Someone’s Getting Lucky This Week

I had said earlier that it was a big week for jazz vinyl on eBay and there are still many nice items to watch from afar (or from up close, depending upon your point of view and/or eyesight). Among the items of interest to us:

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:

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Jazz Vinyl Today: A Bevy of Blue Notes

Lots of Blue Notes on today’s watch list, starting with: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original pressing that was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,370. We’ve seen this one sell for more than $1,300 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is quite a hefty price nonetheless.

Kenny Drew Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This one had the West 63rd Street address and, from the looks of the pictures, it had deep grooves on both sides, certainly on Side 2. That would make it original either way, no? This was described as being in VG condition, and the cover certainly looked no better than VG. It sold for $427.

Gigi Gryce/Clifford Brown Sextet, Blue Note 5048. This was an original 10-inch LP that was defined as being in “very fine” condition, which, the seller implies, is actually M- condition. The pictures certainly looked very fine indeed, if not M-.  It sold for $372. 10.

If it’s a Blue Note, and it’s one of the coveted artists, the record or cover does not have to be in great condition to fetch a high price. Case in point:

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Watching Blue Notes From a New Seller

In between packed boxes, hauling records, driving back and forth between Great Neck, Manhattan and Monterey, Ma., I was actually able to take a peek at eBay and find some interesting jazz auctions that I’ve been watching the past few days. Here are a few:

Ah, the longing . . . how often will I watch this, one of my favorite records, before I finally take the plunge and acquire that original pressing I’ve desired for 20-plus years: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing that was listed in  M- condition. It sold for $737, quite a reasonable price, all things considered. It was an interesting auction because the seller, from South Africa, put up a bunch of nice Blue Notes all at once and he had only one feedback rating (at least it was positive). The seller makes the strong case that he is new to eBay, but not to record collecting, and he seems to be knowledgeable. With a more secure seller, this would have sold for more money, right? In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen this one sell for more than $1,200. This one came from the same seller:

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eBaying Strategies & A Few Blue Notes

Sorry I haven’t been posting as often as usual. Lots going on here. If anyone want to fill some of the void, we always welcome guest columns. In the meantime, eBay goes on whether we post or not, and this week there are some sellers with many, many big-ticket items. Here are a few we’re watching:

Somebody in the comments complained about the start prices from the records from this seller, including: Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This one has the West 63rd Street address and ear, but it doesn’t look like any deep grooves. This is one of the ones that causes consternation among collectors, right? DG or not DG, that is the question. If I recall Fred Cohen’s explanation, this could have one side DG and be an original, or it could also have no DGs and be an original? Perhaps someone can look it up. In the meantime, this copy is in M- condition for the vinyl, is VG++ for the cover and has zero bids at a start price of $1,200. If you click this item, look at the seller’s other auctions and you’ll see a potpourri of fantastic collectibles, all at high start prices, all without bids (so far).

Here’s another seller with some nice items, including: Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This looks to be an original pressing based on the description. The record is VG++ and the cover is M- and the price is a bit over $200 now and has not yet met the seller’s reserve. If you look at the seller’s listings, make sure you read them carefully. I noticed he’s selling another Curtis Fuller Blue Note that is listed as a “rare mono pressing” and is a United Artists pressing. It is already more than $50.

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Undercurrent: DG or Not DG, That Is The Question

A couple of weeks ago Fred Cohen of the Jazz Record Center shared some new information about a much-discussed record on Jazz Collector: Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. He sent me a note the other day stating that it raised some interesting issues about Blue Note original pressings and suggested that perhaps I give it a little more play rather than simply having it buried among a variety of comments. So, without further ado, here’s Fred:

For the benefit of Blue Note collectors and/or readers of the pressing guide, I would like to bring to their attention to the recent eBay sale of Kenny Drew “Undercurrent” on Blue Note 4059. The vinyl was in virtually new condition; the jacket showed minor wear (you can find the complete description as eBay #300517372359). What made this copy interesting is the lack of the deep groove on Side 2 and the “Review Copy” stamp on both the Side 2 label and the back slick. This is the first time I have seen a label-stamped review copy of Undercurrent and it raises the issue once again as to the definition of an “original” pressing: is it a record, regardless of any other consideration, that includes all the details – such as a deep groove – that collectors look for, or is it the first issue of that record? It is my impression that the presence of the “Review Copy” stamp on the label is a very strong indication that the “original” Undercurrent pressing had no deep groove.

Blue Note frequently stamped “Review Copy or “Audition Copy” on the jacket only, making it possible to substitute another copy of the same record. But the presence of the “Review Copy” stamp on the label would suggest

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More Updates For the Jazz Collector Price Guide

I’ve been spending time this weekend updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide and realized there are a bunch more interesting items we’ve mentioned here but haven’t followed up, so here are a few of them:

George Wallington, Jazz For the Carriage Trade, Prestige 7032. This was an original New York pressing with a record in M- condition and a nice shiny cover in VG++ condition. It sold for $395.

Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter, Imperial 9024. This looked to be an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $350.99.

Lou Donaldson, Swing and Soul, Blue Note 1566. This was one of the recent records sold by the Jazz Record Center. It was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and it sold for $544.44.

From that same auction were these:

The Wes Montgomery Trio, Riverside 310. This was an original pressing in M- condition and sold for $305, the highest price we’ve seen for this record.

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Jazz Vinyl From The Jazz Record Center

The folks at Jazz Record Center have a new eBay auction up now. It’s always interesting to watch their stuff because their strong brand name ensures top market value. Here are a few of the records we’ll be watching from this auction:

Art Pepper, Modern Art, Intro 606. This is an original deep groove pressing that is in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It has a start price of $750 and already has a bidder, so you can expect that this one may be headed for the $1,000 bin.

Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, Blue Note 1518. This is a West 63rd Street pressing, whereas the original first pressing would have been Lexington Avenue. I’m curious about this second press Blue Notes, which many of our readers think of as originals, because their prices have gone up quite a bit recently. I just bought a West 63rd copy of the first Miles Davis Blue Note, which I’ll be selling at some point, either on eBay or from my basement. This one is in “near-new” condition and already has a bidder at $100.

I’ve always liked this record and I do, fortunately, have an original pressing: Lou Donaldson, Swing and Soul, Blue Note 1566. This one is also in very nice M- condition and has a bidder at a $350 start price.

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Odds and Ends and Blue Notes

Here are some jazz vinyl odds and ends we’ve been watching for various reasons. We’re not expecting that all of these will end up in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but they all have something of interest.

We were watching this one because it was listed as an original pressing even though it wasn’t: Kenny Drew Trio, Riverside 224. This was a blue-label pressing when the original was really a white label. The seller was very clear in stating that this was a “first mono pressing.” Ah well. The record was only in VG- condition and the cover was VG. Not an original and not in great condition and it sold for $87. That seems to be the going rate these days perhaps and, perhaps, maybe someone needed a new cover. Not for me in that condition at that price.

We were watching this to get a sense of what the solid blue label Blue Notes are selling for these days: Dexter Gordon, Dexter Calling, Blue Note 84083. This  in M- condition for both the record and the cover and it sold for $29. This probably means that a Liberty pressing of this record would be in the $50 or $60 range, don’t you think?

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Bidding, Losing & Bidding Again

I’ve actually bid on a few records recently, but these days I don’t even get close, unless I want to really gamble on condition, which I don’t. Anyway, I was watching this record on eBay: Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This was an original pressing and it was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. A few hours before the bidding closed it wasn’t getting much action. My theory: Even though the listing described the cover as M-, it didn’t look that good in the photo. I know, however, that when you are taking pictures of black covers you often get a glare that distorts the image and makes it look worse than it actually is. I took a shot and set up my Bid Nip to put in a bid of about $350 with five seconds to go. Hah!. The record

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Tracking Rare Jazz Vinyl That Didn’t Sell

Let’s catch up on a few odds and ends in the world of collectible jazz vinyl:

The Blue Notes continue to be getting top dollar, but there seems to be a drop-off in prices in the middle of the market, records that would normally sell in the $30-$150 range. I’ve noticed it with my own sales on eBay and I was talking with Steve at Round Again Records in Providence yesterday and he said he believes the market has fallen off by as much as 40 percent in the past couple of years. I was thinking about that when I looked at some of the records I’ve been watching on eBay that failed to get bids, despite what seemed to be reasonable starting prices. Here are a few:

Kenny Drew and his Progressive Piano, Norgran 1066. This was an original pressing from a reputable seller. The record was in nice condition, M-/VG++ and the cover seemed nice as well with a partial seam split. The start price was $74.99 and there were no bidders. The picture accompanying the listing wasn’t great and perhaps that dampened the enthusiasm.

Ken McIntyre, Looking Ahead, New Jazz 8247. This was an original pressing with the purple labels and the deep grooves. The record and cover were in VG+ condition and the start price was $99.99. This record, which prominently features Eric

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For the Price Guide: A Blue Note Bonanza

We’ve been quite busy updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide, so we will do a few posts over the next few days highlighting some of the new entries, starting with some Blue Notes, of course. There are no links to these, FYI.

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and just one side deep groove. The record was listed in VG+ condition for both the vinyl and the cover and it sold for $285.

Baby Face Willette, Stop and Listen, Blue Note 4084. This was an original pressing with the NY USA label. the record looked to be in VG++ condition for both the vinyl and the cover. It sold for $200.

This one sold for a big price, but it didn’t seem to be an original pressing:

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Price Updates: Lights Out, Zoot, Kenny Drew

Here are some of the items we’ve been watching on eBay:

Jackie McLean, Lights Out, Prestige 7035. This was an original New York pressing with the deep groove and heavy vinyl. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG+. It did not have a flat edge, according to an answer to a questioner, but I’m not sure that doesn’t mean it wasn’t original. Anyway, the price was $639.49.

Phil Woods, Warm Woods, Epic 3436. This was an original pressing and it was listed in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The price was $495.

Zoot Sims, Zoot, Riverside 228. This was an original white label pressing and it was listed in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The price was $413.

Here are a few we were watching the other day:

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Collectibles Anyone? Astaire, Kenny Drew Riverside

There are quite a few interesting items on eBay now. Here are a couple:

Fred Astaire, The Astaire Story, Mercury 1001 1004. Most of you are probably familiar with this set, produced by Norman Granz in the early 1950s.  There were 1,384 copies produced, all autographed by Astaire, and the set came with four LPs, a booklet with exclusive photos and a set of drawings by David Stone Martin. The music is all jazz even though Astaire was not a “jazz singer,” and the sidemen include many of the greats within the Granz stable, such as Oscar Peterson, Flip Phillips, Ray Brown, Barney Kessel, Charlie Shavers. Anyway, it is quite a nice set and used to regularly sell in the $2,000 range. Our top price in the Jazz Collector Price Guide is

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Catching Up: Kenny Drew, Rouse, Nichols

Here’s an update on some of the jazz vinyl we’ve been watching here at Jazz Collector. We sense a slight softness in the market the past couple of weeks compared with the end of the summer, when prices seemed to be skyrocketing. This sense comes not only from what we are watching, but from what we are selling as well. These things go back and forth all the time, so we don’t see much use in trying to time the market as a seller, but for buyers, this might be a time to be active. Prices surely will go up again if past is prologue to the future.   Here are a few recent sales:

Kenny Drew, This is New, Riverside 236. This was an original white label pressing. The record was listed as VG++ and the cover was VG+. The price was $125. This one features Hank Mobley and Donald Byrd and is quite a nice collectible  – and quite a bit cheaper than comparable Blue Notes of the same era with the same artists.

Speaking of Blue Notes: Herbie Nichols Trio, Blue Note 1519. This was

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Price Guide Update: Wallington, Drew, DeFranco, Tal

We’ve missed a couple of days posting. Sorry. Up in the country. The weather is beautiful and the Internet connection is inconsistent. We will attempt to be more regular. To get back into posting shape, this morning we will list some of the new items we’ll be entering into the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Nothing in the $1,000 bin — we’ll save those for later — but some nice, interesting collectibles. Here are several:

George Wallington Quintet at the Bohemia, Progressive 1001. This is an original pressing and the seller listed it as near-mint condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $810.

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This was an original pressing, also in near-mint condition and was one of the items sold by the seller herschel78. This one also sold for $810.

Here’s a record I actually bid on (and lost, by $1):

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Today on Ebay: Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On

The seller Herschel78 is back with some very nice items that are closing today. Here are a few:

Jackie McLean, Lights Out, Prestige 7035. This record is VG++ and the cover is near and it’s an original pressing with the New York address and yellow label. A real beauty, at least in the picture. The current price on this one is $620 and there are still a few hours to go. Tempting, but I’m trying to get rid of records, not acquire them.

Also, Here Comes Louis Smith, Blue Note 1584. This is an original pressing in near mint condition, “the finest copy you’ll ever see,” according to the listing. This is now at $800 and is a near certainty to crack the $1,000 barrier. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen it go for as much a $1,420.

This one is also in beautiful, near-mint condition:

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Price Updates: Roy & Diz, Tal, Stone Martin, Drew

Time to catch up on some of the items we were watching earlier in the week. We’ll do another of these catch-ups tomorrow or Monday when some of the high-tagged Blue Notes close.

We don’t often see Dizzy Gillespie among the higher-priced LPs, but here was a nice one that was sold earlier this week by Euclid records: Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge, Roy & Diz #2. This record was in M- condition, both record an cover, and sold for $145. No doubt helping the value of the LP is the great illustration by David Stone Martin.

Also featuring a David Stone Martin illustration is The Tal Farlow Album, Norgran 1047. This was also sold by Euclid and was also in M- condition. It sold for $83, not bad for a quality record like this in today’s market. Seems that within the Norgran/Clef/Verve pantheon there are still bargains to be found. Also, please take a look at our earlier post on this album Today on eBay: Tal, Drew, Kenny Dorham, True Blue. I had mentioned that my good friend Dan Axelrod was a good friend and protege of Tal, and he shares some personal insight about the album that’s worth reading.

Speaking of Kenny Drew, that copy of The Kenny Drew Trio, Riiverside 224, that

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Today on eBay: Tal, Drew, Kenny Dorham, True Blue

We had a couple of hours to kill last night, so we did something we used to do every day: Scroll through a full 24 hours worth of jazz records listed on eBay. It was good timing, because we found some nice items for our Jazz Collector readers and one item we plan to bid on for ourselves.

Our friends at Euclid Records have a nice batch closing today, including: Kenny Drew Trio, Riverside 224. This is an original white label pressing and is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The current price is $1,256, so, Kenny Drew, welcome again to the $1,000 bin. Also from Euclid is The Tal Farlow Album, Norgran 1047. This is the 12-inch version with the beautiful cover by David Stone Martin. It is in M- condition for both the record and the cover and is currently in the $60 price range. My friend Dan Axelrod, who was Tal’s good friend and protege, swears that the 10-inch version of this record offers far better sound quality than the 12-inch version. I suppose that’s why he has more than a dozen copies of the 10-inch version. Nonetheless, the 12-inch Tal Farlow Album is quite lovely to listen to and quite collectible and is certainly a worthy addition to any collection.

It always pays to read the eBay listings carefully. Here’s an example why:

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For The Price Guide: Riversides, Blue Notes

In addition to the Dinah Washington LP mentioned below, we are adding a few more records to the Jazz Collector Price Guide today. At some point, we surpassed more than 4,000 entries in the price guide. We find it quite valuable to use in buying and selling records, and also to help establish values for insurance and estate-planning purposes. We hope you all find it valuable as well. Here are a few more additions:

Kenny Drew Trio, Riverside 224. This was an original white label pressing. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $898.88.

Here’s another nice Riverside: Zoot Sims, Zoot!, Riverside 228. This was also a white label pressing, in VG+ condition for both the record and cover. It sold for $158.50.

And what would the Price Guide be without Blue Notes. Here are a few new ones:

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Is The Market Slowing? Not Based on These Prices

Sometimes, as summer approaches, eBay slows down. Not so far this summer. We’ve seen a lot of rare jazz records setting new highs for prices over the past few weeks, as we’ve been upgrading the Jazz Collector Price Guide. If you look at the prices of some of these records, you’ll get an idea:

Kenny Drew, The Kenny Drew Trio, Riverside 224. This was an original white label pressing. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was listed as VG++. The price was $898.88.

Kenny Dorham, Whistle Stop, Blue Note 4063. This was an original West 63rd Street mono pressing that was listed in M- condition, both record and cover, and it was posted by a reputable seller. It sold for $898.89.

Jackie McLean, 4, 5 & 6, Prestige 7048. This was an original Yellow label pressing with

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Today on Ebay: Freddie Redd, Kenny Drew, Trane

Here are some of the items we’re watching today on eBay. Things still seem slow, and it will be interesting to keep an eye on the prices of some of these.

Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record and cover are both in VG+ condition. The current price is about $230. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide, we’ve seen this record sell for between $300 and $900 depending upon the condition. It’s a great record if you’re not familiar with it, featuring Tina Brooks and Jackie McLean.

John Coltrane, Hank Mobley, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. This is an original New York pressing with the yellow label. The record and cover both look to be in VG+ condition. The current price on this is $74. 

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Catching Up (In Key West): Lee Morgan, Kenny Drew

I’m posting this on a porch overlooking the beautiful, turquoise Atlantic Ocean in Key West, Fla., where I am vacationing for a couple of days. Actually, it’s a much-needed vacation for Mrs Jazz Collector and I get to go along for the ride. Anyway,  despite my adventure in paradise, I’m still keep tracking of eBay for my dear devoted followers on Jazz Collector. Here are updates on some of the items we’ve been watching, from Kenny Drew and Lee Morgan.

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing with one side DG, which I think is how this record was first produced. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $631. Also from Kenny Drew was: 

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Today on Ebay: Some Choice Blue Notes

As we were looking ahead on eBay today, we came upon a few interesting Blue Notes, so we will declare today Blue Note Day at Jazz Collector. Here are some to keep an eye on:

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This is a mono pressing with the West 63rd Street logo. It has one side that is deep groove and, if I recall correctly, that is the original pressing. This is one of those oddball records in which there is just one side that has the deep groove. Anyway, the vinyl on this is in M- condition and the cover is VG+. The current price is $500. 

Lee Morgan, City Lights, Blue Note 1575. This is also an original pressing, with deep grooves on both sides. The seller has his own grading system. This looks like it’s in VG+ condition, both record and cover, but some potential buyers might have higher expectations. The current price is close to $400. 

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Today on Ebay: DSM, Duke Jordan, Kenny Drew

Here are some of the interesting items we’re watching on eBay today:

We showed he Kenny Drew cover on Norgran earlier today with the beautiful illustration by David Stone Martin. Here’s another: Bill Harris Collates, Clef 125. This is another 10-inch LP. The record is VG+ and the cover is listed as M-. The current price is $37. 

A seller in Canada is offering a nice copy of Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. He lists the vinyl based on each side: One side if VG+ and the other is VG++. Do any of you find this helpful as a buyer? For me, I would automatically think of the record as VG+, regardless if one side is better than the other. The cover for this is listed as M-. The price is currently around $350.

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Price Updates: Kenny Drew, Hawk, Hank, Pres

We’ve been adding records to the Jazz Collector Price Guide and came upon another beautiful 10-inch LP that sold recently: The Ideation of Kenny Drew, Norgran 29. Look at this beautiful cover illustration by David Stone Martin. This record was in M- condition, both record and cover. It sold for $393.

Also for the Price Guide are:

Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038. This was a New York pressing with the second cover. The record and cover were in VG+ condition. The price was $165.20.

Sonny Clark, Leapin’ and Lopin’, Blue Note 84091. This was a stereo pressing with the New York USA label. The record and cover were M-. The price was $179.02.

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