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.

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.

Lucky Thompson, Accent on Tenor, Urania 1206. You don’t hear much about Lucky Thompson anymore, nor do you often seen Urania LPs among the collectibles we watch on Jazz Collector. Thompson was a nice tenor player, an early bopper who played on some of the earliest bop dates. If I recall correctly, Dizzy hired him so that there’d be a sax player on the stage when Bird would either be late or not show up at all. How much longer to you think there will be a collectibles market for Lucky Thompson? This one is in M- condition and is in the $350 range with more than a day to go.

The pianist Kenny Drew generally has more cachet as a collectible artist than Lucky Thompson, but this one suffers from condition issues: The Modernity of Kenny Drew, Norgran 1002. This one is listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG- for the cover, but the picture looks pretty decent. You’ll usually see these covers with some ringwear. It’s a great cover, isn’t it, straight out of the Norgran style of the ’50s. This one is around $80 and is closing today.

While we’re on the subject of  Kenny Drew:

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This one is listed as an original pressing with NO deep grooves, but I had thought the original pressing had one deep groove. This is one of the more confusing Blue Note collectibles and I know Fred Cohen had a definitive answer on this, but I unfortunately left my copy of his Blue Note book on a plane a few weeks ago and don’t have the answer at hand. At the risk of being repetitive, anyone want to explain this, one more time.

John Jenkins, welcome to the $1,000 bin: John Jenkins and Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This was an original deep groove West 63rd Street pressing and it was in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover. It was a reputable seller, there were 11 bids and more than 450 page views and the price was $1,136.55. Not bad in a soft market if, indeed, this can be called a soft market.

Actually, perhaps in retrospect I should have put in a snipe for this one: Sonny Red, Out of the Blue, Blue Note 4034. This was an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Quite a fair price, depending, of course, on what VG+ means to the buyer and seller. As we’ve learned long ago, VG+ is in the eye of the beholder. I had this record once upon a time but traded it away in a lopsided trade that favored the other guy. Not sure what I was thinking at the time, but I’m more knowledgeable now. So this is one that got away. Getting it back for $283 or so, which is what this one sold for, would be quite a coup in my eyes.

I’ve always had an affinity for this great David Stone Martin cover: Lester Young, The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Norgran 1054. This was an original yellow label pressing and the record was M-, the cover was probably M- and the price was $242.50. It’s nice to see some of the Norgrans holding up in value. I’m a fan.

Here’s one that did not sell: George Wallington Showcase, Blue Note 5045. This was an original 10-inch pressing and it was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It features some nice players: Frank Foster and Dave Burns, plus Kenny Clarke and Oscar Pettiford in the rhythm section. This one got a top bid of $203.75, but did not meet the seller’s reserve price. Our top price for this in the Jazz Collector’s Price Guide is $300, so it wasn’t that far off, but I can see where the seller would have wanted more for an original Blue Note in M- condition.

This one made the $1,000 bin with plenty to spare: Conte Candoli, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003. This was an original pressing and, of course, the main feature is the cover illustration by Andy Warhol. The record was VG-, the cover had splits on the top and the bottom, yet it still sold for $1,825. The Warhol market is driving these prices quite high, but this one seems to do even better than the Blue Notes in better condition. It must be harder to find? Or perhaps the Warhol collectors are more enamored with the artwork?

This one was not an original pressing, at least not in the way we think of originals as “first” pressings: Sonny Rollins Volume 1, Blue Note 1542. This one had the West 63rd Street address, plus the deep grooves and ear and all the other markings of an early pressing: But a first pressing would have had the Lexington Avenue address. This one was in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and it sold for $334. Quick question: I know most collectors prefer Blue Notes over Prestiges in general but, musically, to me the Sonny’s on Prestige are far more preferable and inventive than the Blue Notes. How do other collectibles feel about this?

Here’s a nice black-label copy of John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was in M- condition for both the record and the cover, at least as described by the seller. It sold for $621.

This one did all right for a Norgran, but it came from the bobjdukic batch so it’s hard to tell if the price is indicative of real interest or if it is just how this record would be priced in the alternate universe: Lester Young, Pres and Sweets, Norgran 1043. This was an original yellow label pressing and it has the nice David Stone Martin cover. The record was M- and the cover was VG+ and it sold for $157.50. I like to think that would be around market value for this record in this condition.

Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1543. This was an original pressing with the Lexington Avenue address, the last of the Lexington Blue Notes. It also has the cover by Andy Warhol. The seller has his own grading system and he labeled the record and cover in the VG++ range, but based on the description of the record and his system, it sounded to me like the record was more like VG and the cover was somewhere between VG and VG+.  It sold for $510.

I’d have thought this would see more action, but it didn’t: Stan Getz, Interpretations, Norgran 1000. This was an original pressing with the deep grooves and yellow label and it was listed in M- condition for the vinyl. The cover looked to be about VG+. The start price for this was $50 and there was only one bid and it sold for $50. Someone got a great record for a nice price.

Here’s another great record often available at a nice price: Sonny Stitt, 37 Minutes and 48 Seconds, Roost 2219. The early Stitt Roost LPS like this and Sonny Stitt and the New Yorkers feature

some great playing, but they don’t seem to attract collectors. This one was in VG+ condition for the cover and record and sold for just $29 with one bid. It would be an interesting exercise to think about great original pressings from the era — fifties and early sixties — that  can be had for $50 or less like the Getz and Stitt LPs mentioned here.

This one wasn’t quite an original and it wasn’t in M- condition, but it sold for only $32: Gene Ammons, The Big Sound, Prestige 7132. This was a yellow label pressing with the New Jersey label, where the original would have had a New York address. It was listed in VG/VG+ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. This is one of those jam session LPs and one of the players is John Coltrane. I get the sense if Coltrane were mentioned in the description it may have sold for more.

This one is more typical of what we watch here: Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $761.

Hank Mobley, No Room For Squares, Blue Note 4149. This looks to be an original pressing, with the New York USA label and the ear, and it is listed in M- condition for the record and what looks to be VG++ for the cover. You may recall that a recent copy of this record sold for $1,009. I’m sure the seller here, Atomic Records, noticed as well. This one is currently in the $130 range but has yet to meet the seller’s reserve price.

Sonny Clark, Dial S For Sonny, Blue Note 1570. This is an original pressing with the West 63rd label, deep groove, etc., and it is listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The current price is around $425 and there is still one day left on the auction.

This one doesn’t usually go for a big price, but it is in nice condition and it is a promo copy (it’s also a fantastic record, musically): John Coltrane, Live at Birdland, Impulse 50. This has the white promo label and is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It has one bid, but the price is $198.

This one is a beauty and it still has a few days to go: Lester Young, The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Norgran 1054. This has a great cover by David Stone Martin and it is an original yellow-label pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It is currently in the $75 range, with lots of time to go.

Chet Baker Sings, Pacific Jazz 1222. This is an original pressing, also with a terrific cover, and it looks to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It has a couple of days to go and is in the price range of $90.

Don Sleet, All Members, Jazzland 45. This was an original orange label mono pressing. The record looked to be VG++ and the cover was listed as VG. The price was $94.

Mike Cuozzo with the Costa-Burke Trio, Jubilee 1027. This was an original pressing and the value is certainly aided by the presence of Eddie Costa. It was only in VG condition for the record and the cover and still sold for $108.50.

Bill Perkins, Just Friends, Pacific Jazz 401. This was an original pressing sold by the Jazz Record Center. It was in excellent condition — the words “immaculate” and “exceptional” were used in the description. It also benefitted from the presence of strong sidemen, in this case Art Pepper and Richie Kamuca. The price was $330.55.

Johnny Hodges, Perdido, Norgran 1091. This was a black-label pressing, which I think is an original. At some point, we will need to do in Norgran what we are doing in Blue Note and Prestige and come up with some definitive information about yellow and black labels, logos, etc. This was in beautiful M- condition and sold for $90.47.

Rene Thomas and Bobby Jaspar, Thomas Jaspar Quintet, RCA PML 10324. This was an original Italian pressing and, frankly, I’ve never seen or heard of this LP before. It looks like a nice cover and the players are certainly excellent, so I imagine it is quite a find. This one was in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover and sold for $700. If anyone has more insight on this record, please feel welcome to share it.

I had a couple of boxed sets I was watching. I have mixed feelings about boxed sets: I like the idea of the packaging and the extended liner notes and all of that, but when I actually look through my records to decide what to play, I rarely look through them and rarely play them. I have a bunch of the Mosaics — probably 50 in all — plus some nice Norgrans and Verves. I suppose if I had more time to listen, and more time to concentrate . . . Anyway, I have this record in a boxed set and was watching it on eBay: Stan Getz at the Shrine, Norgran NG 2000-2. This one was in M- condition of the records — two of them — and VG++ for the packaging. It sold for $280.55. This one also has the advantage of

a beautiful color illustration by David Stone Martin. Here’s another boxed set that didn’t have the same value, but is nice as well: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Verve 4010-4. This is the boxed set with all four records. The records — four of them — were in M- condition and the packaging was VG++. The price was $71. I have this one as well and I love the music. Some great Ben Webster and Stuff Smith and Ella in absolutely terrific form. If you haven’t listened to this one lately, it’s worth putting on the turntable or CD player or something if you have the music

This one has a very pretty, simple cover design by David Stone Martin: A Recital By Tal Farlow, Norgran 1030. This was an original pressing with the yellow label and the trumpeter logo. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $122.16.

This one also has a nice Stone Martin Cover: Anita O’Day, Collates, Clef 130. This was a 10-inch LP and it was listed in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The price was a very reasonable $82.

Here’s another nice 10-inch LP:

Billie Holiday, Clef 118. This one also has a Stone Martin cover. The record was in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $225.