Author: Al

Having Fun With Jazz Records

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mating callI had fun with my records last night. I had about an hour and a half where I had nothing to do, nothing I wanted to read, and I decided I would just sit and listen to two records fully rapt, eyes closed, no distractions. But what to play? I just went to the shelves and the first record that caught my eye was Mating Call, Tadd Dameron and John Coltrane, Prestige 7070. Why Mating Call? I’m not sure. It’s not a record I’ve listened to often and it’s not on my regular play list. When I want to listen to Coltrane, there are other records that grab my eye. Perhaps I haven’t listened to Mating Call in 10 years, so I wanted to check it out again. And I did. What a great record. This is actually, I think, the first record on which Coltrane was the sole featured horn player. His playing is great, not nearly as adventurous as it would become, but far more confident than on Miles, Prestige 7014. He had either come a long way in the period between those recordings, or the format gave him more room to showcase his gifts. As for Tadd Dameron, Read more

Recording Record Record Prices

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beverlybeverlySpent some time casually perusing eBay for jazz vinyl the other day and here were some of the items I found.

Beverly Kenney Sings For Johnny Smith, Roost 2206. This was an original pressing with the blue label and deep grooves. The record was listed in mint condition and the cover was VG++. There were 18 bids and the record sold for $660. I’m sure there are Beverly Kenney records that have sold for a higher price, but that’s the highest that we’ve ever seen in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

The same seller had several other interesting items as well, including: Steve Lacy, Evidence with Don Cherry, New Jazz 8271. This was an original purple label pressing listed in near mint condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. This one sold for $687, setting another record for the Jazz Collector Price Guide. And here’s another:

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A Pair For the Jazz Collector Vinyl Price Guide

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cliffLet’s just clean up on a couple of the jazz records we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Roland Kirk, Triple Threat, King 539. This was the original pressing in VG+ or so condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. When we first watched, it had a start price of $1,000 and zero bids. It ended up with three bids and a price of $1,875.

Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was something, maybe an original, maybe not. No mention of the address on label or the deep grooves. Pictures were not all that clear, but when you looked close up you could see the West 63rd address and what appeared to be deed grooves. The record did have shrink wrap, which could have made it a later pressing. Nonetheless, it was in probably VG condition and the cover was probably VG as well. It sold for $485.

 

 

Lou REALLY!!! Takes Off, and More

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louHere’s some of the jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:

Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,499.99. If you ever needed evidence on the increasing value of Blue Note originals, here it is. It has the presence of Sonny Clark on piano, which always seems to raise the value of the records (for good reason, IMHO), but this is quite a hefty  price for a Lou Donaldson LP. Very happy to have acquired a mint copy recently. The gift of Baltimore keeps coming for me.

Sonny Clark is on this one as well and, again, the price is somewhat reflective: Curtis Fuller, Bone & Bari, Blue Note 1572. This was an original pressing, probably in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. This one sold for $1,624.99.

Here’s another Blue Note from the same era, although no Sonny Clark:

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Random Musings From the Jazz Collector World

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Here’s some random stuff from the world of Jazz Collector.

No more J & R Music World in lower Manhattan. The iconic outlet closed last week, as reported here in the New York Daily News. The combination of music sales moving online and consumer electronics sales moving online makes it inevitable that brick-and-mortar stores such as these will struggle and ultimately have to find new revenue streams or face going out of business. I remember J&R back in the day, before CDs, when it was the place to buy records that were in print. It stocked pretty much everything and the prices were fair. But that was a long time ago. Last time I was there, maybe three years ago, they were trying to revive vinyl sales with reissues and even some used vinyl, but, with the used vinyl, the prices were way too high for regular buyers like me. Another one bites the dust.

This one is kind of silly, but it came in the mailbox: The CBS program “60 Minutes” conducted a survey and ask respondents to choose which was more important, jazz or hip hip. 73% chose jazz and 19% chose hip hop. And this means . . . .?

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A Triple Threat of Jazz Vinyl

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kirkHere’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay, starting with Roland Kirk, Triple Threat, King 539. This looks to be an original pressing listed in Ex condition for the record, which I’m taking to mean maybe VG+, and VG++ condition for the cover. It’s a rare record, but I’m getting pretty tired of the term Holy Grail, aren’t you? Anyway this grail, holy or not, has an starting price of about $1,000 and there are no takers so far. I’m a big fan of Kirk, and I don’t own this LP, but at $1,000 it doesn’t even come up on my radar.

Wes Montgomery, Full House, Riverside 434. This is a promo pressing with the white label. I can’t tell from either the pictures or the description whether it is an original pressing, but there is definitely a lot of action on the record so perhaps it is. The record and cover are probably in VG++ condition. The bidding is in the $340 range and the auction closes later today.

This seller can use a lesson in photo management:

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Big Prices, A Missing Record & a Cutout Hole

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Cliff JordanWas away for the weekend. Time to catch up on the jazz vinyl auctions I was watching on eBay:

Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This was an original pressing with the New York 23 labels on both sides. Nice. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. There were 13 bids and it sold for $1,525.  In better condition it would certainly have broken the $2,000 barrier, as we have previously seen for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

This one did make it into the $2,000 bin, with plenty to spare: Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134. This was an original New York yellow label pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $2,314.

Roy Haynes, Cracklin’ with Booker Ervin, New Jazz 8286. This was an original purple label pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $408.33. Anyone find my copy yet? I’m sure if I sold it (which, of course, I still don’t remember), it was not for more than $400.

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Update: Record Shows, Vinyl Revival, Blakey

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Art BlakeyLet’s catch up with some of the items in our inbox.

I just received a note that the 40th annual Jazz Record Collector’s Bash will take place June 27 and June 28 at the  Hilton Woodbridge in Iselin, N.J. Not a lot of details yet, but there are always sellers with lots of records and there are usually films and discussions and music as well. I used to attend regularly and scored some nice records, but I haven’t been in years. June 27 and June 28 are prime bass-fishing season up in The Berkshires, so nature calls. I will, however, be at the WFMU Record Fair, which will take place this year May 30-June 1 in New York City. I will have a booth for Friday only, selling some of the duplicates from my recent score in Baltimore. Normally I would also be bass fishing on that particular weekend, but I have a personal engagement in Manhattan, so I’m stuck. But I’ll also have some nice records with me.

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A Date With Prestige

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Roy Haynes Jazz VinylHere’s some more jazz vinyl from our eBay watch list, starting with Roy Haynes, Cracklin’ with Booker Ervin, New Jazz 8286. This is an original pressing with the purple labels and deep grooves. The record and cover are listed in M- condition. The price is in the $185 range and there are still three days left on the auction. You know you’re in trouble when you lose track of the records in your collection. I know I owned this record and I went to my shelf to look at my copy, but the space on the shelf where this record should have been sitting was bare. So I don’t own the record, apparently. But I can’t remember what I did with my copy. If any of you out there has my copy of Cracklin’ please let me know. Thanks.

This one I know I don’t own: Ray Bryant Trio, Prestige 7098. This is an original yellow label pressing with the New York address. The record and cover are described as being in M- condition, although I can’t accept that a cover with a punch hole through the label is M-. Maybe that’s just me. But probably not. Not to mention some writing on the back. Bidding on this is in the $220 range with three days left on the auction.

While we’re on Prestiges:

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A Tale of Four Blue Notes

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kenny drewHere’s some more jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay, starting with Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This looks to be an original pressing with the West 63rd address and the single side deep groove. The record is only in VG or VG+ condition and the cover is VG. Bidding is only in the  $50 range now but there are five days left in the auction and I would expect this to sell for several hundred dollars despite the condition. We’ll see.

Hank Mobley, Roll Call, Blue Note 4058. This listing mentions almost everything about the record, except with it has deep grooves. Curious. If you look at the pictures it’s not conclusive. If I were interested in this record, which I’m not, I’d certainly query about the deep grooves before bidding. The record looks to be in VG++ condition and the cover is probably VG++ as well, although the labels have some staining, which will be a turnoff to some bidders. Bidding right now is in the $170 range.

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