The Cats, Bird, Miles and Trane

I said I’d post a few more from the Jazz Record Center auction last week, so here ’tis:

Tommy Flanagan, The Cats, New Jazz 8217. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and cover. It was also a review copy. It sold for $535. I’ve had this record for a while. I traded it for it years ago: I had a broken leg at the time and was stuck in my friend’s basement with all of his records, Blue Notes, Prestiges, the whole works. I was very good and just looked. In my collection I have this one with my Flanagans, although the temptation is to put it with the Coltranes. I’m often reorganizing, so maybe I’ll move it around some day.

This is one of my favorite jazz collectibles, although it’s not jazz vinyl: To Bird With Love, by Francis Paudras. This is a book from 1981, about the most loving tribute to Bird you could find this side of Irving Kalus’ Ornithology. As noted by Fred in his listing, which you should take a look at, the book was printed once with no more than 1,000 copies, probably 500. I bought this when it first came out, from Fred, and I’ve treasured it ever since. It now has a prominent shelf on my new shelves in The Berkshires.  This one sold for $887.79.

The Miles Davis Columbia records with Coltrane, and even the next generation, are becoming more collectible it seems. The music is certainly uniformly great. Here are a few from the Jazz Record Center auction:

Miles Davis, Someday My Prince Will Come, Columbia 1656. This was an original promo copy, which seems to enhance the value. This one was in beautiful M- condition and sold for $172.16.

Miles Davis, Milestones, Columbia 1193. This was an original mono pressing with the six-eye logo. It was in M- condition for the record and cover. It sold for $85.

Miles Davis, Miles Ahead, Columbia 1041. This was an original mono pressing with the original cover. Fred briefly tells the story behind the change in covers: When Miles saw the picture of a white woman on the cover he demand that it be withdrawn and replace. This was in M- condition and sold for $122.50.

And of course there is Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia 8163. This was an original stereo promo copy with the white labels and six eye logo. It was also in M- condition and sold for $513.78.