Podcast: Random Rollins

This week’s theme: Random Sonny Rollins, circa 1956, 1957, 1958. Other featured artists include Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Ray Brown, Shelley Manne, Richie Powell, George Morrow, Kenny Dorham, Abbey Lincoln, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Wade Legge, and more.

Podcast: A Jazz Collector Playlist to Welcome in 2024

This week’s theme. Welcoming in 2024, with 24-related jazz vinyl. Hint, Swing, Swang, Swinging’ and A New Perspective on Blue Note. Featured artists include Jackie McLean, Donald Bird, Herbie Hancock, Hank Mobley, Al Sears, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Stitt, Bud Powell, John Coltrane, Oscar Pettiford, Oliver Nelson, Kenny Dorham.

Jazz Vinyl Gems, Some With a Little Tarnish

Finally, back on eBay. Contrary to my last experience a few weeks ago when I  asked the question Where’s The Action?, I’m actually seeing quite a bit of activity this week, from buyers and well as sellers. Let’s start with Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 5065.This is an original 10-inch pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover, although the picture of the back cover might call that grade into question for discerning buyers. But the seller stands by his listings, and any bidder can see the picture and judge for himself. There are seven bidders and the price is in the $160 range with a little more than a day left on the auction. Read more

A New Adventure in Jazz Collecting

Sometime over the next few weeks the seller Carolina Soul Records will be running an eBay auction that will include many really, really nice original jazz collectibles. These will include a beautiful copy of Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530, along with nice copies of the other 12-inch Jutta Hipp Blue Notes; a really nice original New York pressing of Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus, as well as Blue Note 1542, 1558 and 1581; a West 63rd copy of John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1557, plus more than a dozen additional original Tranes; a bunch of Miles originals; Donald Byrd Blows Beacon Hill on Transition, Kenny Dorham Blue Note, Lou Donaldson Blue Note. I could go on.

How do I know so much about this upcoming auction? Read more

Heavy Hitters: Monk, Duke, Evans, Dorham

Here are some of the rare Jazz LPs I am currently watching on eBay, starting with Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington, Riverside 12-201. This is an original white label pressing with the original cover. The seller doesn’t offer a grade, but it looks like the record is in nice shape and the cover looks really clean. This is a cool record, with the original cover, great music and the first record in the Riverside 200 series, signifying the label’s shift to modern jazz and, in particular, its very fruitful relationship with Monk. I would love to have an original pressing of this record and, unfortunately, I passed up an opportunity to buy one for $100 at the Jazz Record Center in New York about 30 or so years ago. This one has a start price of $940, which is too rich for my sensibilities. I took a look over at Popsike and, to my surprise, this record has sold for more than $1,000 at least two times. Perhaps this will be a third? Read more

InBox: Una Mas, New OJCs, Autographs and A Rare J.R.

I know it’s been a long time between posts, but there is a reason, and, fortunately, it has nothing to do with health, at least physical health, but there may be some of you out there who will question my mental health once I get around to telling the whole story, which I will do in a few days. Sorry for the intrigue and mystery, but for a couple of days I want to just do regular, routine posts, looking at rare jazz records on eBay, so I can take a little more time to write about may latest adventure in Jazz Collecting. You’ve waited this long between posts, you can wait a few days more to hear the story. Meanwhile, our old friend CeeDee has gotten impatient, rightfully so, and sent me a link to this record: Kenny Dorham, Una Mas, Blue Note 4127. This looks to be an original New York USA pressing. The cover is pretty trashed and the record plays with slight noise throughout. It is on buy-it-now on eBay for $245. Something about this listing has perplexed Mr. CeeDee because this is the note that accompanied the link: “I don’t know whether to laugh, cry or scream. I’m sure there is something missing . . . isn’t there?” Is there?

Also in my inbox was a new press release from Craft Recordings announcing that they are relaunching the Original Jazz Classics series on vinyl. The press release mentions that the first OJC issues came out in 1982, which is more than 40 years ago, which seems quite amazing to me. I was never a huge fan of the original OJCs, with their soft cardboard covers and thin vinyl. I would use them to fill in gaps in my collection, but always with the idea that I would like to replace them with originals as soon as possible. These new OJCs are being pressed on 180-gram vinyl and “housed in a replica of the original tip-on jacket. I have no idea what the original tip-on jacket means, but I hope they are using thicker cardboard so they feel more like the original original pressings. If these are nicer copies that the first round of OJCs, do you think they will have any impact on the market for first pressings. Perhaps collectors will be content with a nice reissue, but if experience is any guide, it might make the originals even more in demand as collectors/listenters get hooked on the idea of having these great music on vinyl. The first two records to be issued are Workin’ With the Mildes Davis Quintet and the Monk/Coltrane record on Jazzland. Looks like the first of the products are shipping at the end of May. Perhaps I’ll be among the first to purchase, even though I have both records, just to report on it here at Jazz Collector.

While I’m here, I will clear out some of the other items in my mailbox. This one comes from a reader looking for a buyer: “I have a programme from a Jimmy Smith gig in Birmingham, England. It is signed by Jimmy and his guitarist Nathan Page when I met him at the stage door. Would it be of any interest to anyone as I am willing to sell it?” If you are interested send me an email at alatjazzcollectordotcom and I will pass on your name and email address.

One of our readers bought a collection and sent this note: “Recently I bought a Jazz LP collection and found a sample copy. This record is a promotional press of J.R. Monterose recorded in 1963 live in Tender Trap at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I read in a Japanese website that it was a British Spotlight recording distributed as promotional records in Japan in only 20-30 copies, but for copyright problems never released. Later it was repressed in 1993 by Fresh Sound. The sample copy is: Spotlight SPJ 152 (C 556). Do you know something more about this sample copy and his grading of rarity? I suppose, as it was written in that Japanese Web site, it’s a very rare record.” I replied that I was ignorant about this particular record, but felt pretty sure that someone in the Jazz Collector audience will have the information. So, if that someone is out there, please comment.

Finally, our friend Clifford sent this link: My Name is Albert Ayler, Fontana 6888603 ZL. The record was graded VG and the cover was just good. But the cover had signatures from Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Gary Peacock and Sunny Murray. Per Clifford: “I’ve seen one other Ayler autograph in my life, almost exactly the same, so it’s definitely legit – the Sunny Murray signature looks like the other ones I’ve seen.” There were four bids and the final price was $1,532.

Four For The New Year

Happy New Year. This week we are watching a new auction from the Jazz Record Center in New York. Seems like the seller Carolina Soul has become the predominant seller of rare jazz vinyl on eBay in the past year or so, but the Jazz Record Center is still a gold standard as far as I’m concerned. This week, we have a couple from Kenny Dorham, starting with Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This looks to be an original pressing that would probably be in M- condition for the record and cover, were it not for a drill hole through the cover and label. The item is new to eBay and doesn’t close for more than six days. The starting bid was $1,000 and there is already one bidder.  Also, there is Kenny Dorham, ‘Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. Very nice copy, I’m sure. Like Quiet Kenny this auction closes in more than six days and already has a bid at $1,000. Read more

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