Record Shows Coming and Going, Reissues Galore

Clearing out my Jazz Collector email inbox.The 2026 WFMU Record Fair will be held at the Metropolitan Pavillion in Manhattan for three days, November 6, 7 and 8. I used to be a regular at this show, either as a seller or patron. I haven’t been in years, since before Covid. I would love to check it out this year, just to see how the market has changed and get a sense of what dealers are selling, and for how much.If you are thinking about attending, keep me posted. Maybe we can have a Jazz Collector meet up.

Going in the opposite direction, I received an email with the subject line: NJ RECORD BASH SIGNOFF. This was a long-time event, nearly 50 years, according to the email. It was usually held in June at a motel or hotel in New Jersey. This is another one I used to attend regularly, back in the 1980s and 1990s. I remember one time getting there early and setting up a table and the guy next to me was setting up and he had a pile of original Prestige Swingville records in mint condition and I bought the entire pile for about $5 each. I still have those records. Sorry to see the Bash go, but the financial model must be a challenge these days, what with eBay and social media and people no longer getting together to socialize as they used to.

I’m on the mailing list for the labels doing reissues, such as Craft and Blue Note, but unfortunately I’m not on their promo lists for review copies. In any case, the email in box had a promo for new issues from the Original Jazz Classics series from Craft, including Introducing Lee Morgan, The Young Lions from VeeJay, and This Here is Bobby Timmons from Riverside. Blue Note is taking orders for a three-LP Tone Poet set of The Complete ‘Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia from Kenny Dorham. This would comprise the original Blue Note 1524, plus the two Japanese LPs issued in the 1980s.