Month: March 2013

Alvin Lee, RIP

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I got into jazz in the summer of 1970, when I was 17 years old, and I was stuck alone in the house with my father’s records. I have told this story before, quite elegantly I may add, and it can be seen here if you are interested: Song For My Father. Prior to that, like most kids my age, I was into rock and my favorite musician was Alvin Lee, the great guitar player from Ten Years After. If you listen to the album “Undead” you will hear a guitarist who was heavily influenced by jazz and was playing some great jazz-infused, soulful, bluesy and always swinging music in a rock and roll band. Sorry to say, Alvin Lee passed away yesterday. If you’re not familiar with his playing, check this out: 01 I May Be Wrong, But I Won’t Be Wrong Always.m4a 2.

 

Moving On: Tracking More Jazz Vinyl Collectibles

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As much as it may pain me to interrupt the scintillating discussion on my previous post, it is time for me to move on and write a new post because, after all, that is what I do. I do think that the previous post set a new high for comments on Jazz Collector — and counting — and we came within 10 page views of our all time high for a single day, set last summer during the midst of my stories about purchasing the record collection of Irving Kalus. In any case, I received a missive from our friends at the Jazz Record Center that they have a new auction on eBay, so I took a look over to see what they had. Here are some of the things I found, starting with: Serge Chaloff, Boston Blow-Up, Capitol 6510. This is an original promo pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and possibly M- or VG++ for the cover. I haven’t seen that many yellow label Capitols through the years, to be honest. This one does not seem to have the same cachet as Blue Serge, perhaps minus the presence of Sonny Clark on piano, so it will be interesting to watch this and see if it fetches a collectible price. The starting bid is $50.

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A Tale of Two Blue Notes

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Others saw this and pointed to it already, but I couldn’t let it pass without at least a mention: J. R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was, alas, a reissue. A reissue that sold for $1,081. Clearly the buyer thinks he is getting an original pressing and will be quite disappointed. I’ve sold enough collectible jazz records on eBay to know that English is not the first language for many of the high-end buyers and when you underline words like “flat edge” and “deep groove” and you don’t call out that it is a reissue, then you are being purposefully obscure. I’m pretty sure the seller is a reader of Jazz Collector and perhaps he will make a strong argument that he was being aptly descriptive of the record. And maybe the buyer won’t complain. I know there are many people who believe that it is the buyer’s responsibility and in this case the seller uses the word “repressing” to describe the record. But if it was me, and I paid nearly $1,100 for a record, and I was waiting for it in the mail and I opened up the box and pulled out a reissue, I’d be might, mighty disappointed. And pretty angry. And I would demand a refund. Whereas if I purchased this record and opened it and pulled it out of the box I’d be quite pleased because it was no doubt an original pressing: Fats Navarro Memorial Album, Blue Note 5004. This was an original — a real original– 10-inch record in M- condition for the record and at least VG++ for the cover. What a beauty, and the seller took some nice pictures as well. It sold for $178.09. Which would you rather have: The Fats original or the J.R. reissue?

 

A Period Piece, and More

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Here are some updates on the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching, starting with: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This is a pretty cool cover, don’t you think? The record looked to be in VG++ condition for the record and the cover, although the seller seemed to wanted additional emphasis by putting in a few more plus signs. It sold for $543. And while we’re on the subject of Sonny, that British Esquire pressing of Saxophone Colossus? It sold for $449.

Bud Powell, The Scene Changes, Blue Note 4009. This was an original pressing that as described in excellent condition for the record and the cover, which I will interpret to VG++ when I place this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, which I will do eventually. This one sold for $515.

Guess I’m not going to get a black-label copy of Giant Steps this week. This one had no bidders when we last looked, but wound up attracting three bids and sold for $284.99. C’est la vinyl.

 

 

 

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