This week’s theme: More Charlie Parker, all from 1945 studio recordings. Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Max Roach, Argonne Thornton, Sarah Vaughan, Red Norvo, Teddy Wilson, Flip Phillips, Remo Palmieri, Sid Catlett, Cozy Cole, Rubberlegs Williams, Sir Charles Thompson, and many more.
Now that I’m back in the business of watching rare jazz vinyl here at Jazz Collector, and doing more writing about it, I’ve become interested in expanded my experiences. Not necessarily ready to start selling records on eBay again, which is how the whole Jazz Collector thing began more than 20 years ago, but buying records on eBay? Well, that, of course, is another story. Buying records is easy, fun, and not typically harmful to one’s health, tat least not physical health, and while it does damage to one’s pocketbook, some things are just worth taking a plunge. Besides, I can always say I’m making sacrifices for my lovely audience here by testing the waters and using tools such as the GIXEN free eBay auction sniper. You may recall a few weeks ago, I bid on a record on eBay for the first time in years. I was too gun shy to use GIXEN for the first time, so I sat down at my computer, and waited for 15 minutes, watched the countdown and put in a bid with six seconds left for the record of my desire, The Unique Thelonious Monk, Riverside 12-209 from the Jazz Record Center. I bid $411 and lost. The winning bid was $416. I was disappointed, but no disheartened. I decided I would try again, this time using the GIXEN app to see if it really worked. And I did. And it did. Read more
I mentioned that my watch list runneth over and, as it happens, some of the auctions I was watching have runneth over as well. Let’s see what happened, starting with John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This was an original deep groove pressing, with side one bearing the New York 23 logo. The seller was Funkyousounds and the neglected to mention the labels. But they were clear to see for anyone looking at the pictures. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $5,100. I’ve never thought to ask this before, but have you ever wondered why they called the record Blue Train as opposed to Blue Trane? Read more
This week’s theme: Early Charlie Parker, circa 1940 to 1945. Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Jay McShann, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, Argonne Thornton, Miles Davis, Red Norvo, Teddy Wilson, Slam Stewart, Specs Powell, and many others.
My watch list runneth over. Let’s look at some new items and then catch up on some of the gems I had been watching. Let’s start with Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 5022. This is an original 10-inch Lexington Avenue pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Bidding starts at about $320 and so far there are no bidders with the auction closing in about four days. One of the things that caught my eye about this listing is the presence of an inserted booklet called “the blue note story.” Of all the Blue Notes I’ve purchased over the years, and there have been many, I have only seen this insert in one other record, a Sidney Bechet 12-inch LP. the blue note story was written by Leonard Feather and dates back to 1955, as Blue Note was transitioning from the 10-inch vinyl format to the 12-inch vinyl format. Fortunately, I have not only written about it before, I recorded the entire text, all in this post from January 27, 2009 titled, of course, The Blue Note Story. You’re welcome. Read more
This week’s theme: Ella Sings From the Songbook Series. Featured artists include Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Bregman, Billy May, Nelson Riddle, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Rogers and Hart, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, and many more.
I just logged in to eBay and, lo and behold, what do I see: Another primo auction from The Jazz Record Center, including a Sonny Clark cornucopia. Perhaps we will see some new price records set in the next week. Here are a few to watch: Sonny Clark, Dial S for Sonny, Blue Note 1570. This is an original deep-groove, West 63rd Street pressing. The record and cover both look to be in M- condition. As you’ve probably noticed with The Jazz Record Center, they seem to eschew putting condition labels on their listings and instead rely on fairly detailed descriptions, such as the one for this record: “The playing surface is in near-new condition with a beautiful luster and just a single inaudible ¼” scuff; one tic on the second track of Side 2.” To me, that describes a record I would label as M-. The start price is $2,000 and the auction closes in about four days. So far, there are 86 watchers but no bidders. The previous high for this record is about $3,500. Let the bidding begin. Read more
This week’s theme: Welcoming in 2025, Part 2. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Ella Fitzgerald, Oliver Nelson, Stan Getz, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Shorty Rogers, Art Pepper, Miles Davis, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and many more.
This week’s theme: Welcoming in 2025. Artists include Coleman Hawkins, Oscar Brown Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Lou Donaldson, Wynton Kelly, Herbie Harper, Charlie Mariano, and many more. The conceit is records that have 25 in the catalog number.
Merry Christmas! Let’s look at some jazz vinyl from eBay that may be on the wish lists of Jazz Collectors everywhere, starting with: Sahib Shihab, Sahib’s Dance Party, Debut 141. This looks to be an original Debut Denmark pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The bidding is in the $500 range with nearly four days left on the auction. There are already 13 bidders and more than 30 bids. This record has sold for more than $1,000 several times, with a high of about $1,600, according to Popsike. I’ve never owned a copy of this record, let alone listened to it. I take it the high value placed on the record is a tribute not just to its rarity, but to the quality of the music as well? Read more
