New Jazz, Prestige, Blue Note: Covering Some Bases

RoyLet’s take a break from label picking today and go back to watching some rare jazz vinyl on eBay.

Speaking of New Jazz, this one sold recently in eBay: Roy Haynes, Phineas Newborn and Paul Chambers, We Three, New Jazz 8210. This looked to be an original purple label pressing with the deep grooves. It was listed in VG condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The seller was very stingy with information and there was only one bid, which always makes me suspicious. The price was $299.99.

Maybe I should have bid. I was watching that copy of Jackie McLean, Jackie’s Pal, Prestige 7068. This one was in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and looked quite nice. I figured it would sell for more thna $1,000. It didn’t. It sold for $535. Worth it? Just look at the cover.

I also had my eye on this one but, considering the condition, the price was too high:

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And The Bidding Is . . . . WHAT?

ChambersOK, I could use a good explanation for this one: Paul Chambers, A Jazz Delegation From the East, Score 4033. This is a reissue of the album originally released on Jazz West. The record is in G condition, described by the seller as “rough.” The cover is in VG- condition, with tape and wear clearly visible in the picture. Not necessarily a record to display proudly on your shelves and, in this condition, probably not one to place on your turntable either. Someone wants it, pretty badly, though. There are 11 bids, three bidders and the price is already more than $100. Because . . ?

From the same seller is this: Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This is possibly an original pressing with the deep groove on one side, although the seller is only showing one label. Without seeing the other label, I have my doubts. Also, there seems to be an issue with the condition. The seller lists the record as VG and the cover as VG+. However, if you look at the picture of the back cover, it is clearly not close to VG+, with a really bad stain. If that is VG+, you kind of wonder what the VG vinyl looks like. I imagine others have similar concerns. The bidding is at $89 with 12 hours to go. If bidders were confident in the condition and the provenance, the bidding would likely be a lot higher.

 

 

 

Listening Again to The “New” Miles Davis Quintet

One of the great things about having so many collectible records is that I can always dig somewhere into my collection and find a classic record I haven’t listed to in a while. I did that last night, putting The New Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige 7014, on the turntable for the first time in a number of years. It’s a classic and, of course, the first Miles record with John Coltrane. A few things struck me about this record. Miles and Trane were the same age, both 29 when the album was recorded, yet they were at much different points in their careers and in their development. Miles was fully formed and his playing was absolutely confident. Trane’s playing was much more tentative and his style was not nearly as developed as it would become in the ensuing years. You can hear elements of his budding genius, but just elements and otherwise you hear someone still working on finding himself. For the hell of it, right after listening to this LP, I put on A Love Supreme and, obviously the difference was quite stark. Another thing about this record is Read more

A Few Jazz Vinyl Delegations

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:

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Of Original Blue Notes and Shrink Wrap

Here’s some more jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay, starting with: Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note 1569. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing, although there’s no New York 23 so perhaps not — where’s Fred’s book when I need it. This one is listed in VG condition for the record and the cover. The price is at $275 with more than four days to go. I find a couple of things interesting about this listing. One is the presence of some kind of plastic wrap around the record that the seller is claiming to be “original shrink” but I would be skeptical of that. Perhaps someone who was around in those days when these were new on the shelves would have more insight whether there was, indeed, any kind of shrink wrap and, if there was, whether it was this kind of loose shrink wrap as seen in the picture. The second interesting thing about this listing is in the questions, where there seems to a quite open discussion about selling the record before the auction is completed, even though there is no buy-it-now price listed with the record. That has always struck me as a bit of a breach of eBay etiquette. Or am I just being old-fashioned, having been a relatively early e-Bayer.

Whilst we’re looking Blue Notes, take a gander at these:

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Catching Up on Some Rare Jazz Vinyl

Looks like everybody’s been busy posting on Jazz Collector this week, except me. I do like to see that, but I like to post as well. So, here goes, with some of the items we’ve been watching on eBay:

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was the one with no New York 23 on one side and, to me, is an original, although some sticklers beg to differ. The record looked to be in VG++ or M- condition and the cover was probably VG++. The price was $3,340. Question: What do you think it would have sold for if it had the New York 23 on Side 2?

Lou Donaldson, The Time is Right, Blue Note 4025. This was an original original and it was probably in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price was $570.

Paul Chambers, Whims of Chambers, Blue Note 1534. This was not an original pressing, but a West 63rd pressing. It seemed to be VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $243.50.

Finally, there was the sealed copy of Waltz For Debby, Riverside 399. It sold for $590. We have seen Waltz for Debby fetch a higher price tag in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is certainly top dollar. Hope the seller is satisfied — if he even opens it.

 

 

Jazz Vinyl: Four For the Money

I mentioned yesterday that there were a bunch of jazz records I was watching on eBay. Here are a few more, starting with: Paul Chambers, Go, VeeJay 1014. This was an original pressing with the maroon label. We don’t often see VeeJay records getting collectible prices, but this one has appeared before in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. The previous top bid was $189. This one sold for $255, in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. What always excited me about this record was the appearance of Cannonball Adderley as a side man, but the listing highlights Wynton Kelly instead. I guess it worked. The record fetched top dollar. Speaking of Paul Chambers, there is this: Paul Chambers, Whims of Chambers, Blue Note 1534. This is a West 63rd pressing, which makes it a second pressing. Early and nice, and some would even characterize it as an “original” Blue Note, but definitely not a first pressing. I’m always curious to watch the market for these second pressings because they look great and sound great but, for a collector, there’s always the knowledge that, hmmmm, I don’t have an original. This one is in VG+ or VG++ condition for the record, and VG+ for the cover. The price is around $200 and so there there is one bidder, with the auction closing tomorrow.

Here are a couple for the $1,000 bin:

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A Tale of Five Blue Notes

Another day, another batch of rare jazz vinyl to watch on eBay.

Miles Davis Volume 1, Blue Note 1501. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing, the first of the 1500 series. It is listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The start price is around $200 and so far there are no bidders with just a couple of days to go. This seller has a bunch of nice items up for sale this week, including: Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 1502. This also looks to be an original pressing in similar condition to Volume 1, M- for the record and VG++ for the cover. This one also has a start price of around $200 and has one bidder, so far. One more Blue Note: Paul Chambers Quintet, Blue Note 1564. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The bidding is in the $250 so far for this LP.

May as well stick with Blue Notes this morning:

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A Trio of Blue Notes For a Monday Morning

Here’s some of the jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay this week:

Here we go again: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is an original pressing in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. It closes soon and the bidding is in the $2,150 range, except it has yet to reach the seller’s reserve price. I noticed on the listing that the seller points to Jazz Collector for help in ascertaining the value. We’re pleased an flattered and also reminded that we better upgrade our Price Guide this week.

Here are a couple more nice Blue Notes, starting with: Paul Chambers, Whims of Chambers, Blue Note 1534. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Tough to find these Lexington Avenue Blue Notes in such nice shape. The price for this one has already surpassed $500 and we won’t be surprised if this one goes beyond $1,000. Not just an original Blue Note, but also has the presence of John Coltrane. Also, Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. The vinyl on this one is only in VG condition and the cover is VG++. Still, the bidding has already topped $500. My personal experience with original Blue Notes of this era is that records that look to be in VG condition, generally sound pretty darn good, so perhaps other potential buyers are hoping that is the case for this record as well.

Cool Struttin’, Giant Steps and Other Jazz Classics

Let’s catch up on some of the interesting rare jazz vinyl we’ve been watching at Jazz Collector. Big Bear apparently put a magnifying glass to this record and found that it was not necessarily an original pressing: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. In addition to the question about the “original-ness” of the record there was also some concern expressed here about the lack of information about the listing. The record wound up selling for $1,913.88 in M- condition, which is probably significantly less than it would have received if it had been offered by a reputable seller with a strong reputation, such as Jazz Record Center or Euclid. Nonetheless, it is still quite a hefty price, particularly if it is not a first pressing. This one came from the same seller and failed to sell: Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note  1569. I tried the magnifying glass trick myself but to no avail: Either my magnifier was faulty or my eyes were faulty or, more likely, a combination of the two. I couldn’t figure out if this was original or not. Perhaps other potential bidders had the same problem. Nobody was willing to hit the start price of $500.

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