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More Jazz Vinyl For the $1,000 Bin

Al — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:14:46 +0000

Time to update the $1,000 bin and there is quite a lot to update, not counting some of the ones we’ve watched recently, such as the Hank Mobley 1568 and others from the recent Jazz Record Center auction. Here goes:

Paul Gonsalves, Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick, Vocalion 587. This was an original British pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,593.88.

Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and it was in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,578.99.

This was a surprise to sell for such a high price tag: Clifford Brown Memorial Album, Blue Note 1526. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the framed cover. It was in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,567.

Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This was an original pressing. The cover was VG+, but the record was in VG or worse condition, based on the seller’s description. It sold for $1,376.11.

Finally, here’s one we meant to include from the Jazz Record Center auction because it was actually in the $3,000 bin:

Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This was an original pressing that was probably in M- condition based on the description. It sold for $3,161.

A Trio of Blue Notes For Easter Sunday

Al — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:42:50 +0000

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.

Grand Stans

Al — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:53:24 +0000

To keep the discussion on this a little longer. I was perusing eBay last night and there was another copy of Getz/Gilberto, Verve 8545, also a stereo pressing, also in M- condition. It sold for $37, which is higher than normal. The other one from bobdjukic is at $219 and closing later today. While perusing, I also came upon this nice record: Stan Levey, Grand Stan, Bethelehem 71. It was sitting there at $25 and there were no bidders and I was contemplating placing a bid even though I already own a copy in M- condition. I think the seller missed an opportunity here: This is one of those records where if you know it, and you know the identities of the musicians, it becomes much more interesting. Among the musicians on this record are Sonny Clark and Richie Kamuca and it is, as you’d expect, a terrific record. It’s also not so easy to find, certainly tougher to find than Getz/Gilbert0. This one was in VG+ condition and sold for $27. The highest price we’ve ever seen for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide is $90.

Fairly Common LPs, Uncommon Prices

Al — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:12:03 +0000

Many of you in the Jazz Collector audience complain about the seller bobjdukic, but you have to give the guy credit – whatever he does, he is able to get prices that no one else can dream of. I’m watching several of his auctions now and am pretty amazed at where the bidding is going. He must have regular customers who trust him and are well satisfied with what he delivers. Here are a few cases in point: Stan Getz, Getz. Gilberto, Verve 8545. Was there a more popular, more widely produced jazz album in the 1960s? Could you waltz into any record store now (if you can find one) and find a copy of this record in reasonable condition? This one has 11 bids and is currently priced at $219 with more than a day to go. Miles Davis, “Four and More,” Columbia 2453. Again, this is a great record, but not all that uncommon. This one has been bid up to more than $100. Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago, Mercury 60134. This is a stereo pressing. Again a great record, but not that hard to find, even in nice condition. This one has been bid up to $178.50.

Catching on On Some Interesting Jazz Vinyl

Al — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:00:02 +0000

When I last left eBay, about a week ago, here were some of the items I was watching:

Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners, Riverside 226. This was an original pressing with the white labels. It was listed in VG+ condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover and I recall the seller as being very reputable from previous dealings, as buyer and seller. As I was packing my records to move, I noticed that my copy of Brilliant Corners was a blue-label pressing and it was in maybe VG+ condition. I put this one on my watch list to potentially bid on it, not just as potential fodder for Jazz Collector. I think I would have gone to at least $180 for an original pressing. This one sold for $100, so I missed out.

I also had my eye on this for my own collection, but I knew the price would go way beyond my comfort zone — and it did: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing and the vinyl was in M- condition. The cover was VG+. It sold for $1,475. One of these days I’ll find a reasonable copy for the right price. Right?

There was also a big auction from the Jazz Record Center, including: Toshiko Akiyoshi, Her Trio and Her Quartet, Storyville 918. This was an original pressing that looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. I love the cover. I’m not an art expert, but is that Miro? The record sold for $260. I’ll take a look later at some of the other records from this auction and do another post.

This one sold for top dollar, right: Herbie Hancock, Inventions & Dimensions, Blue Note 4147. This was an original mono pressing with the ear, Van Gelder and New York USA address on the labels. It was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and it sold for $449.

Back In the Business of Jazz Collector

Al — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 15:00:39 +0000

Sorry I haven’t posted all week. I have moved, once again, this time in the city and I’ve been quite busy, as you can imagine, packing and unpacking records. We have moved from one small place into another small place and decided to keep just one record cabinet with room for about 1,500 records. You can see it in the picture, and perhaps make out a record or two — I see Jackie McLean, Lights Out and also the Cecil Payne on Signal. Anyway, I had to go through the process of weeding out and deciding which records to keep in the apartment, and which to move to other locales. I decided to keep the collection in the city focused primarily on original pressings from the 1955 to 1970 era, and to weed out some of the vocals to make this portion of the collection more bop/hard-bop specific. I also had to remove some of the traditional artists, such as Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, in order to have enough room for the records I wanted to keep here. I also nixed the idea of organizing the records by label and continue to have them alphabetically by artist. This way I’m less compelled to keep around records and artists in which I have less interest, either musically or as collectibles. Anyway, I don’t want to get into all of that, just wanted to explain why I’ve been absent from my post and my posting at Jazz Collector. But I’m back now, ready to once again explore, unearth and expound upon the hidden and not-so-hidden treasures of the Jazz Collector world.

Jazz Vinyl Today: Signal, Norgran, New Jazz

Al — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:53:14 +0000

Here’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay that is not Blue Note, starting with: Duke Jordan, Jazz Laboratory Series, Signal 101. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. You don’t see these too often. This one is priced at about $130 with a couple of days to go.

Here are a couple of nice Norgrans: Lester Young, Lester’s Here, Norgran 1071. This is an original yellow label pressing and it is listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The current price is about $180. Then there’s this gorgeous one with the David Stone Martin cover: Lester Young, Norgran 1022. This one is also an original yellow label pressing and is in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The price is about $160. I do have one small nit-pick for the seller, who I believe is Looney Tunes up in Boston, where I have spent many an idle afternoon and many a dollar. I wish they would use the whole picture of the cover, back and front, on their listings. I get the sense the use a scanner, which doesn’t show the whole image. I’d prefer seeing the whole thing as a potential bidder and also, as Jazz Collector, I’d like

to show the whole cover when I do a post. For what it’s worth.

Here are a couple of nice LPS on the New Jazz label: Jackie McLean, McLean’s Scene, New Jazz 8212. This seems to be an original purple label pressing, although it’s not clear whether it has the deep grooves. Hmm. The condition is VG++ for both the record and the cover and the current price is more than $220. Also, Eric Dolphy, Out There, New Jazz 8252. This is an original purple label pressing — with deep grooves — and is in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The start price is in the $200 range and so far there are no bidders. But there are five days to go, so we would definitely expect this to sell.

Guys and Dolls and Jazz Vinyl

Al — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:19:49 +0000

Sorry I haven’t posted for a few days, but, judging by the comments, you guys seemed to do pretty well without me. In any case, I return with some items I’ve been watching on eBay, starting with some jazz vinyl that seems to indicate the clear split in the market between the super-collectibles, i.e., original Blue Notes et al, and the many other records that were collectible at one time but seem to have lost some of their market/cachet. Starting with Eddie Costa, Guys and Dolls Like Vibes, Coral 57230. This was an original pressing, in VG++ condition for the record and probably about VG+ for the cover. We’ve covered this in the past for the Jazz Collector Price Guide and it has sold for as much as $136. The seller did not do himself any favors by failing to mention in his listing that the pianist on this date was Bill Evans. It’s also a terrific record. There was one bidder who got this record for $30. From the same seller was Johnny Hodges and Duke Ellington, Back to Back, Verve 8317. This was an original pressing with the trumpeter label in M- condition for the vinyl and probably the same for the cover. Again, there was one bidder and a price of $30. Is there so little interest in Hodges and Ellington these days? One more, also Guys and Dolls by the Manhattan Jazz All-Stars, Columbia 8223. This was an original stereo pressing inVG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It is also a nice album, was somewhat collectible at one time, and features Zoot Sims, Phil Woods, Dave McKenna and others. This one didn’t get a single bid at $20.

Jazz Vinyl Countdown? HAH!

Al — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:12:32 +0000

I just logged onto eBay and as I was signing in this record was closing: Meet Oliver Nelson, New Jazz 8224. It was an original pressing with the purple label and deep grooves, featuring Kenny Dorham on trumpet. It looked to be in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The price was $157.50. I have an interest in this record because I was just looking at a copy in my apartment, where it is among a batch of original records I have just scored. There was a time, many of you will remember, when I was talking of scaling back my collecting and doing a Great Jazz Vinyl Countdown, but I still can’t seem to give up the habit — addiction? — of buying more records. This batch in front of me is quite cool. On the top is an original pressing of Cool Struttin’ by Sonny Clark and just below that is an original pressing of Soundin’ Off by Dizzy Reece. Someday soon I will share the story of this particular score but, in the meantime, I have some records to clean, including Meet Oliver Nelson on New Jazz, worth as much as $157.50.

Watching (and Buying) Some Rare Blue Notes

Al — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:04:57 +0000

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.

In that collection I’m buying, there is also a clean copy of this: Sonny Rollins, Newk’s Time, Blue Note 4001. The one here is in M- condition, probably comparable to the one I’m getting. This one’s at around $250 with a few days to go. I may be looking to trade one of my copies pretty soon. Unless my collector’s gene kicks in and I decide to keep everything, even doubles and triples, so I can experience both the thrill of the conquest at the thrill of seeing all of my conquests on my shelves.