For the Price Guide: Mingus, Bags, Rare Savoy
Mar 1, 2010 Blue Note, Impulse, Savoy
Here are some new records for the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
When did this one become a collectible that would fetch a price tag of nearly $200: Charles Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Impulse 54. This was an orange label stereo pressing in M- condition. It sold for $178.05. Quite a nice price for this LP, right? I have a stereo copy in my collection also in M- condition, beautiful. If anyone wants it for $175, just send me a note and I will sell it to you.
I almost bid on this one and now kind of regret that I didn’t: Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet, Blue Note 1509. This one was an original Lexington Avenue pressing and it looked to be in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover, although the seller could have been a bit more forthcoming with the grading. It sold for a little more than $100, and
Tags: Bill Hardman, Charles Mingus, Jazz Vinyl, Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk
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
New Ones For The Jazz Collector Price Guide
Jan 5, 2010 Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Savoy
Here is some more jazz vinyl that will go into the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
When did this become a $100 record: Barney Kessel, The Poll Winners, Stereo 7010? This was an original pressing with the black label. The vinyl was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The final price was $97, so it wasn’t officially a $100 record. Still, I had no idea that Kessel was this collectible. I’m not complaining about it, since I do have all of his records on Contemporary, just a bit surprised by this one. In any case, it will be making its first appearance in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.
Also premiering in the Jazz Collector Price Guide will be: Bill Jennings, Enough Said!, Prestige 7164. This was an original yellow label pressing with
Tags: Barney Kessel, Bill Jennings, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Wilbur Harden
On EBay: A Few From Impulse
Nov 17, 2009 For Sale, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
We’ve been very busy with eBay the past couple of weeks — putting records on eBay is what we often do when we are procrastinating from other work, so this would be the evidence that we’ve been in heavy-duty procrastination mode. Anyway, our neurosis is your gain: This week we’ve had 70 items on eBay, several of which closed yesterday, many more of which close today, and a few more of which close tomorrow. Part of what we have up there now is a nice batch of Impulse LPs we’ve either pulled from our own collection, or pulled from the collection we purchased in Trenton back in May. Here are a couple of examples:
Archie Shepp, Four For Trane, Impulse 71. This is an original orange label pressing in nice VG+ condition. It is closing later today and is currently at $40. Also from the same batch is this:
Tags: Archie Shepp, John Coltrane, Yusef Lateef
Jazz Vinyl Countdown: John Coltrane, Ballads
Nov 3, 2009 For Sale, Impulse, The Great Jazz Vinyl Countdown
No, I am not thinking about getting rid of one of my all-time favorite records. No, this is a question about what to do with multiple copies. As noted in the headline, the record is: John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse 32. I have had two original pressings of this record, one a mono and one a stereo. To me, this makes sense. But recently I purchased a second stereo copy of the record, this one a reissue. I have to be honest. The reissue sounds as good as the original. So I’m going to sell my original stereo pressing, and I’m going to first offer it here at the Jazz Collector site. It’s not a high-end collectible like Blue Train, but it’s a wonderful record, beautiful and romantic with a great selection of songs. It features Trane with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones.
Tags: John Coltrane
Jazz Vinyl Countdown: Archie Shepp, Impulse
Oct 8, 2009 Impulse, The Great Jazz Vinyl Countdown
When people ask me about my record collection or even my taste in jazz, I often kid around and tell them it ends in 1964. There is quite a bit of truth in that, however. My taste generally runs to bop and post-bop and, as I’m getting older, I’m finding it going more backwards into mainstream jazz than towards anything current. Anyway, this is a roundabout way of saying I recently picked up a bunch of albums on the Impulse label and am in the throes of deciding what to keep and what to sell. I put this one on the turntable yesterday: Archie Shepp, Fire Music, Impulse 86. It seemed promising: A 1965 LP with tracks such as Prelude to a Kiss and The Girl From Ipanema. The record is in beautiful condition and I’m sure it is a classic of its genre. But
Tags: Archie Shepp
A Couple More Surprises For the Price Guide
Aug 23, 2009 Blue Note, Impulse
Here are some of the other interesting items we’ve been watching on eBay. Nothing for the $1,000 bin, but there are other collectibles, aren’t there?
This is one I’ve never thought about as a major collectible, but it seems to be getting more popular among collectors, as are some of the other records on the Impulse label: Roy Haynes, Out of the Afternoon, Impulse A-23. This features Roland Kirk as a sideman and is a nice record. Perhaps the value is going up because Roy is still alive and well and playing formidably, keeping the tradition alive. Anyway, this record was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $136.49.
Would you feel comfortable bidding on this record: Dexter Gordon, Our Man in Paris, Blue Note 4146? The seller listed the item as
Soaring With an Alto Sax Legend (Not)
Jul 1, 2009 Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Sometimes it’s fun to browse through eBay, just for an occasional chuckle. Here’s one I like, on a record that’s closing this evening. The record happens to be John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, Impulse 77. In order to drum up interest, the seller decided to spend an extra 75 cents or so on a subhead for the item, which he used as follows: “Soar Through The Heavens With Alto Sax Legend.” Yes, we all appreciate Trane as an alto sax legend, as we appreciate Bird as a tenor sax legend, right? Anyway, if you find listings or mistakes that amuse you on eBay, feel free to share them here at Jazz Collector.
Tags: John Coltrane
More Peak Prices, Plus Miles, Sonny, Trane For Sale
Jun 30, 2009 Blue Note, For Sale, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
In mentioning records reaching new price peaks, I inadvertently left out a couple of records among the ones I’ve sold recently. These aren’t records we’ve tracked often, but we haven’t seen higher prices for either of them:
Granchan Moncur III, Some Other Stuff, Blue Note 4177. This was a New York USA pressing. The record was M- and the cover was VG++. It sold for $223. 70.
Anthony Williams, Spring, Blue Note 4216. This was also a New York USA pressing in beautiful condition, M- for the record and VG++ for the cover. This one sold for $202.50.
We have a bunch of records up on eBay now, although none will fetch those kinds of prices. Here are a few of the records that are available:
John Coltrane (et al), Wheelin’ and Dealin’, Prestige 7131. This is an original pressing, with the New York
Tags: Anthony Williams, Grachan Moncur, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins
Get ‘Em While They’re Hot
Jun 3, 2009 Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
We don’t usually plug our own records on eBay, but we’ve got some nice items closing later today and later this week and the prices are not too high. So, perhaps there are bargains out there. Here are some of the items worth watching. After you look at these, please go to View Seller’s Other Items and click “list.”
Sonny Rollins, Moving Out, Prestige 7058. This is an original New York pressing with the yellow label and deep groove. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. It sounds great. The current price is just a little over $100. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen M- copies of this record sell for nearly $500.
Herbie Hancock, Takin’ Off, Blue Note 4109. This is a New York USA pressing that is autographed by Herbie Hancock. The record is in VG+ condition and sounds great. The cover is VG++. The current price is just
Tags: Herbie Hancock, Oliver Nelson, Sonny Rollins
For the Price Guide: Trane, Sonny, Monk, Mobley
May 24, 2009 Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Price Guide
We are up in the lovely Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, sitting on our porch with the lovely Mrs. JC, and looking at jazz records on eBay. Life is not bad. Here are a few items we will be entering into the Jazz Collector Price Guide sometime before the end of the weekend.
John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Impulse A-77. This was an original stereo pressing with the orange label and gatefold cover. It was in M- condition, both record and cover. It sold or $150. One of the reasons I’m putting this up is that I recently acquired a mono copy in M- to go with my stereo copy, also in M- condition, and I am currently deciding whether to keep both or put one up for auction on eBay, or, perhaps, even sell it here on Jazz Collector. I am open to offers and/or suggestions.
Thelonious Monk, Prestige 7053. This was an original pressing with the cover design by Andy Warhol. It was in VG++/VG++ condition
Tags: Andy Warhol, Bethlehem Records, Dexter Gordon, Dot Records, Eddie Costa, Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk
For the Price Guide: Mobley, Trane, Griffin, Green
Apr 23, 2009 Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Price Guide, Riverside
I’ve been quite remiss lately in updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide. I’m hoping to get caught up in the next few days. When I do get caught up, here are some of the items I’ll be entering. None of these has a link, by the way. They are just in bold-face type.
Hank Mobley, Roll Call, Blue Note 4058. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street logo. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $677.
Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This was an original New York pressing in VG+ condition, both record and cover. The price was $296. Great record.
John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse 32. This was a mono pressing in M- condition, both
Tags: Grant Green, Hank Mobley, Impulse Records, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, WEbster Young
This Week on Ebay: Miles, Clifford, Trane
Apr 2, 2009 Books/Magazines, For Sale, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
We haven’t been very active selling on eBay lately: Just life getting in the way. However, this week we found some time to clean and post a bunch of items. It’s a mixed bag, but there are a few nice ones, including:
Miles Davis, Blue Haze, Prestige 7054. This is an original New York yellow label Prestige. It’s in VG+ condition, and sounds quite nice. We put a start price of $30 and it’s already received a bid, so we expect there to be some action.
We also put up a nice-sounding original copy of Clifford Brown, Jam Session, Emarcy 36002. This also has a start price of $30. It’s a great record, with a lot of positive energy.
As you may have noticed on the Jazz Collector site, we’ve been going through some old Downbeat Magazines, looking for collectibles (we’re even giving one away). We’ve put a few up for sale in our eBay story, and we put a very interesting one up for auction yesterday. It is:
Tags: A Love Supreme, Clifford Brown, Downbeat Magazine, Emarcy Records, Impulse Records, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman
Today on Ebay: Fuller, Parlan and McCoy (For Sale)
Mar 25, 2009 Autographs, Blue Note, For Sale, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
SHHHHHHHHHH. It’s so quiet on eBay today we wouldn’t want to disturb any of the sleeping buyers and sellers. I have a sense that the economy is starting to wreak a little havoc on the jazz collectibles market — not on the high-end collectibles — but in the mid-tier. We’ll see. These things tend to go in cycles. Perhaps it’s a good time to be buying. Anyway, it is quite quiet on eBay today, but there are a few things worth noting, including:
Curtis Fuller, Bone and Bari, Blue Note 1572. This is an original pressing in M- condition, both record and cover, and it features an autograph by Curtis Fuller. Not to mention the presence of Sonny Clark on piano. The opening bid price for this record is about $140 and, as of now, there are no bids. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen this record sell for nearly $700 in M- condition without an autograph. So maybe it is a time to be buying.
Tags: Curtis Fuller, Horace Parlan, McCoy Tyner, Round Again Records
Ellington and Trane on Broadway; Plus Serge Chaloff With and Without Sonny Clark
Feb 6, 2009 Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Price Guide, Riverside
Some more for the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Impulse 30. This was an original white label promo copy. It was in M- condition, both record and cover. The price was $326. We’ve actually seen this go for slightly higher before. Interesting — I went to a play with Mrs. JC the other day (Mrs. Jazz Collector, not Mrs. John Coltrane), and they were using 1960s mood music between scenes. One of the tracks was from this album, In a Sentimental Mood. After the fourth note, I was able to identify it. Not difficult really — it’s a very recognizable version. Excellent play, by the way: The American Plan. Worth seeing if you’re in New York.
We were watching these two LPs from Serge Chaloff and questioning how big a difference the presence of Sonny Clark was have on impacting the price. Quite a bit, it turns out:
Tags: Capital Records, Duke Ellington, Ernie Henry, Jazz Collector Price Guide, John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, New Jazz Records, Oliver Nelson, Serge Chaloff, Sonny Clark, Strata-East Records, The American Plan, The Heath Brothers
Remembering Freddie Hubbard
Dec 30, 2008 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Memoirs
I’m sure many of you saw the news that Freddie Hubbard passed away yesterday at age 70. Hubbard, of course, was a seminal figure in the post-bop era. We write about his records often in the posts at Jazz Collector, particularly since his LP Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040, is one of the top collectibles, often selling for more than $1,000. He also played on Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041, another of the rarest of jazz collectibles. Our own memories of Hubbard stretch back to the great Oliver Nelson LP, The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Impulse 5, where he played in a great setting with Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy and others. I always remember Nelson stating that Hubbard sounded like John Coltrane playing the trumpet, and that always stuck with me. Hubbard was never quite as inventive as Trane or as experimental, but he certainly had a style and sound that was immediately recognizable. Other favorite early recordings are Eric Dolphy Outward Bound, New Jazz 8236, and Art Blakey, Buhaina’s Delight, Blue Note 4104. I saw Hubbard many times at the Village Vanguard in the early 1970s, and he was always a passionate, charismatic performer. What are some of your memories, and favorite Hubbard recordings? Please feel free to comment on this post.
Tags: Art Blakey, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Oliver Nelson, Tina Brooks
New Items For the Price Guide
Oct 17, 2008 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Riverside
Hank
Just to follow up on some of the records we were watching earlier this week, and some that will be going into the Jazz Collector Price Guide this weekend. Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1560. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing in what looked like VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $935. Thelonious Monk, French Swing, 33342. This is a 10-inch LP in near mint condition. Price: $570
Nobody bid more than $15 for this record, and it didn’t sell because it didn’t meet the dealer’s reserve price: Gil Melle, New Faces . . . New Sounds, Blue Note 5020.
Moondog, Prestige 7042. This was an original pressing in VG++/VG++ condition. Price $89.98
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Atlantic, Charles Mingus, Gil Melle, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman, Miles Davis, Moondog, Pepper Adams, Swing, Thelma Gracen, Thelonious Monk, Wing, Workshop
Today on EBAY, October 15, 2008
Oct 15, 2008 Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Norgran, Prestige
I asked the other day why things are slow on eBay. Nobody replied, so I assume it’s just one of those things. Today is still slow although, as always, there are some interesting items to watch. Here goes:
Ornette Coleman, The Shape of Jazz To Come, Atlantic 1317. This pressing has the bulls-eye label. It’s closing soon and is at $73. One of the reasons I’m watching this is because I’ve seen this record often and rarely have I seen it fetch collectible prices. But, even at $73, that’s already evidence that it is becoming more of a collectible, at least the version with this label.
Tags: Ben Webster, John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman, Mercury, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Thelma Gracen, Wing
Catching Up on eBay
Sep 30, 2008 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, RCA, Riverside
Time to catch up on some of the items we’ve been watching on eBay:
We predicted this record would sell for a high price, and it did: Lee Morgan, Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in VG++ condition. Price: $1,325
Another high-end Blue Note: Curtis Fuller, Bone & Bari, Blue Note 1572. This was an original pressing in M- condition. Price: $676.77
That Joe Newman LP with the Andy Warhol cover went for a bit less this week than it did a few weeks ago: Joe Newman, I’m Still Swinging, RCA 1198. Price: $57.77
Remember that Zoot record that was priced at just $30 a few hours ago. It wound up selling for $337.90: Zoot Sims, Zoot!, Riverside228.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Art Taylor, Charles Mingus, Curtis Fuller, Joe Newman, John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims
Looking For Anything on Impulse?
Sep 26, 2008 Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
If you’re looking for any records on the Impulse label, there’s a seller on eBay now who seems to be selling a very good portion of the catalog. Here are a couple of examples: Charles Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Impulse A-54. This is selling more more than $40 at this point. John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse A-32. This is now at $61. These are being sold by a dealer in Italy, who says they are the collection of a jazz journalist. If you click on either of these items, then view “seller’s other items” you can see the complete list, which looks to be 75 records total. Each of them seems to have a start price of $35. These auctions start closing in about five hours. Sorry for the late notice on this, but I’ve been away a couple of days, and now it’s the wee small hours here in New York and I can’t sleep so I figured I’d see what was interesting on eBay and I found this.
Tags: Charles Mingus, John Coltrane
Original Pressings, Reasonable Prices
Jun 28, 2004 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Clef, Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Verve
Back from the weekend, so it’s time to catch up on eBay. Here are some of the records we were watching.
Donald Byrd Sextet, Transition 5. This was an original pressing in what seemed to be M-/VG++ condition. The LP had the booklet and sold for $300.
Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This was an original pressing with the purple label. The seller listed it in M-/M- condition, although there seemed to be ringwear on the cover, based on the photo. Still the price was $278.99.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Ben Webster, Charlie Parker, Dial, Dizzy Gillespie, Donald Byrd, Eric Dolphy, Impulse, New Jazz, Oliver Nelson, Roy Eldridge, Tadd Dameron, Transition
The Gift Of Hindsight
Jun 16, 2004 Impulse, Jazz Vinyl, Prestige, Riverside
One of the pleasures of having an extensive jazz collection is that it gives you the opportunity to go back and review the history of jazz in real time, as it was happening. This is particularly the case when you look at old issues of Downbeat or Metronome, or review old liner notes, an art form that began approaching extinction with the advent of the compact disc format. In any case, allow me to share some interesting stuff from my archives.
Downbeat, January 18, 1962
Review: John Coltrane, Africa/Brass, Impulse 6
This record was a departure for Coltrane: The first time he ever played with a brass section. It is now regarded as a classic, rightfully so, particularly the title cut, which makes up the entire first side of the album. At the time, however, the Downbeat reviewer, Martin Williams, didn’t see it that way. He gave it only two stars, out of a possible five. Here’s a sample from the review:
Tags: Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Downbeat, Impulse, Ira Gitler, John Coltrane, Metronome, Philly Joe Jones
Remembering Elvin Jones
May 24, 2004 Impulse, Jazz Memoirs
Today we turn things over to some readers. The death of Elvin Jones inspired a couple of people to write: “The loss of Elvin Jones is indeed a blow to the jazz world. I feel lucky to have seen him for the first time in Minneapolis last fall. I was downtown and, to my surprise, The Dakota, formerly a St. Paul jazz club, had opened a club right on Nicollet Mall, just a few blocks from my hotel. I thought they were expanding. As it turned out, they had moved their location. To my surprise, the Grand Opening act was Elvin Jones and The Jazz Machine. Being a swing drummer, Elvin was not at the top of my list of influences, but I knew enough to know that if I ever wanted to see him, this was the time.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Elvin Jones, John Coltrane, Roland Kirk
Goodbye, Elvin Jones
May 19, 2004 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Clef, Impulse, Jazz Memoirs, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige
I was poring through eBay this morning, preparing today’s update, when my wife came into my office. “Did you see The Times?” she asked. “There’s an article that Coltrane’s drummer died.”
It’s not surprising that The Times would refer to Elvin Jones as “Coltrane’s drummer.” That’s the way many of us came to find his music, on those great Atlantic and Impulse LPs of the early and mid 1960s. Jones’s contributions to Trane’s seminal quartet did more to influence the music than anything he might have accomplished before or since. Jones, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison – they all must have known at the time that Trane was taking them on explorations that were redefining the music.
I turned to my record collection and searched for my favorite Elvin moments from that era. Two albums caught my eye: Africa/Brass, Impulse 6, about which, ironically, I wrote last week; and Coltrane Live at Birdland, Impulse 50. The live LP, particularly the track “Afro-Blue,” exemplifies the way in which Jones drove the quartet to places no other drummer of the era could have taken them. Here’s an excerpt from the original liner notes to this 1963 LP, courtesy of LeRoi Jones:
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Bob Brookmeyer, Bud Powell, Elvin Jones, Gil Melle, John Coltrane, Johnny Hodges, Kenny Dorham, Louis Smith, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis