Month: January 2013

Esquire vs Prestige: Is There A Difference in Sound?

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I think I’m developing a little thing for the original Esquire covers. Here’s the latest I’m watching: Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Volume 1, Esquire 32-173. Having been based in the United States during my whole jazz collecting life, many of these records are absolutely new to me, even though many of them are at least 50 years old. I think that’s one of the great things that eBay has brought to collecting: Creating a market where just about every item you can conceive — or even those that you can’t conceive — will at some point make an appearance. Anyway, this one is in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The start price is $199 and so far there are no bidders with more than three days to go. The seller claims that this pressing has better sound than the original U.S. pressing. That sounds quite difficult to verify, but I imagine someone out there may have both pressings and could do a comparison. Rudolf? Speaking of Rudolf, it looks like this one of his has reached it’s reserve price and will sell: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This one is M- for the record and Ex for the cover. The price is now more than $2,000 and the auction closes in two days.

 

 

Of Prestiges and Great Tenor Records

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Prestige Day at Jazz Collector. This one is for a good friend who has a passion for 10-inch LPs, and for Phil Woods: Phil Woods, New Jazz Quintet, New Jazz 1104. Man, look at that cover. Phil looks like he’s about 15. The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG to VG+. Start price is $250 and it’s closing in four hours. No bidders so far.

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This is an original New York pressing. The record and cover were listed in VG++ condition. The bidding is in the $275 range with more than a day to go. Someone recently sent me a list of something like the 50 greatest tenor sax records ever. I quickly glanced at the list to see what was #1 (it was either Giant Steps or A Love Supreme). I looked to see where this record ranked, since it would have it in my top two or three. But it wasn’t on the list. I clicked my off off the link and never looked back. I’m sure a quick Google search and someone will find it and post it here. I would have it Tenor Madness had been on the list.

This is another great tenor record I listened to recently for the first time in years:

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Ebaying: Two of the Rarest of The Rare Jazz Vinyl

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I’m sitting at my dining room in the country, overlooking the snow-covered frozen lake, being warmed by a fire from my wood-burning stove, John Coltrane playing “Too Young To Go Steady” in the background.. If you’re going to be working, which I am, this is not a bad way to work. Now I am procrastinating between projects, always a good time to look at some interesting jazz vinyl auctions on eBay. Here goes, starting with: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. It’s always nice to see this record on eBay because it’s one of the really rare ones and it’s good to know that if you really, really wanted a copy, you could find it. I looked at this listing and realized the seller is our friend at Jazz Collector, Rudolf. This is in M- condition for the record and E for the cover. It’s early in the auction, the price is more than $400, and the reserve has not yet been met. I’m assuming this is a duplicate and not Rudolf’s only copy.

The seller of this one can use a better picture-taking methodology: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. The record is listed in M- condition and the cover is VG+, although you’d never know it from the pictures because of the reflection off the camera’s flash. When I was listing records regularly, I’d run into the same problem, but I always tried other angles to get a more clear picture. Just a suggestion. This one has three days to go and the bidding is more than $550.

 

3 Blue Notes, 3 For the $1,000 bin

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OK, let’s start out with some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching, starting with: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This was the one that had the New York 23 label on one side and the plain West 63rd label on the other side. The record was M- and the cover looked close to M-. The top bid was $1,457. But, alas, the record did not sell. It failed to meet the seller’s reserve price.

This one came close to the same price and did sell: J. R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing listed as M- for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price was $1,399.

Here’s another Blue Note that got a big price: Horace Parlan, Us Three, Blue Note 4037. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,880.55.

 

 

 

Of Yellow and Other Labels

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Another day, another batch of jazz records on eBay. Here are a few we’re watching: Lester Young, Pres, Norgran 1072. This is an original yellow label pressing. The record is VG+, the cover is VG and the picture accompanying the picture is dark and now so clear. Surprising to see that the bidding has already reached more than $130 and there have been eight bids. Maybe there’s life in those old Norgrans yet.

This one looks nice: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Note Note 4041. This looks to be an original pressing, with the original cover. The seller describes them in EX+ condition, which strikes me as just a step below M-. The price for this is in the $1,400 range and the bidding closes later today.

I’m assuming this is an original pressing, but perhaps not a first pressing? It’s an odd one: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. It has the deep grooves and all the markings of an original pressing, but two different labels, both with the West 63rd address. One side has the New York 23 label, the other doesn’t. So what does that make this record? It is listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ or better for the cover. Bidding is in the $180 range and it has yet to meet the seller’s reserve. Normally you’d expect this record in this condition to sell for close to $2,000. But the labels will definitely impact the price, right?

 

 

 

Questionable Conditions, High Prices

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Here’s an update on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Sonny Clark Trio, Blue Note 1579. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The seller graded it in excellent, which I’m assuming is what I would consider VG+, based on the picture of the cover and the description of the record. I have a sense others had the same sense. This copy sold for $866. In better condition it would have probably broken into the $1,000 bin. We’ve seen this record sell for more than $1,500 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

There were two copies of Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568 for sale. This one was in what looked to be VG+ condition. It did not have the original cover, but the cover from the EMI-Capitol reissue. Incredibly, it sold for $2,080.55. I don’t get it — not even an original cover? I have a copy of Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041, that is in VG or VG+ condition but has no cover at all. At one point I thought of putting a later cover on it and displaying it in my collection that way, but I just couldn’t do it. It felt like cheating and I know I’d feel guilty every time I would flip through the shelves and see that fraudulent cover in my collection. Anyway, that’s me. This other one had a relatively trashed cover, and a relatively trashed record, and it sold for $666.66. As someone mentioned in the comments, even though it’s rated G+, it probably sounds pretty decent. These original Blue Notes seemed to be made out of armor in addition to vinyl.

 

 

Homely Mobley, Fine Miles & Kelly’s Blues

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This one looks like it’s been through the ringer: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. We know this is one of the rarest of the rare and has sold for as much as $5,600 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. This one will not approach that price. The cover looks like it’s been stored in a sewer — and the cover is listed in better condition than the record. The cover is listed as VG and the record is listed as G+. Still, it will fill a gap in someone’s collection, and for a fairly hefty price. This one is already close to $250 and there are still three days left on the bidding. If you want to see a copy of the cover, you’ll have to click the link. We don’t want to tarnish the site in any way.

This is a cover we’re happy to show: Miles Davis Volume 1, Blue Note 1501. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the Lexington Avenue address on the cover. It is listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The start price is $249 and so far there are no bidders with more than three days to go. The same seller is also offering this:

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Blue Notes & Prestige: A Day at Jazz Collector

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Let’s catch up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching, starting with: Walter Davis, Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding was slow on this one, as you may recall, in the low $100 range with just one day left on the bidding. Well, it may have started slow, but it ended on a high note for the seller. The record sold for $919.99. There are no bargains on Blue Notes on eBay, are there, unless you get lucky with condition.

My friend Dan was urging me to get this record when the bidding was close to $400 with just a few hours to go: Sonny Rollins With Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. Put in a bid of $700, he said. It’ll be your birthday present. I thought about it, but decided against it. Good thing I didn’t get my hopes up because I wouldn’t have won the record. It sold for $799.55. Speaking of my birthday present, the Lovely Mrs. JC says she’s only gotten one response so far to her request. There’s still time, but it’s running low — birthday is in two and a half weeks. Contact Mrs JC at mrsjc(at)jazzcollector.com.

I thought this one might reach the $1,000 bin, but it came up just short:

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Monk and Newk, Superb in Every Way

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Be still my heart. Look at this beauty: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This is an original 10-inch with the maroon and silver labels. Hmmmm. M- condition for both the record and the cover, as the seller describes “superb in every way.” Now this is temptation. It closes in less than three hours and is priced at close to $400. I just won $500 in Fantasy Football this season. Perhaps, this would be the payoff?

Here’s one I’ve never seen in person, only on eBay: Tommy Potter’s Hard Funk, East-West 4001. This is an original pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. Kind of a strange record for the era, recorded in Sweden with an American rhythm section and Swedish horn players. I imagine this is all explained on the liner notes?

 

 

 

 

Interesting Prices, Know What I Mean?

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I just jumped on eBay to check out a few jazz vinyl auctions before football starts here in the states, and this record was about to close: Cannonball Adderley with Bill Evans, Know What I Mean, Riverside 433. This was an original blue label pressing in M- condition for both the record and VG+ for the cover, still in its original shrink wrap. What struck me was the price tag: It was more than $230, which is really quite high for this record, based on historical prices. The auction just closed at $261. Regular readers will know that this is one of my personal favorites, certainly on my top 25 list of jazz records, and perhaps even in the top 10. But in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, we’ve never captured a copy at more than $100, let alone more than $250.

Our friend CeeDee sent me a link to this record, when the price was in the low $100 range:

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