Nice Records, Quite High Price Tags
May 13, 2013 Blue Note, Prestige
Let’s catch up on some rare jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching, starting with: Gene Ammons, HiFi Jam Sessions, Prestige 7060. This was an original New York yellow label pressing. The record and cover were in M- condition. You may recall I posted on this last week when there were no bids and a start price of $200. I was speculating about whether it would sell at all for that start price, and my prognostication was that it would sell. Indeed, it did: for $607. Quite a nice price for a Gene Ammons Prestige, which don’t often sell for such quite a lofty figure. The seller SweeDeeDee had quite a week, with several of his records selling for quite high prices. Here are a couple more: Horace Silver and Spotlight on Drums with Art Blakey and Sabu, Blue Note 1520. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It sold for $681. Thelonious Monk with Sonny Rollins, Work, Prestige 7169. This is a New Jersey yellow label pressing, but the record is a reissue, an early reissue, but a reissue nonetheless. It was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $293. Wow.
Tags: Gene Ammons, Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk
A Few Jazz Vinyl Delegations
May 7, 2013 Blue Note, Prestige
Lots of nice jazz vinyl sitting on eBay now. This is one you really don’t see very often: Paul Chambers, A Jazz Delegation From the East, Jazz-West JWLP-7. This is an original pressing listed in Ex condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It’s closing in about four hours and is now in the $900 price range. Here’s another rare one on the same label from the same seller: Kenny Drew, Talkin’ and Walkin’, Jazz-West JWLP-4. The record is in VG+ condition and the cover is VG. It closes in about seven hours and is in the $340 range. I do have a question looking at these two listings from Atomic Records. Which one of the records is in better condition? I’m assuming Ex is better than VG+?
Gene Ammons, Hi Fi Jam Session, Prestige 7060. This is an original pressing with the New York address and yellow label. The record and cover are in M- condition. There are four days to go and the start price is around $200. Think it will sell? I do.
And now for some Blue Notes:
Tags: Bud Powell, Gene Ammons, Hank Mobley, Jazz West Records, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers
A Few Favorites From the Jazz Collector Era
Dec 29, 2012 Blue Note, Prestige
Here are a few jazz vinyl records we are watching on eBay from our perch up here in the beautiful and snowy Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. Let’s start with Gene Ammons, Jammin’ in Hi Fi, Prestige 7110. This is not one you see very often. It’s a nice session, featuring Jackie McLean, Idrees Sulieman, Kenny Burrell and a great rhythm section. This one is in M- condition for the record and probably M- for the cover as well. It closes later today and is in the $115 price range.
I was perusing the list and found a few very nice records from fiftiesjazz, which is our friend and frequent guest Rudolf, so you know the records are well taken care of and carefully graded. Here are a couple: Hank Mobley and His All Stars, Blue Note 1544. This is another nice session, featuring Horace Silver and Milt Jackson. This one is rated VG+ for both the record and the cover. This one also closes today and is in the $250 range. Also, Sonny Rollins Volume 1, Blue Note 1542. This is a West 63rd Street pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It closes tomorrow and is now in the $220 range.
One more nice Blue Note while we’re at it:
Tags: Gene Ammons, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Sonny Rollins
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
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
Jazz Vinyl Prices, Running The Gamut
Oct 27, 2011 $1000 Records, Blue Note, Prestige
Here’s some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:
Someone got a nice record at a nice price with this one: Stan Levey, Grand Stan, Bethlehem 71. I’d have thought this would be more collectible, what with the presence of Sonny Clark as well as Richie Kamuca. This copy was in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $43.
Here’s a nice, original, New York yellow-label Prestige that also didn’t command top dollar: Gene Ammons, All Star Sessions, Prestige 7050. This one was in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $76.01.
This one, on the other hand, had no problem fetching top dollar: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This was an original pressing and it looked to be in M- condition, although the terminology used by the seller was different. Some people clearly agreed that it was M-: This one sold for $1,252.
Tags: Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin, Sonny Clark, Stan Levey
Updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide
Mar 30, 2011 Autographs, Blue Note, Prestige
I’ve been spending time updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide. I hope you guys use it: It does take up a bit of time to keep it going. In any case, as I’ve been going through older watch lists on eBay, here are some of the odds and ends I’ve been seeing.
I would classify this as a bargain: Gene Ammons, The Big Sound, Prestige 7132. This was not an original pressing with the New York address, but it was an early yellow label with the New Jersey address. The record and cover were ion VG+ condition and the price was $32. What makes this record interesting, in my opinion, is the presence of John Coltrane as a sideman. I have to admit I haven’t listened to this record in years so perhaps that will be one of my chores for the day to report back to you on the quality of the music.
There was a seller a few seeks ago with a bunch of autographed records, including: Art Farmer, Modern Art. This was a reissue, worth about $3 without an autograph. With the autograph it sold for $47. There were also a couple of records signed by Dizzy Gillespie, including: Dizzy Gillespie, Perceptions, Verve 8411. This was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Without the autograph this would be maybe $10: With the autograph it sold for $60. Did I ever tell you about my copy of AT’s Delight signed by Art Taylor?
Tags: Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Roach, Gene Ammons
A Potpourri Of Collectible (And Not) Jazz Vinyl
Mar 10, 2011 Blue Note, Norgran, Prestige
Here are some odds and ends we’ve been watching:
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
Tags: Duke Jordan, Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Roost Records, Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz
Prestige Day: Monk, Webster Young, Dolphy, Jug
Oct 3, 2009 Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Price Guide
Let’s catch up this morning on some Prestige LPs we’ve been watching. There was a time when we pondered the idea of owning the entire Prestige Yellow label catalogue but, thankfully, we’ve give up that particular obsession.
Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins, Prestige 7075. This was an original New York pressing with the promo stamp on the label. It was in M- condition and it was sold by the seller hershel78, who’s been selling some beautiful records lately on eBay. This one sold for $500.
From the same seller was this beauty: Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This was an original New York pressing and it too was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $482.77.
Here’s one that definitely set a new high price:
Tags: Eric Dolphy, Gene Ammons, Jazz Vinyl, New Jazz Records, Sonny Rollins, The Five Spot, Thelonious Monk, WEbster Young
Today on eBay: Some Bennie Green on Blue Note
Feb 25, 2009 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay
Fairly quiet day on eBay today, but there’s always something. Here are a couple of nice LPs from the trombonist Bennie Green: Bennie Green, Soul Stirrin’, Blue Note 1599. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record is M- and the cover is VG++. The current price is already $264 and it hasn’t yet reached the seller’s reserve price. We’ll see if it sells. One of the things I like about this album, aside from the music, which is quite good, is that Blue Note lists one of the tenor players simply as “Jug.” Obviously, this was Gene Ammons and he was under contract with Prestige at the time, but by using his real nickname they didn’t really try to hide anything. Another one of these I like on Blue Note is on Here Comes Louis Smith, Blue Note 1584, where the alto player is listed as “Buckshot La Funke.” It’s not hard to figure out who this is, but I will leave it to our readers to supply the answer. Also up on eBay today is
Tags: Bennie Green, Gene Ammons, Louis Smith
For the Price Guide: Blakey, Jackie, Jug & More
Feb 23, 2009 Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Norgran, Prestige, Price Guide, Verve
Here are a few recent items we’ll be adding to the Jazz Collector Price Guide:
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia, Volume 1, Blue Note 1507. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in VG++ condition, both record and cover. The price was $202.50. Also, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia, Volume 2, Blue Note 1508. This was also an original Lexington Avenue pressing. This one was in M- condition, both record and cover. It sold for $416.
John Coltrane and Hank Mobley, Two Tenors, Prestige 7043. This is a second pressing
Tags: Argo Records, Art Blakey, Gene Ammons, Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Jazz Collector Price Guide, John Coltrane, Johnny Hodges, Yusef Lateef
Another $1,000 Item, Plus A Few More
Feb 13, 2009 $1000 Records, 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Price Guide, Riverside
We were right in predicting that this record would surpass the $1,000 barrier: It was in near mint condition and it is a rare Blue Note and it was being sold by Euclid Records. We’ve seen it sell for more than $900 previously in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, so it was no surprise that this copy sold yesterday for $1,563.
Here are some of the other items we’ve been watching that will be entered into the Price Guide:
Wes Montgomery, Full House, Riverside 434. This was an original blue label pressing. The record was in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $255. This is always one of the higher priced Montgomery collectibles, ostensibly aided by the presence of Johnny Griiffin on tenor.
Bobby Hutcherson, Happenings, Blue Note 4231. This was an original New York USA pressing. The record was M- and the cover was VG++. The price was $221.40.
Paula Castle, Love Lost, Bethlehem 1036. This was an original 10-inch pressing in M-
Tags: Art Blakey, Atlantic Records, Bethlehem Records, Bobby Hutcherson, Euclid Records, Gene Ammons, Jackie McLean, Jazz Collector Price Guide, John Coltrane, John Jenkins, Johnny Griffin, Kenny Burrell, Lucky Thompson, Paula Castle, Red Garland, Tadd Dameron, Transition Records, Wes Montgomery
Today on eBay, Some Jug and Dizzy Reece
Feb 9, 2009 Boxed Sets, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Price Guide
A few nice items on eBay today, including a nice bunch closing soon from our friends at Euclid Records. There may even be another one for the $1,000 club, this one: Dizzy Reece, Soundin’ Off, Blue Note 4033. This is an original pressing in M- condition, both record and cover. The current price is more than $600 and there have already been 17 bids, so it’s certainly within the realm of possibility that this could hit four figures. Also from Euclid and Dizzy: Dizzy Reece, Star Bright, Blue Note 4023. This is also an original pressing. The record is listed as M- and the cover is listed as VG+. The current price is in the $250 range. One more from this batch: Jammin’ in Hi-Fi With Gene Ammons, Prestige 7110. This is an original pressing with the New York label. The record and cover are in M- condition. The current price is just more than $200.
Another one we’re watching at Jazz Collector is Zoot Sims, Cookin’ Fontana 123. This is an original British pressing. The record looks to be VG and the cover is VG+. It’s currently around $50. We’ve seen this sell for more than $200 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but those earlier copies were in better condition.
Tags: Dizzy Reece, Euclid Records, Fontana Records, Gene Ammons, Jazz Collector Price Guide, Zoot Sims
Today on eBay, January 30, 2009
Jan 30, 2009 10-Inch LPs, Blue Note, Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Prestige, Price Guide
Here are some of the records we at Jazz Collector are watching today:Lucky Thompson, Lucky Strikes, Transition 21. This is an original pressing, with the booklet. The record is listed as M-, the cover as VG and the booklet as M-. The current price is about $160. Art Blakey, A Night At Birdland Volume 2, Blue Note 5038. This is an original 10-inch LP. The record is M- and the cover is VG. The current price is about $150.
This seller, Sweedeedee, has a bunch of nice items closing in the next 24 hours. Here are a few: Gene Ammons, Jammin’ With Gene, Prestige 7060. This is an original New York pressing. Both the record and cover are listed in M- condition. It is currently priced at a bit over $100. Here’s a black-label copy of John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. The record is listed as VG++ and the cover as M-. The current price is about $210. And here’s one, frankly, we’ve never seen before: Eric Dolphy in Europe, Debut 136. This is the original Danish pressing. The record and cover look to be in M- condition. The current price is $360, but we’d expect this to go for quite a bit more.
We posted a little late today, so we missed a few items, which we’ll be plugging into the Jazz Collector Price Guide later this weekend. Among them are:
Tags: Art Blakey, Atlantic Records, Charles Mingus, Debut Records, Eric Dolphy, Gene Ammons, Giant Steps, Jazz Collector Price Guide, John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Lucky Thompson, Transition Records
Our First Newsletter, May 9, 2004
May 9, 2004 Jazz Vinyl, Jazz Vinyl on eBay, Newsletters, Norgran, Prestige, Savoy, Verve
Welcome to Jazz Collector. If you’re receiving this, then you’ve been selected for a free subscription to our daily email newsletter. For more information come to our web site at jazzcollector.com. Otherwise, please read on. Woke up in a generous mood this morning, so I delved into the collection and came up with an item to give away to a lucky subscriber. Here it is: Gene Ammons, Live! In Chicago, Prestige 7495. This is an original
Tags: Ben Webster, Downbeat, Gene Ammons, John Coltrane, Oscar Peterson
Jazz Collector, Ahem, “The Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Read”
May 6, 2004 Autographs, Jazz Memoirs
Today we turn things over to some readers. We appreciate all of your letters and the great support we’re already getting from the community after just two weeks. If you sent us a note and we haven’t replied, it’s just because we’re a little overwhelmed right now. Here are some of the things our readers have shared with us:
“It’s great to read your newsletter. I feel the same way about my father as you do about being introduced to jazz. I was hearing jazz at my house as a kid way before I migrated to my generation’s rock music. I eventually came back to jazz I my 20s and have stayed there since.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Barney Kessel, Gene Ammons, Thelonious Monk, Wes Montgomery
