Catching Up With Some Nice Savoys

I’ve been a big fan of the Savoy label since I started listening to jazz, perhaps because of the great Charlie Parker records, perhaps because the original Savoys always had the heavy vinyl and nice covers and great artists. I remember discovering the Dexter Gordon Savoy LPs and hunting all over to find copies, which, it turned out, weren’t even original pressings. It didn’t matter, not at that time, because it was only about the music. Anyway, we’ve been watching a couple of nice Savoys this week (one because it was our own record) and it was nice to see that they are among the more cherished collectibles, at least if you go by the prices reflected by the winning bids. Here are a couple of items, both of which will be added in due time to the Jazz Collector Price Guide:

Donald Byrd, Jazz Message #2, Savoy 12092. This was an original pressing with the blood red label. It was

in M- condition, both record and cover. The final price was $405. 

This was one of the ones we sold this past week: Introducing Lee Morgan, Savoy 12091. This was an original pressing with the red label. It was in VG+ condition, both the record and the cover. The final price was $428, which surprised us a bit because of the condition. But, then again, as I explained to Mrs. JC, the idea that this is the record “introducing” one of the iconic artists, and the great picture on the cover, and the fact that he was probably 17 years old at the time, and the reality that there are, what, maybe 1,000 of these original pressings out there in the world somewhere . . . how do you put a price on that?

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2 comments

  • What you say is right regarding lee Morgan. I would add this album was cut one day before the Blue Note 1538(And i prefer this one to the 1538, musically speaking) If you also consider that Hank Mobley on this session and today you have super collectible record.

  • Rudolf A. Flinterman

    I would say that Lee is more in control on the Blue Note session. The Savoy gives the impression of Lee sitting in with somebody else. Of course, the Savoy gives very valuable music and I esp. dig Hank, but the enthusiasm on the Blue Note, thanks to Wilbur Ware and Philly is only rivalled on the J.R. Monterose session, also on Blue Note.
    Savoy is an underestimated label.

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