Thanksgiving Jazz Vinyl
Time to clear out the old watch list this Thanksgiving holiday weekend here in the States, starting with Mal Waldron, Mal-1, Prestige 7090. This was an original New York yellow label pressing in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The final price was $536.69. I get the sense that the Prestiges are starting to get a little more interest from the collectors will to pay top dollar. These are certainly great music and packaging. I put a few of the Prestiges on the turntable the other day – Tenor Madness, Soultrane and When Farmer Met Gryce. Can’t beat it. I don’t own an original pressing of Mal-1, but I’m sure it’s of a similar quality.
The same seller had a bunch of other nice records I was watching, including East Coasting by Charlie Mingus, Bethlehem 6019. This was an original red label pressing that was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $495. Based on what I can see on Popsike, that seems to be a new high for this particular record. One more: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This looked to be an original pressing with the ear, deep grooves and New York 23 labels. The record was listed as M- and the cover VG++. The final price was $1,290. This record has sold for over $2,000 several times in the past, and I had thought this copy would be in that range, but there were only four bids. Perhaps I missed something in the listing (not that a bid of nearly $1,300 isn’t significant).
Tony Fruscella, Atlantic 1220. This was an original black label pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. This one had 19 bids from nine bidders and sold for a final price of $477.50. Previously we were talking about the harp and Dorothy Ashby, so I put this one in the queue: Dorothy Ashby, Afro-Harping, Cadet 809. This looked to be an original blue label in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. I was never a fan of the Cadet records because they felt kind of cheap to me, but I know this one has a certain cachet as a collectible It sold for $213.49.
wow , what a beautiful design, that Mal Waldron.
I agree with Maarten. I’d never heard of that Mal lp before– beautiful, minimalist, grayscale cover with that bold, red MAL! If anyone knows, might you discuss some of these designers on the Prestige and/or Blue Note covers? (If anyone did know, it would be on JC!) Who designed this one? What others show their design “fingerprints?”
Cover by Reid Miles. He did a lot of work for Blue Note and Prestige. Some info and examples: https://viljamis.com/2015/the-iconic-work-of-reid-miles/
That Dorothy Ashby, as with all Dorothy Ashby, is an example of some real, true originality. Highly recommended.
The Ashby is a 2006 reissue. Hilarious.
Mal-1 is a great record. I only have a Japanese pressing, but it’s lovely.
I have a NM original Mal 1 from Bullsite2000 20 years ago. Great record.
When I started to sell my double copies some 15 years ago, I sold MAL-1 for some $ 500 to a London buyer.
The recording is exquisite, an example of good taste, innovation, excellently recorded, beautiful art work.
A fine example of the best Prestige ever had to offer. The fall in the form of organ/tenor albums would follow soon. The bread and butter busines necessary for the company to survive? Maybe. The distressing fact is that the album, like so many similar ones, were to be deleted very soon. Never a N.J. reprint, nor a later issue in the New Jazz series, or a two-fer like Mal-2.
Rudolf, perhaps I misunderstood you, but Mal 1 was part of a 2fer – Mal One and Two P24068
Bill, thank you for your correction. Justice was done. That is comforting.
Bill: I asked myself the question regarding my ignorance. It is easy, MAL-2 was indeed re-issued, as I implied in my comment. And MAL-1 not. By Prestige, I meant.
What happened? Prestige was the first to explore the idea of two-fers. as early as 1963/4. Twenty years before Fantasy would pick up the idea again. Their first was # 7341, a re-issue of # 7111 (Mal-2) and # 7112 (Interplay for Two Tenors and Two Trumpets). There were three more in their series of two-fers : 7342/3/4. That was it for Prestige.
Fantasy in the eighties is another story, beyond my scope.
HaHa, Rudolf, I understand. As our friend LJC says, you are, indeed, a first pressing fundamentalist. Nothing past the sixties counts! Although my friend Ralph Kaffel would be upset that you don’t count the seventies Prestige 2-fers as real Prestige.