of the items. This is one, however, that will make it into the $1,000 bin:
Tags: Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Sonny Clark
Jazz Vinyl on eBay: Blue Notes & A Roost
Jul 22, 2010 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note
Here’s some interesting jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:
Gigi Gryce – Clifford Brown Sextet, Blue Note 5048. This one had a nice picture with it, as you can see, but the description wasn’t very complete. The seller noted that the record was glossy and had a few light marks and the cover had some wear, but there wasn’t any M- or VG+ or other grading to which we are normally accustomed. Nonetheless, there were bidders attracted to this type of description — optimists I would say — and the record sold for $608. Our previous high for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was $579.
What do you think of records like this next one:
Tags: Beverly Kenney, Clifford Brown, Gigi Gryce, Miles Davis, Roost Records
Jazz Vinyl Update: Jackie, Miles, JR
Jul 20, 2010 $1000 Records, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Here’s an update on some of the jazz vinyl we’ve been watching. Each of these will be entered into the Jazz Collector Price Guide as soon as we get the chance, hopefully by the weekend.
This one almost made the $3,000 bin: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This is the one that was listed as “almost M-” for both the record and the cover. Not sure how I’ll list that in the Jazz Collector Price Guide: Probably VG++, wouldn’t you say? Anyway, this one sold for $2,840.
I was also watching several listings from the seller dobdjukic, who tends to get top dollar, at least, for his auctions. Here are a couple from last week: Miles Davis, Birth of the Cool, Capitol T-762. This seemed to be an original mono pressing. Based on the description, it looked like the record and the cover were both in about VG+ condition. The final price was $315. I just picked up a
Tags: Ad Lib Records, Capitol Records, J. R. Monterose, Jackie McLean, Jazz Records, Jazz Vinyl, Miles Davis
JRC Auction: Nice Vinyl, Rare DSM Book
Jul 19, 2010 Blue Note, Books/Magazines
We always like to watch the listings from the Jazz Record Center because they generally get top prices and give us a sense of the current state of the market. They have a new auction this week and here are a few of the items:
Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This is a West 63rd Street deep-groove pressing, which I would think we be an original, but perhaps not. The listing notes that it is an “early deep-groove” pressing, but doesn’t state that it is an original. Can anyone see anything in the listing or picture that would indicate that this is not a first pressing? Anyway, the record is listed in M- condition and has a start price of $1,000. So far there are no bidders.
Duke Jordan, Flight To Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This one is listed clearly as an “original” pressing and it looks to be in beautiful M- condition for both the record and the cover. The starting price is $750 and there are no bidders yet.
I saw this item and immediately thought of Rudolf:
Tags: Cliff Jordan, David Stone Martin, Duke Jordan, Jazz Record Center, John Gilmore
Adventures in Jazz Collecting: Red Carraro, Part 3
Jul 16, 2010 Features, Jazz Memoirs
Red in the basement
Back to my Red Carraro stories. If Red were alive today and reading this he’d look at the name on the Web site and swear he never knew me. That’s because when I first met Red I was still going by my childhood nickname, which was “Lit.” This came from being somewhat short in height and someone once started calling me little and it became Lit and it really stuck. Kids in school called me “Lit Perlman” but Red never knew my last name, or my first name, and always just called me Lit. “Lit, hey how ya doin,” Red would always say when he’d see me, with a smile and a warm pat on the pack. “I see you’re still hustlin’ for records.”
When I started my journalism career my first paying job was as the jazz critic for the New Times in Syracuse, an alternative weekly paper. I’ve repurposed at least one of my articles here at Jazz Collector in Memories of Mingus. Anyway, I had spent the first half of 1973 at home in Bayside mending my broken leg and spending a lot of time at Red’s house, in the basement, poring through records and listening to music. It was definitely good times. When I got back to Syracuse, I wanted to do Red a favor so I wrote a review of a record
On EBay: Jackie & A Pair Of Blue Notes
Jul 16, 2010 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Back to eBay. Here are some items worth watching:
Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. For a really rare record, this one does seem to show up quite often on eBay. This is from a seller who says he is pulling it from his collection and it is listed in “almost” M- condition, which I assume is quite nice. There are a couple of days to go and it is approaching $1,000, but has not yet met the seller’s reserve.
Paul Chambers Quintet, Blue Note 1564. A couple of notes about this item. It is being sold by bobdjukic, who seems to have a mixed reputation among our readers, to put it mildly and euphemistically. This one is listed as in “weak” M- condition for the vinyl, which sounds like VG++ or perhaps even VG+ and it is listed as VG++ for the cover. It is currently in the $500 range and there are a couple of days to go before the bidding closes. I have a copy of this record, but it is
Tags: Jackie McLean, Jazz Vinyl, Lee Morgan, Paul Chambers
Yet Another Adventure in Jazz Collecting
Jul 14, 2010 Features, Jazz Memoirs
I have another story for you.
As many of you may recall, I have this oddball penchant for occasional wild gambles on eBay: Purchasing records that are not well described or, more often, buying batches of records that might contain one or two gems without having any sense of whether the listing is accurate or even feasible. I have done this maybe a couple of dozen times and it has almost always worked out to my advantage.I tried it again recently and thought I had finally met my Waterloo.
Here it is: I was recently up the country for a couple of weeks, doing work, doing fishing, some writing, a little Jazz Collector and occasionally looking at eBay. One day I was perusing the eBay listings and came upon a listing that was as follows:
Jazz Record Albums – 118 Albums from collector.
The seller had zero feedback: A complete eBay novice. In the description he noted that these records were the collection from his late stepfather, who was a CPA and accountant for musicians. It was a really strange list with a lot of non-jazz, such as Al Green and
Tags: Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Adventures In Jazz Collecting: Red Carraro, Part 2
Jul 13, 2010 Features, Jazz Memoirs
I can’t tell you all how much pleasure it gives me to see the many wonderful comments about Red Carraro from his family and friends, as well as from the many jazz collectors whose lives he touched. This was why I started the Jazz Collector site in the first place, to build this kind of community. That it has actually happened is intensely gratifying, as you can imagine.
But I also left you all in the middle of a story, with me in a cast clutching a batch of records, sitting with Red in his basement, with no way of getting home. So there were Red and I sitting there, no idea what to do, when the door flung open and Dan came charging down the stairs again.
“Are you giving me the record?” he said.
“No,” I replied.
He looked at Red, as if Red should fix this with a Solomon-like gesture of perhaps breaking
Read the rest of this entry »
Adventures in Jazz Collecting: Red Carraro, Part 1
Jul 12, 2010 Features, Jazz Memoirs, Verve
There was a time, before the Internet and eBay, when jazz record dealers would amass hundreds of collectible records and compile them in lists and send those lists all over the world so that collectors could bid on them, blindly, hoping they would make the top bid and receive a shipment of rare jazz vinyl several weeks later. One of the leading and last practitioners of this fading art was a gentleman, and I use that word purposefully, by the name of William Carraro, known to all as “Red.” I am sad to report that Red passed away in his sleep yesterday morning.
I will tell you more about Red in a subsequent post, but first let me tell you the story of the first time I met Red. It was back in the early 1970s and I had just started collecting jazz records. I was 19 years old. My good friend from childhood Dan Axelrod had also begun collecting jazz records at the same time and Dan was far more obsessive about it than I was, so he was always finding scores before me. He’d call from Philadelphia or Miami, out of breath, describing beautiful Blue Notes
Today’s $1,000 Bin: Newk, JR, Sun Ra, Cliff Jordan
Jul 11, 2010 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Prestige
Let’s update the Jazz Collector $1,000 bin, shall we?
Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The selling price was $2,125. That’s the third highest price we’ve ever recorded for Saxophone Colossus in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.
Check out this one: J. R. Monterose, In Action, Studio 4 SS 100. This was an original pressing and we know this is a rare record from previous descriptions. If you missed those do a search above on J. R. Monterose and you can read all about it. What’s interesting about this listing is the seller’s rather detailed yet still unclear description of the condition. It seems to me, if I were bidding on this record, I would expect it to be in VG+ condition for the vinyl and VG for the cover. I’m thinking the winning bidder and those bidding it up, actually may have felt it was in better condition because
Tags: Cliff Jordan, J. R. Monterose, Jazz Collector Price Guide, Jazz Vinyl, Sonny Rollins, Sun Ra
On eBay: True Blue, Modern Art, Griffin Signed
Jul 10, 2010 Autographs, Blue Note
Here’s some interesting jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay:
Johnny Griffin, The Kerry Dancers, Riverside, 420. This is an original blue label pressing and it is listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. This record also features an autograph on the cover by Johnny Griffin, apparently from 1995. As we’ve seen before, an autograph can either be an enticement or a detriment, depending upon the collector. For me, I always like having an autographed copy. This one has a few hours to go and is selling in the $250 range. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen a sealed copy of this LP sell for $370, but otherwise the top price was $230, so it seems the autograph is enhancing the value of this LP.
Here’s one destined for the $1,000 bin, assuming it meets the seller’s reserve price:
Tags: Art Pepper, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Tina Brooks
A Guide To Jazz Vinyl in Amsterdam
Jul 8, 2010 Guest Columns, Record Stores
The other day we mentioned the idea of posting guides to record stores in various cities to help traveling jazz collectors all over the world. Our first response is from Maarten Kools with this guide to shopping for jazz vinyl in Amsterdam and nearby environs. Enjoy.
Any Info on Sun Ra Collectibles?
Jul 6, 2010 Collecting Tips
When I was in college back in the 1970s I had a friend who was a huge fan of Sun Ra and was often trying to get me to listen to the Sun Ra Arkestra. I must admit I never did get into the music and thus have no Sun Ra records in my collection nor do I know anything about Sun Ra collectibles, other than the fact that I’ve seen several of them sell for quite high collectible prices. I bring this up because I am now watching one such item on eBay: Saturn Presents Sun Ra and His Arkestra, Saturn 0216. This is listed as an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. This record already has been viewed nearly 600 times and
Tags: Saturn Records, Sun Ra
Tracking Some Blue Note 10-Inchers
Jul 6, 2010 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note
Here are some 10-inch Blue Notes that sold for some pretty high prices recently:
Milt Jackson, Wizard of the Vibes, Blue Note 5011. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $343.50.
Miles Davis Volume 3, Blue Note 5040. This was an original pressing. The record was in VG condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $160.
Thelonious Monk, Genius of Modern Music, Blue Note 5002. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The price was $493.50.
Tags: Horace Silver, Miles Davis, Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk
On eBay: Mingus, Newk & Unplayed Records
Jul 5, 2010 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
Here’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay:
Charles Mingus and Thad Jones, Jazz Collaborations Volume 1, Debut 17. This is an original 10-inch LP and it is in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. Quite hard to find this LP in this condition. The seller is Euclid Records, which has been posting quite a collection of rare 10-inch LPs the past couple of weeks. Anyway, this one closes in about 15 hours from this post and is still in the $100 range.
This one has a buy-it-now price of $2,800 and is currently at $1,000 in the bidding but has not yet reached the seller’s reserve price:
Tags: Charles Mingus, Cliff Jordan, Debut Records, Jackie McLean, Sonny Rollins, Thad Jones
Jazz Vinyl Pricing Trends: Three Altos
Jul 4, 2010 $1000 Records, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
Today is the Independence Day Holiday here in the states but, as usual, we at Jazz Collector never rest. Here are some of the items we’ve been watching on eBay lately:
Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This was an original pressing, of course, and it was listed in VG++ condition. The price was $2,627. The seller was a collector from Japan, not a dealer. Haven’t seen that so often.
Jason did that story on Boston jazz the other day and, coincidentally, this record was available on eBay from Euclid Records: Charlie Mariano, The New Sounds From Boston, Prestige 130. This was an original 10-inch LP and it was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. With a few hours to go before the bidding closed, this record was sitting in the $30 range. I though I might be able to get it for a cheap price and , not owning a copy, it had quite an appeal for me. So I used my sniping software, which is BidNip, and I
Tags: Ad Lib Records, Charlie Mariano, Charlie Parker, Dial Records, Jackie McLean, Jazz Vinyl
Guest Column: Hub Cats of Jazz
Jul 2, 2010 Guest Columns
There’s been a lot of chatter on Jazz Collector this week about record stores in various locales, including New York and San Francisco. One of our regular readers and commentators, Jason, has submitted a guest column on jazz in Boston — not the stores, but the music itself from the 1950s and 1960s. So here’s Jason:
“When I first thought of writing a post about jazz in Boston during the 50s/60s, I thought it would be easy. It wasn’t, and the problem is Boston itself. When one considers jazz and geography it is usually New Orleans, Chicago, Kansas City and New York come to mind as sources of talent and innovation. Not Boston. New Orleans could claim Dixieland. Kansas City had
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