Random Notes from The Jazz Collector Inbox

Clearing out some emails from the Jazz Collector inbox.

A reader writes that he recently  found a series of Jazz Review magazines at an estate sale. Most of these seem to be from the late 1950s and early 1960s. He’s been selling them on eBay, but if anyone is interested they can contact me and perhaps get access to some of them before they are offered to the general public. This is one of the listings that has already sold: The Jazz Review.

There will be a New Jersey Record Bash this year, June 19-June 21 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Edison, New Jersey. I used to attend this even fairly regularly, sometimes as a vendor, sometimes as an attendee, always as a buyer. It was always a good event, but I haven’t been in years. You can get details at their site 49^th Annual Jazz Record Collectors’ Bash.

Speaking of record shows, the WFMU Record fair is back in New York this year, Nov. 8 and 9 at the Metropolitan Pavilion. That was always one of the best shows around, so I’m planning to be in New York for that one, strictly as a buyer. Not looking to sell anything . . . yet.

I’m on the mailing list for Craft Recordings and they recently sent me a press release announcing reissues of six albums that are being released on vinyl in the next few weeks. They are Bill Evans, Interplay; Bill Evans Moon Beams; Here’s Lee Morgan; Introducing Wayne Shorter; Benny Golson, Gone With Golson; and Looking Ahead with Ken McIntyre and Eric Dolphy. These are part of the Original Jazz Classics collection. When the OJCs first came out on Fantasy in the early 1980s, I was not a huge fan. Didn’t like the soft vinyl and soft covers. Hey, I’m a collector of original pressings. I bought some for the music, but always tried to replace them with originals. What’s the verdict on the current crop of OJCs? Maybe I’ll pick one up, just to report back to you all. I sold or traded my original copy of the McIntyre/Dolphy record, so that’s a possibility. I’ll also take a gander at the rest of the series.

This one is about two months old, so it may no longer be relevant, but someone sent me a list of CDs she is trying to sell. Lots of Bird, Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Miles, Clifford Brown, Sarah Vaughan, Lee Morgan, etc. As I said, she may have gotten rid of them already, but if anyone is interested, I can try reaching out to her. Just send me an email.

Someone posed this question to me: “Do you know anything about Jell Records in Newark, NJ? In the 1960s Jimmy McGriff released a Christmas LP.” My answer was no, I do not. Anyone out there?

This one is very old, sent to me about a year ago. I put in a file and forgot about it, until now. Perhaps it is still relevant, perhaps not: I own “das Chet -Baker-Buch” an illustrated portrait by Herbert Joos. Bonz Edition Number One. 039/100 1990 Herbert Joos/Bonz Verlag. Printed in Germany. Any information about how much the book is worth and any collectors out there who would be interested in buying. I also have several Chet Baker vinyl records and CDs. Many thanks for any info and kind regards.”

Another one I know nothing about: Hello:  “I’m looking for the two 45s and two 78s that Beverly Kenney recorded but these songs never appeared on albums.  Any ideas or clues?”

Now that I’ve opened the inbox, I realized I was also opening up a can of worms for myself. I still have more than a dozen old emails to go through, dating back a couple of years. If I find anything interesting, and still relevant, I’ll post it one of these days. Sorry to anyone who sent me an email, expecting it to be posted on JazzCollector.com, and did not see it.

Finally, our friend Stuart Levine, who just wrote the post about Blue Note Gold in Tokyo, reports that he is looking to obtain a First Stereo, black label Riverside pressing of Bill Evans Sunday Night at the Vanguard. So if anyone can help, you know where to find me. I wouldn’t mind a black label stereo original myself. As it is, when I listen to Sunday Night at the Vanguard, I typically listen on my Japanese pressing.