Updating the $1,000 Jazz Vinyl Bin
Feb 3, 2012 $1000 Records, Blue Note
Here are some nice additions to the $1,000 bind of the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
This is part of that nice batch of British Tempo LPs: Jimmy Deuchar, Pal Jimmy, Tempo TAP 20. This one was in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,802.77. Frankly, I’ve never heard of Jimmy Deuchar, but I imagine it is the presence of Tubby Hayes that defines the real value of this record. There’s a nice picture on the cover with Tubby looking . . . well . . . just a little bit tubby.
Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an almost original — NY 23 just on side 2? — and was in M- condition, part of the beautiful batch of records recently sold by Jazz 5060/Music Matters. It sold for $1,691.55.
Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This looked to be an original pressing in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ condition for the cover. It sold for $1,136.11.
Tags: Cannonball Adderley, Hank Mobley, Jimmy Deuchar, Tempo Records, Tubby Hayes
How To Organize Your Jazz Vinyl . . . Who Knows!!??!!?
Feb 2, 2012 Blue Note
I’m thinking of reorganizing my records (again). I’d love to have all my Blue Notes in one place and all my Prestiges. Not necessarily in number order — then I’d feel compelled to fill in every number — but at least by artist, by label. It works for Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside, Verve, but what about the off labels — the RCAs and Columbias and Atlantics, and the smaller ones like Bethlehem and Transition. Do you want them all categorized by label in your collection? And can you ever find anything? It’s an endless conundrum, right? Once I had them organized by label and I didn’t like it. Now I have them alphabetically, but not all in the same place. It’s complicated, but I segregate original pressings from before 1970 from any non-original pressings and all pressings after 1970. It may be wacky, but that part works for me. Anyway, I’m thinking about this because I have a few new Blue Notes to incorporate into my collection and because when I watch on eBay my eyes often go straight to the Blue Notes, and I would like to capture that same feeling in my collection. For instance, here are some of the records I’m watching now:
Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. Great record, right? This one is more than $500 already with a few days to go.
Tags: Bennie Green, Duke Jordan, Jackie McLean
Mono, Stereo, Blue Note, Riverside
Feb 1, 2012 Blue Note, Riverside
The Jazz Record Center has an auction closing this week. Not the normal list of heavyweights, but some nice records, including: Bill Evans, Explorations, Riverside 9531. This is the original stereo pressing with the black label. The record looks to be in M- condition and the cover is probably M- as well. The current price is about $110 and there are two days to go. Maybe this is a week of stereo pressings, because there is also this: Blue Mitchell, The Thing To Do, Blue Note 84178. This is an original stereo pressing and it looks to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. The start price is $100 and so far there are no takers. With the Blue Notes, there’s something about the monos that make them feel “more original.” I find with the later Riversides, such as the Evans LP, I don’t have the same preference for the mono pressing.
This one got a pretty high top bid, but did not sell because it didn’t meet the seller’s reserve price:
Tags: Bill Evans, Blue Mitchell, Hank Mobley
Tracking Some $1,000 — And $5,000 — Jazz Vinyl
Jan 30, 2012 $1000 Records, Blue Note
My goodness, look what this sold for: Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was an original pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The price was $5,117. That’s one of the highest prices we’ve ever seen for any record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide and about $1,500 more than we’ve previously seen for this record. The seller has commented elsewhere on Jazz Collector as to the legitimacy of the auction, which I don’t doubt at all, since we’ve always seen that bidding wars can drive up prices and we’ve also seen prices going higher and higher for the rarest of the collectibles, of which this qualifies. If I had an original copy, maybe I’d even sell it myself. Really? Nah, I’d keep it for sure.
When I talk about prices going up for the rarest of the collectibles, this is another example: Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This is an original pressing in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover, and you can see on the picture that the cover is not completely clean, but certainly looks at least VG+. This record has become a perennial in the $1,000 bin and has sold for as much as $2,400 in M- condition. This copy sold for $1,735.
Tags: Cliff Jordan, Jutta Hipp, Zoot Sims
Jazz Vinyl Today: Keeping Up With The Tempos
Jan 28, 2012 Blue Note
It’s always fun discovering records I’ve never seen before, even discovering them on eBay: Case in point: Victor Feldman and Tubby Hayes, Transatlantic Alliance, Tempo TAP 19. This I assume is a British pressing. The record is listed in VG or VG+ condition and the cover is VG+. The price is already more than $500 with a day to go, so I imagine this is quite a rare record. Along the same lines, from the same seller, another one that’s new to me: Victor Feldman and Tubby Hayes, Swingin’ the Blues, Tempo TAP 21. This one seems to be in similar condition — VG or VG+ for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price on this one is also around $500.
Didn’t realize this one was a $100-plus record: Curtis Fuller, Soul Trombone, Impulse 13. This is an original pressing with the orange label and RVG in the deadwax. It is listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and the current price is a bit more than $100, closing fairly soon.
Tags: Curtis Fuller, Hank Mobley, Impulse Records, Tempo Records, Tubby Hayes, Victor Feldman
10-Inch, 12-Inch: Does Size Really Matter
Jan 27, 2012 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Norgran
Here’s some of the jazz vinyl we’re watching heading into the weekend:
The Tal Farlow Album, Norgran 1047. This is an original pressing with the yellow label, deep grooves and beautiful David Stone Martin cover. Or is it? My friend Dan, who was Tal’s great friend and protege, has always been a devotee of the 10-inch version of this record based on the crispness of the sound and the fact that it was the original original pressing. I once did a comparison, played the 12-incher and the 10-incher back to back, and it was true: You could hear a difference in the sound. I’m not sure why: Perhaps it was psychological, Dan had planted it in my head and I always trust him when it comes to music. The 10-incher, Norgran 19, has eight tracks. This one has additional tracks that come from . . . . where? Dan, if you’re out there, please fill in the blanks. Based on the description, this looks to be in VG+ or maybe VG++ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The current price is around $80.
Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing and it looks to be in very nice condition, M- for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The bidding is already quite high for this, in the $1,500 range with more than two days to go.
Tags: Jutta Hipp, Tal Farlow, Zoot Sims
Jazz For A Snowy Saturday
Jan 21, 2012 Blue Note, Prestige
Up here in The Berkshires, where it’s snowing and quite lovely. Anyway . . . The folks at jazz5060/Music Matters have been posting quite the jazz vinyl collection on eBay in recent weeks. They have a bunch of nice items up there now, and a bunch more that already sold for very nice prices this week, including: Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. This one sold for $909.99. I finally, finally, got an original copy of this record for my own collection in that collection I purchased from Canada a few weeks ago. These guys at jazz5060/Music Matters seem to be doing quite well with their prices. Perhaps I need to charge them more (charge them something, actually) for the ad that keeps running here on Jazz Collector.
Sometimes you see these Prestiges go for top dollar, sometimes they go relatively cheaply. This one was top dollar: Gene Ammons All Stars, Prestige 7060. This one was in M- condition for the record and cover and sold for $707.
Tags: Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson
Today’s Jazz Vinyl: Burrell, Warhol, A Sealed Book
Jan 19, 2012 $1000 Records, Blue Note
Let’s up date some of the Jazz Vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay this week, starting with: Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1543. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing — the last of the Lexingtons — and it has the Andy Warhol cover. Quite a find. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover, the original framed cover, was also in M- condition. It sold for $2,025 and I’m sure will be a welcome addition to the buyer’s collection.
One of our regular readers pointed this one out to me, thinking the price was inordinately highly, but I’m not sure I agree. For original Blue Notes in M- condition, there seems to be no limit these days: Horace Parlan, Up and Down, Blue Note 4082. This one sold for $665.55.
This one was still sealed, but was it the original seal? If so, how would you be able to tell?
Tags: Andy Warhol, Booker Little, Candid Records, Clifford Jordan, Horace Parlan, John Gilmore, Kenny Burrell
A Couple for The $1,000 Bin, And one for the $66 Bin
Jan 17, 2012 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Norgran
There were a bunch of interesting jazz vinyl auctions that closed last night, to wit: Red Rodney, Signal S 1206. This looked like an original pressing in perhaps VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover? The seller uses a wide variety of grades that don’t necessarily correspond to the grading language we typically use, so it’s up for interpretation. Hopefully the buyer will be pleased. This one sold for a whopping $1,825.55.
Her’s one for the $2,000 bin: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing that looked to be in M- or VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $2,111. There was another copy of this record that we mentioned the other day, Blue Note 1590, that was in just VG- condition for the record and cover. We wondered about the eventual price for a record that may not be all that playable. The price was $237.65
How the market has changed through the years: Johnny Hodges, Castle Rock, Norgran 1048. This was an original yellow label pressing. It was in VG+ condition for both the record and the vinyl. It sold for $66. When I started collecting jazz, there seemed to be much more interest from collectors in the original Norgrans. A different era, I guess — but also an opportunity to pick up some of these very nice records at reasonable prices.
Tags: Jazz Vinyl, Johnny Hodges, Lee Morgan, Red Rodney, Signal Records
An Afternoon Soul Stirrin’ in Paris
Jan 16, 2012 Blue Note
Let’s catch up on some interesting jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay.
For as long as I’ve been collecting, it’s nice to know that there’s always something new to learn. Here’s a record I’ve like for a long time: John Lewis and Sacha Distel, Afternoon in Paris. I’ve only owned this as an Atlantic recording, black label, of course, and I frankly had no idea that it was originally issued in France under the Versailles label, Versailles, MDX 12 005. I just checked out the liner notes on my Atlantic pressing and it makes no mention of Versailles. It does mention that Barney Wilen was only 19 years old at the time of the recording, which is pretty incredible considering how well he plays on this record and how mature he sounds. Anyway, this copy was in VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover, which was the soft cover that seemed to be typical of the European pressings in those days. This copy sold for $630. The highest price we’ve recorded for the Atlantic pressing in the Jazz Collector Price Guide has been $121.
Tags: Atlantic Records, Barney Wilen, Bennie Green, Buckshot La Funke, John Lewis, Sacha Distel, Versailles Records
Monday Morning Blue Notes
Jan 16, 2012 Blue Note
Lot of interesting jazz vinyl we’re watching now on eBay, so let’s get right into it. This one is closing fairly soon: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. What’s the market for a rare record like this in not very good condition, actually in VG minus condition? So far the bidding on this one has topped $125. I’d love to have this record back in my collection — yes, I sold a pristine copy 20 years ago — but not in this condition. If I can’t listen to the record, I don’t necessarily need to own it just to fill a space in the collection.
This one is in better condition, but hard to actually give it a grade based on seller’s description. My guess from the description and pictures that it’s what I would grade a VG+ for the record and the cover: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This one has already topped $800. As I mentioned recently, I am now the proud owner of an original pressing of this record, after all of these years of collection. Amazing how rare these things are, when you think about it. I could have paid top dollar over the years, I guess, to acquire a copy of this record, but in the normal course of things — going to record stores, record shows, garage sales flea markets, looking for records in most cities across the U.S. — in more than 40 years I had never come across an original copy of this record, and many others, for what I considered to be a reasonable price at the time.
Tags: Cliff Jordan, Jazz Vinyl, John Gilmore, John Jenkins, Johnny Griffin, Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan
Score One For Jazz Collector
Jan 13, 2012 Blue Note, Jazz Memoirs
I wasn’t actually planning to write anything about my recent jazz vinyl acquisitions but, of course, my excitement and enthusiasm took over and I couldn’t resist. I have this idea of writing a Jazz Collector book – I’ve already begun – and the story of some of these record scores is going to be a central theme so I’m trying to save them. However, I mentioned it so now I have to embellish a little bit so I don’t leave you all tantalized. It started with a simple inquiry from a guy in Canada who was asking for advice about selling some records he had inherited. It almost always starts that way. I get inquiries like these three or four times a week. He said he had looked on Jazz Collector and it seemed that some of the records he owned were quite valuable – Blue Notes, he said, and they seemed original. I told him his best bet was to get Fred Cohen’s book, try to gauge the value of the records, and sell them himself on eBay. He said that’s what he was going to do and thanked me. I thought that was the end of it. But it wasn’t.
Tags: Sonny Clark
Today’s Jazz Vinyl Watch: Prestige, Blue Note(s)
Jan 10, 2012 Blue Note, Prestige
Here’s some of the rare jazz vinyl we’re watching now on eBay:
Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins, Dig, Prestige 7012. This looks to be an original New York pressing with the gray cover as opposed to the blue cover. I would also assume that this is the “frame” cover, otherwise known as kakubushi. I always preferred the gray cover, of course, since it is the original, and I wonder why Prestige chose to change the color on the subsequent release. Perhaps someone out there knows — Rudolf? This one was in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover and is currently in the $150 price range with more than a day to go.
I am no longer in the market for this record, having just acquired an original pressing. Yay! Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This appears to be an original pressing and the condition seems to be somewhere between VG+ and M-. The start price is around $750 and, so far, there are no takers. The second copy, viewed here, looks to be in slightly worse condition, rated as “excellent” by the seller, although he describes light scuffs and the picture shows a back that has some dirt and wear. If I were wagering, I’d say this record and cover are VG+, the way I grade things. This one already has two bids and is at $404 with six days to go.
Tags: Johnny Griffin, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins
A Few For the $1,000 (And More) Bin
Jan 9, 2012 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Riverside
Here’s a recap of some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:
Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was the one that was in M- condition for the record and VG++ or M- for the cover. It sold for quite a hefty price, $4,600, but not a record high. This guy was bid all the way up to $2,720 and STILL didn’t meet the seller’s reserve price. Wow: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. The record was described as being in M- condition and the cover was VG++ or M-.
This one, believe it or not, entered the $2,000 bin: Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby, Riverside 399. The seller didn’t actually apply a grade for either the cover or record, but noted that the vinyl was in “great shape” other than for a paper scratch or two. Somewhat reassuring, but not enough for me to wager $2,075, which is what the winning bidder put up. It was a white label promo copy, but still.
Here are a couple more for the $1,000 bin:
Tags: Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, Dootone Records, Hank Mobley, J. R. Monterose, Jackie McLean, Jaro Records
Watching (and Buying) Some Rare Blue Notes
Jan 5, 2012 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Like many of you I’m greatly intrigued by the discussion on Why We Collect but, alas, I cannot shirk my normal obsession and obligation to keep an eye on collectible jazz vinyl on eBay. Here are some of the items I’m watching:
Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. Hard to believe, but I never had an original pressing of this record — until now. I have made a little bit of a purchase, including a bunch of Blue Notes. I will give you more details once the full purchase is complete, probably sometime next week. In the meantime, I’m watching this to see if I overpaid. This one is listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It is currently at about $215 with another day to go. I expect this to go for quite a bit more, with the added benefit of Sonny Clark on piano.
This one could set a new record, perhaps: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is an original pressing listed in near mint for the record and what looks to be at least VG++ for the cover. The seller is reputable and has been posting some very nice items the past few weeks. This one is already more than $3,100, yet it hasn’t met the seller’s reserve. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve recorded this as selling for $5,600 in the past, the highest price we’ve ever seen for a single jazz record.
Tags: Hank Mobley, Lou Donaldson, Sonny Rollins
A New Batch of Jazz Vinyl For The New Year
Jan 1, 2012 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Prestige, Price Guide
Happy New Year to everyone. Here are a few more items going into the Jazz Collector Price Guide. No links on these.
Jimmy Raney Quartet, New Jazz 1101. I like this one because of the maroon and white label, which you rarely see. There were just a few 10-inch New Jazz LPs, so they are pretty cool, and pretty rare. This one was probably in VG or VG+ condition for the record and the vinyl. It sold for $157.50.
Now a bunch of Blue Notes:
Lee Morgan, Lee-Way, Blue Note 4034. This was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $600.
Lou Donaldson, Wailing With Lou, Blue Note 1545. This was an original West 63rd pressing in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $688.
Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. Also an original pressing, of course, this one in VG+ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,343.
Dexter Gordon, One Flight Up, Blue Note 4176. This one was in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover. It sold for $200.
Hank Mobley, Soul Station, Blue Note 4031. Record was M- and cover was M-. Price was $1,465.
Tags: Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Jazz Collector Price Guide, Jazz Vinyl, Jimmy Raney, Jutta Hipp, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Zoot Sims
Updating the Jazz Vinyl Price Guide
Dec 30, 2011 $1000 Records, Blue Note
I’ve been spending the entire morning catching up on the Jazz Collector Price Guide and, if time allows, this weekend I will make a lot of additions and finally take the database to more than 5,000 records. Quite impressive, if you ask me, since I’ve logged every one of those by myself, by hand, typing in each entry one by one. Here are some of the recent items that will be added and I hope to do another post before the end of the year with some of the older items I may have missed during the past few months.
Brew Moore in Europe, Debut 127. This is the original Danish pressing, quite hard to find. The record was in VG++ condition and the cover was M-. The price was $373.
Here Comes Louis Smith, Blue Note 1584. This is one of those where you had to look carefully at the listing. The record is listed in Ex+/N- condition and the cover as Ex. The picture shows that the cover has tape all around it, so if I were grading the best I’d give it is a VG-. It would also make me wary about the condition of the vinyl, if the seller considers this cover as excellent. Potential buyers had some of the same concerns, it seems. The record sold for $495.
Tags: Andy Warhol, Brew Moore, Debut Records, Kenny Burrell, Larry Young, Lee Morgan, Louis Smith
Going Up . . . Up . . . Up . . .
Dec 29, 2011 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Prestige, Price Guide, Riverside
Here’s some interesting jazz vinyl auctions that closed this week.
We need a new explanation for this one: Horace Silver, Song For My Father, Blue Note 4185. Admittedly this is a great, classic record and this was an original mono pressing in near mint condition for both the record and the cover. Why is there a new explanation needed? Conventional wisdom has said that because of the initial popularity of this record, there has always been a relatively abundant supply of original pressings in decent condition. Conventional wisdom may be changing. This particular copy sold for $405. Our previous high for this in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was $334 and, at the time, we considered that to be an aberration. What’s this?
And this? Gene Ammons, Blue Gene, Prestige 7146. This was from the same seller and it was also in near mint condition for the record and the cover. You’d normally expect this in the $40-$50 range, maybe a drop higher because of the condition. This copy sold for $164.50.
This next one got quite a high price, but not a surprising one:
Tags: Abbey Lincoln, Bethlehem Records, Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons, Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Cool Struttin’, Giant Steps and Other Jazz Classics
Dec 27, 2011 $1000 Records, Blue Note
Let’s catch up on some of the interesting rare jazz vinyl we’ve been watching at Jazz Collector. Big Bear apparently put a magnifying glass to this record and found that it was not necessarily an original pressing: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. In addition to the question about the “original-ness” of the record there was also some concern expressed here about the lack of information about the listing. The record wound up selling for $1,913.88 in M- condition, which is probably significantly less than it would have received if it had been offered by a reputable seller with a strong reputation, such as Jazz Record Center or Euclid. Nonetheless, it is still quite a hefty price, particularly if it is not a first pressing. This one came from the same seller and failed to sell: Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note 1569. I tried the magnifying glass trick myself but to no avail: Either my magnifier was faulty or my eyes were faulty or, more likely, a combination of the two. I couldn’t figure out if this was original or not. Perhaps other potential bidders had the same problem. Nobody was willing to hit the start price of $500.
Tags: John Coltrane, Kennedy Center Honors, New Jazz Records, Paul Chambers, Sonny Clark, Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan
No Holiday For Watching Jazz Vinyl
Dec 26, 2011 $1000 Records, 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Prestige, Price Guide
It may be the holiday season around much of the world, but eBay never takes a vacation. Neither, apparently, does Jazz Collector. Here is some interesting jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay. We’ll start with the $1,000 been. This one is still for sale: Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1560. This is an original pressing that’s listed in near mint condition for both the record and the cover. The price is already more than $1,100 and there are still two days to go. This is also a regular to the $1,000 bin: Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original pressing, deep grooves, purple label, and it was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,415. Merry Christmas for someone. John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This was an original pressing that was either M- or very close to M-, based on the seller’s description. It sold for $1,156.99.
Here are a few interesting items closing in the next day or so:
Tags: Giant Steps, Hank Mobley, Jazz Collector Price Guide, John Coltrane, John Jenkins, Jutta Hipp, Kenny Burrell, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Rollins
A Jazz Vinyl Auction To (Carefully) Watch
Dec 21, 2011 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl Fraud
Are there any gamblers out there? Here are some interesting items from a seller in Italy, including : Art Taylor, AT’s Delight, Blue Note 4047. The seller describes this record, as well as a bunch of other jazz collectibles, as being from his grandfather’s collection. There is no mention on any of these listings about some of the characteristics you’d want to see on a Blue Note to determine it’s provenance. No mention of deep grooves, addresses on the label, RVGs, ears, etc. Yet . . . if you look at the picture, you get the sense that perhaps they are originals. Or could they be someone else’s pictures? The seller does not accept returns. Perhaps we’re back to being skeptical again, since this is around the two-year anniversary of the great eBay Nautiluso fraud, from Italy. Clearly, others are skeptical as well, based on the price of this record and other listings from this seller. This one, listed in M- condition for the record and the cover, is now at $260. Here’s another from the same batch: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This is described as being in M- condition and a U.S. pressing, but all of the other important data is not included in the listing. The bidding on this has gone to $585 and the auction is closing in a few hours. Under normal circumstances, what would an M- copy of this sell for — $3,000, $4,000?
Tags: Art Taylor, Sonny Clark
Blue Note Jazz Vinyl For the $1,700 Bin
Dec 20, 2011 $1000 Records, Blue Note
OK, so when did this become a $1,700 record: Donald Byrd, Byrd in Flight, Blue Note 4048? This was an original pressing and it was in M- condition. It was also a review copy. Who would have suspected it would get a top bid of $1,712? I certainly didn’t. Our previous high price for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was more in the range of $300.
From the same seller came a batch of other nice collectibles, also at top prices, including: Rocky Boyd, Ease It, Jazz Time 001. This was an original pressing. The record looked to be M- and the cover was probably VG++. It sold for $668. I owned this record at one time but don’t recall that I ever listened to it. I wound up trading it for something not nearly as collectible. I know this record benefits from the presence of Kenny Dorham, for both musicality and collectibility. How is the record and what can we learn about Rocky Boyd?
Also:
Tags: Donald Byrd, Jazz Collector Price Guide, Jazz Time Records, Jazz Vinyl. Ted Curson, Lou Donaldson, Old Town Records, Rare Jazz Records, Rocky Boyd
Down By The Riversides (With A Blue Note)
Dec 13, 2011 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Riverside
Here’s some more jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay.
It’s been a while since we’ve tracked a nice copy of Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This one was an original pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It sold for $1,913.
Here’s a nice Riverside: Ernie Henry, Last Chorus, Riverside 266. This looked to be an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $270.
While we’re on Riversides, here’s one two numbers apart: Johnny Griffin Sextet, Riverside 264. This one was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $349.95. My dad used to search high and low for the Riversides in the bargain bins of a couple of record stores along 8th Street in Greenwich Village in the ’60s. I wish he would have bought some of these, but he wound up with a lot of Cannonball, a lot of Wes Montgomery and some Bill Evans. No complaints, really. I still have many of those great records from my dad.
Tags: Ernie Henry, Johnny Griffin, Tina Brooks, Wes Montgomery
A Tale of Two Sonnys
Dec 12, 2011 Blue Note
I’m proud of myself. I’m up in the country and I have some time and it’s relaxing and I put a couple of records on. First I put on Sonny Clark’s Cool Struttin’, which is a great record that I hadn’t listed to for years. Then for some reason I put on Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter on Imperial (both reissues, unfortunately). And I was listening and it was right after Cool Struttin’ and I was thinking, hmm, the pianist on the Sonny Criss record sounds like Sonny Clark. So I looked on the liner notes and, zip, nothing. Oh I hate it when liner notes don’t list the musicians. Thank goodness for the Internet. I googled the record and within seconds I found out, indeed, it is Sonny Clark on piano. For those of you keeping score, the other sidemen are Larry Bunker on vibes, Buddy Woodson on bass and Lawrence Marable on drums. Nice record and I can’t tell if it’s my pressing, but the recording is very tinny. Any of you out there with the original?
Tags: Imperial Records, Sonny Clark, Sonny Criss
Monday Morning Blue Notes
Dec 12, 2011 $1000 Records, Blue Note
Let’s catch up on some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay. I was up in Providence this past weekend and I held this record in my hands: Jutta Hipp At The Hickory House Volume 1, Blue Note 1515. This was on auction from Round Again Records and it just closed. The record was in VG condition and the cover was VG+ to VG++. Although I have a copy of this record at home, and although I have many Lexington Avenue Blue Notes, there is definitely something magical for me holding one of these original pressings in my hands. It’s like a piece of rare art. This copy sold for $460. I’m going to keep an eye out for more records from Round Again. The store owner, Steve, says he’s trying to work on a deal with some guy who’s been buying records at garage sales for years.
Here are a couple of Blue Notes in better condition and thus in the $1,000 bin: Curtis Fuller, The Opener, Blue Note 1567. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing and it was listed in M- condition for the record and M- or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,007. From the same seller came Curtis Fuller, Bone and Bari, Blue Note 1572. This was also an original pressing, also in M- condition for the record and VG++ or M- for the cover. This one has Sonny Clark on piano, so it sold for a bit more: $1,136.
Tags: Curtis Fuller, Jazz Vinyl, Jutta Hipp
