A Trio of Blue Notes For Easter Sunday
Here are a few Blue Note jazz vinyl auctions we were watching recently.
Clifford Brown Memorial Album, Blue Note 1526. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that looked almost original all around. Both labels had Lexington Avenue addresses and there was a Lexington Avenue address on the cover. However, I also have a Lexington Avenue cover on this and the bottom of my cover is in blue, not white. I wonder what this means and does Fred Cohen cover this difference in his book. I have to get down there to replace my copy. This record was probably in VG++ condition, possibly VG+ for real sticklers, and the cover was VG+. The price was $570.
J. R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was described in VG condition, sounding as if it were VG++. How do you think of records like that? It’s not atypical of these early Blue Notes to sound great almost no matter what. I was listening to my copy of Introducing Johnny Griffin the other day and when I looked at it I groaned — VG looking for sure. When I played it, ahhh, clean as could be. Pretty amazing. This J.R. record also has a VG cover. It sold for $555.
Sonny Rollins Volume 2, Blue Note 1558. This one looked to be in M- condition and was described as M- condition by the seller. It was an original pressing as well. You’d think it would perhaps have entered the $1,000 bin, but it did not: The winning bid was $566.
The Clifford Brown Lp with the blue bottom is the first pressing, the white came later.
i would say blue too, not that i have one, but the japanese pressing is blue, and they always use the original cover.
Strange, on popsike the most expensive one is the “white” one…
Fred on BLP 1526:”These inconsistencies may be attributable to the difficulty in matching ink tones from printing to printing,or to the availability of a specific ink from the same supplier,or to any number of creative decisions by the art or sales departments.” pg.106
He does confirm the white background as the second cover issued. So,it looks like a first press lp w/ a later (white)cover…
maartenkools, there was more than one Japanese pressings of this title, not all were blue bottom. The most expensive copy I found on Popsike did indeed have the blue bottom though: http://www.popsike.com/CLIFFORD-BROWN-ON-BLUE-NOTE-1526-ORIGINAL-LEXINGTON-M/150451070111.html
Aaron: you’re right, didn’t look further than page 1 on popsike..Doh!