This week’s theme: Jazz records recorded on Feb. 4. Featured artists include Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Billy Taylor, Hal McKusick, Art Farmer, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Phil Woods, Jon Eardley, Paul Chambers, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Louis Smith.
I was driving in the car the other day and listening to a playlist on my phone. A usual car playlist will have a variety of music, from the Beatles to Ella, James Taylor, 60s rock and, of course, some jazz. I was listening for about a half hour, singing along a little, but nothing that necessarily put a smile on my face. But then came this: Paul’s Pal, by Sonny Rollins. As soon as it came on, my face lit up. For me, it’s one of those songs that always puts a smile on my face. Maybe it reminds me of the first time I heard it, or perhaps because it always seemed to me like Sonny was smiling while he played it. Anyway, I started thinking about the record, Tenor Madness, and the thought popped into my head: If I could keep only one record, Tenor Madness would be one of the contenders. Now, I realize this is silly because there is so much music available everywhere in digital formats, so I could listen to pretty much anything I would want at any time. But it’s my game, and here’s how I played it out. Read more
Just a sittin’ here watchin’ some rare jazz vinyl on eBay. Let’s start with Lou Donaldson, New Faces, New Sounds, Blue Note 5021. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing. I had this record once, but I don’t have it anymore because I sold it 30 years ago. It’s an old familiar refrain that involves a sunken boat. In any case, I spotted this copy on eBay because the seller’s listing said “BEAUTIFUL COPY” in ALL CAPS and it caught my eye. But the listing has the vinyl in VG or VG+ condition and the cover n VG+. BEAUTIFUL COPY, as always, is in the eye of the beholder. The auction closes in five days and the opening bid price is $200, with no takers so far. Read more
The inbox isn’t empty and, in fact, there was a pleasant surprise to share, but I will save it to the end because . . . well, you’ll see. Anyway, this time we will start with our friend Japhy, under the subject “A new garland for Red!” with a link to: Red Garland, A Garland of Red, Prestige 7064. This was an original New York label. The record was in VG+ condition, the cover was only VG. The final price was $1,375. I will give Japhy the honor of putting this into perspective: “Hi Al. Wanna keep goin’ with the crazy? Here’s a new all-time high for a Red Garland (as a leader) record: $1,375 for A Garland of Red. According to Popsike, that’s $375 more than the prior leader, All Morning Long, which sold for $1k back in 2012. The prior high for this particular side was $760 in 2011.” Read more
Back to my eBay watch list, starting with Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. I put this in my queue without really looking at the listing because the price was getting up there. It finally sold for $710. When I finally did look at the listing, just now, I was pretty surprised to not see the drummer logo. So this was not an original pressing. It was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover, and having this record in M- playing condition would be nice. We are seeing the rise in value of second pressings pretty consistently now, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise, even though, to me, it was. Read more
Here are some rare jazz records we are watching this Election Day in the States, starting with Dorothy Ashby, Hip Harp, Prestige 7140. This looks to be an original pressing with the yellow label and the New York address. It must be right at the end of the line for the New York labels. The record and cover are listed in M- condition and the seller, Vinyl-House-UK has a huge stack of nice vinyl for sale this week, closing more than four days from the time I am writing this post. Definitely worth checking out. The bidding on this Ashby record is in the $270 range. It is one of those original Prestiges that has somehow escaped me all of these years and it is somewhat tempting, given that this pressing looks so clean. My nephew, who is 24, somehow really got into Dorothy Ashby and I would like to share this record with him but, alas, when I looked for it on my shelf the cupboard was bare. I do have Soft Winds, Jazzland 961, so perhaps I will put that on next time I have a few moments to listen. Maybe I’ll also bid on Hip Harp. I feel ready to do something, after not having bought a single record since before the pandemic began. Read more
Sorry for the long delay between posts. The Lovely Mrs. JC and I took a much-needed vacation and I am just getting settled back in. Didn’t go too far, just to Provincetown on Cape Cod, but it felt like a million miles away. Anyway, I’m going to swing over to eBay now and see what may be of interest to me and, of course, to you loyal readers who keep the site going even whilst I’m away. So, thank you all.
Here’s one from near the top of my want list: Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in Ex condition for both the record and the cover, which sounds like VG++ to my grading sensibilities and nomenclature. The bidding is in the $470 range with more than a day left, but it has not yet reached the seller’s reserve price. Read more
Here’s an update on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Sonny Rollins, Rollins Plays for Bird, Prestige 7095. This was an original New York yellow label pressing. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. It sold for $430.55. This was one of the records in the batch from the seller carolinasoul, which seemed to capture the attention of a number of readers. A few other items of interest from this auction: Roy Haynes, Out of the Afternoon, Impulse 23. This was an original mono pressing with the orange label. The record was M-. The cover was VG+ and it had a cut-out hole, which always diminishes the record in my eyes. This one was undiminished to others however and sold for $334. Red Garland, All Mornin’ Long, Prestige 7130. This was an original New York pressing with the original cover. The record was VG++ and the cover was VG+ with writing on the back. The final price was $709.99.
Here’s a nice one: Johnny Griffin, The Kerry Dancers, Riverside 420. This looks do be an original promo pressing with the white label and the deep grooves. It is listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The bidding is in the $300 range with more than five days left on the auction. The seller notes that it is from the estate of the late Dr. Herb Wong, who was a pretty well known jazz historian, writer and radio host in the San Francisco Bay area. The seller, Funkyousounds, states in the listing that it has acquired Dr. Wong’s entire collection. I noticed a bunch of other auctions from the estate earlier this week. Funkyousounds is based in St.Louis, so I, for one, am curious how they ended up with the collection. Funkyousounds, if you are out there, perhaps you have a story to share with us here at Jazz Collector?
One of the other ones I had noticed from the collection was this:
There’s a seller on eBay now with a bunch of the U.K Esquire pressings of the original U.S. Prestige records. I never really had access to seeing these covers until eBay and, I must say, they are quite appealing. I find the artwork on the covers to be really cool. And it helps that the sound on these pressings, at least from what I’ve heard, is comparable to the original U.S. issues. Here are a couple from this auction, staring with: Sonny Rollins, Worktime, Esquire 32-038. This is an original Esquire and it is listed in M- condition for the vinyl and Ex for the cover. There is one bidder at approximately $115 and the auction closes in a couple of days. I know it’s not an original U.S. pressing, but it’s a pretty nice package and pretty rare, to boot. Hard to imagine that an early pressing like this from the 1950s won’t go up in value.
