Is This The Rarest of Them All?

Kenny Dorham Rare Jazz VinylBuongiorno! Back from Italy and a little bit worse for the wear. My flight home was delayed because a horse was acting up in cargo and they had to remove all of the luggage, then remove the horse and then reload all the luggage. Yes, that really happened. Then I got a nasty cold, but I’m starting to feel better and finally am able to look at eBay to see what’s going on. I want to thank Clifford Allen for filling in while I was away. Clifford, I really appreciate it and you did a great job — please feel free to continue posting at any time. I think it adds a lot of value to the site to have another perspective.

I did a search on eBay and found an extremely interesting record, which is: Kenny Dorham, Harlem Youth Unlimited, Jazz at PS 175. This is a live recording from 1964. I was told by a reputable dealer several years ago that this is possibly the rarest jazz record of them all. Has anyone else heard that? I’ve been looking for a copy for more than 30 years — ever since I learned about it — and have never seen one. In fact, this is the first one I’ve ever seen even on eBay. I will be very curious to see what this record sells for, particularly now that I have called attention to it. This one is in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. The start price is about $900 and there are nine days to go on the auction. I’m curious if anyone in our community owns this record and how it sounds.

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Back in the Vinyl Saddle Again

Sonny Clark copyTWO WEEKS!!!! The longest I’ve ever gone without posting. Weren’t any of you, aside from Mac, worried about me? I didn’t go anywhere, just took an unexpected and unscheduled break. Now I’m back, but only for a few weeks. I have a two-week vacation coming up in October. Anyone interested in doing some guest hosting for a couple of weeks? Send me an email and we’ll see what we can do.

In the meantime, let’s get back to eBay and see what’s going on. This was on my watch list the last time I looked and now it has sold: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing with the west 63rd Street address, deep grooves, etc. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was only VG, but it still sold for $2,081. There was also this one for the $1,000 bin:

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Jazz Vinyl and a Touch of the Poet

Tina Brooks copyBeen a while since I did an update from the Jazz Collector inbox and, so we shall do so today and close with a little bit of jazz vinyl poetry, courtesy of our friend CeeDee. This one came in from Michael with a simple note: “Nice one.” And it is: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This is an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $2,900, with 29 bids. It went from about $1,900 to the final price in the final seconds. Frankly, I’m surprised it didn’t sell for a higher price. How many M- copies of True Blue do you think there are left in the world? How many ever come up for sale? Not a lot.

Somebody also sent me this completed listing: Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original pressing with the New York 23 labels. It was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The seller had a buy-it-now price of $1,250 with the option of accepting the best offer, which he did. So we don’t actually know what it sold for.

As for the jazz vinyl poetry:

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Condition Counts — Doesn’t It?

Wayne ShorterSorry I haven’t posted for a few days. Things have been quite hectic here — my daughter got married on Saturday night. But things are starting to get back to normal, which, for me, means perusing eBay for interesting jazz vinyl to share with all of you here. So, today let’s start with Wayne Shorter, JuJu, Blue Note 4182. This looks to be an original New York USA pressing with the ear and the Van Gelder in the dead wax. The vinyl is listed in M- condition and the cover is VG++. Bidding is in the $230 range and the auction closes later today. I’m surprised the bidding isn’t a little higher for this record and I’m surprised that the seller either didn’t have a reserve price, or that this record already surpassed the reserve. In any case, I would expect the bidding to get quite a bit higher for this record, given what we’ve seen lately for original Blue Notes of any stripe.

These sellers have some decent collectibles on eBay this week, including:

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A “Rare” Evans And Really Rare Blue Notes

bill evansCeeDee is back with another missive under the subject “Bob dj strikes again!!!!!” Attached is a link to the following record: Bill Evans, Trio 64, Verve 8578. This was an original stereo pressing. It has never really fetched collectible prices, being a later Verve and pretty readily available for many years. It is a terrific record, however, one of my personal favorites among the Evans trio records. This one happened to sell for $153.50, due, of course, to whatever black magic it is that bobjdukic uses to get higher prices than anyone else selling jazz vinyl in eBay. The record was in M- condition and the cover was listed as VG++. Point of fact, for those of you interested: When I write about bobjdukic auctions, which I do just as a matter of course, the traffic on Jazz Collector tends to spike a bit. Why do you think that is?

I imagine Mr. Djukic would have liked to be selling this one: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is already at $3,100 and there’s still nearly 20 hours to go. Wow.

This one also fetched quite a nice price:

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Really, McCoy?

mccoyTime to catch up on some more jazz vinyl auctions starting with this one sent by our friend CeeDee: McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy, Blue Note 4264. This was an original Liberty pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $171.05, quite a high price for a later Liberty, although this one has the advantage of at least looking like a Blue Note from the pre-Liberty era. We’ll ask CeeDee why he felt that this one should be called out for scrutiny?

I had thought this one might make the $2,000 bin, but it fell short: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This was an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,790. This one also made it into the $1,000 bin: Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original pressing in VG+ condition for the record and just VG for the cover. It sold for $1,035.

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Just Some More Lovely Jazz Vinyl

dorhamHere are some more jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay, starting with Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 5056. This is an original 10-inch pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The record was just posted yesterday and the bidding is already in the $90 range with 13 bids. And, while we’re looking at Kenny Dorham, there is a copy of Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This looks to be an original purple label, deep groove pressing in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. The bidding is in the $150 and there are more than six days to go.

And what would be a day at Jazz Collector without a few more Blue Notes, starting with Joe Henderson, Mode for For, Blue Note 4227. This looks to be an original New York USA pressing with the Van Gelder in the dead wax, right at the end of the line of original Blue Notes before Liberty took over. This one is in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The bidding is in the $125 range and the auction closes tomorrow. Read more

Of Yellow and Other Labels

Another day, another batch of jazz records on eBay. Here are a few we’re watching: Lester Young, Pres, Norgran 1072. This is an original yellow label pressing. The record is VG+, the cover is VG and the picture accompanying the picture is dark and now so clear. Surprising to see that the bidding has already reached more than $130 and there have been eight bids. Maybe there’s life in those old Norgrans yet.

This one looks nice: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Note Note 4041. This looks to be an original pressing, with the original cover. The seller describes them in EX+ condition, which strikes me as just a step below M-. The price for this is in the $1,400 range and the bidding closes later today.

I’m assuming this is an original pressing, but perhaps not a first pressing? It’s an odd one: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. It has the deep grooves and all the markings of an original pressing, but two different labels, both with the West 63rd address. One side has the New York 23 label, the other doesn’t. So what does that make this record? It is listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ or better for the cover. Bidding is in the $180 range and it has yet to meet the seller’s reserve. Normally you’d expect this record in this condition to sell for close to $2,000. But the labels will definitely impact the price, right?

 

 

 

Watching Some Nice Jazz Collectibles

Catching up on life and on eBay, so here are some jazz records I am watching and have been watching.

Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This was an original pressing, still in some kind of shrink wrap with a $1.79 price sticker. Wouldn’t that be great, $1.79 for an original pressing of True Blue. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It did not sell for $1.79. It sold for $1,414. Not a bad price, all in all. So, when you get this home do you take off the shrink wrap or do you leave it on? If it’s me, I’m pretty sure I take it off and put the record in a nice plastic sleeve.

This one also ended up in the $1,000 bin: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original West 63rd pressing. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,280.55

This one closes later today. Price is still out my range: Clifford Jordan Sextet, Blue Note 1565. This is an original pressing. The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG+. The picture in the listing could be better, but that doesn’t seem to be effecting the bidding, which is now up to $800.

And let’s throw in a couple of non-Blue Notes:

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More Jazz Vinyl For the $1,000 Bin

Time to update the $1,000 bin and there is quite a lot to update, not counting some of the ones we’ve watched recently, such as the Hank Mobley 1568 and others from the recent Jazz Record Center auction. Here goes:

Paul Gonsalves, Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick, Vocalion 587. This was an original British pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,593.88.

Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and it was in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,578.99.

This was a surprise to sell for such a high price tag: Clifford Brown Memorial Album, Blue Note 1526. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the framed cover. It was in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,567.

Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This was an original pressing. The cover was VG+, but the record was in VG or worse condition, based on the seller’s description. It sold for $1,376.11.

Finally, here’s one we meant to include from the Jazz Record Center auction because it was actually in the $3,000 bin:

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