But on to the goods and here are few things I’ve been eyeing as of late. The first one has been on my list forever and I have had copies a few times, though never in condition I was happy with. French saxophonist Barney Wilen’s first entry into the avant-garde realm, recorded for Vogue in 1966, joins him with vibraphonist-pianist Karl Berger, bassist Jean-François Jenny-Clark and drummer Jacques Thollot, and was released as Zodiac. This copy was listed in NM- condition for the record and EX+ for the cover (or probably a strong VG++) and sat with no bids at $450 (or a buy it now of $650). The low feedback seller and high value item probably kept some away, myself included, but hopefully someday a crisp copy will make its way into the collection.

Here’s a surprising situation, though I guess we can chalk it up to people with money who aren’t necessarily condition-hounds: Albert Ayler’s third LP and second for Danish Debut, Spirits, in what appears at first glance to be a presentable all around EX or VG++. However, a closer look reveals that the back cover slick with liner notes by Ole Vestergaard Jensen is missing and that would knock the grade down quite a bit for me, probably to a VG at best. No matter, it sold for a cool $680 and hopefully the buyer is happy.

From the British jazz files comes this rarity, Neil Ardley’s Greek Variations and Other Aegean Exercises on EMI-Columbia’s Landsdowne series, which I have on CD but was nevertheless one of a few punters that didn’t quite make the high bid. It is an excellent record with a lot of sonic variety and features the pairing of Don Rendell and Ian Carr. This copy was listed in VG++ condition for the record and cover, with sound clips that in my estimation would put the record closer to M-. It’s no surprise that $535 took it home.

Finally, and somewhat cheaper by comparison, was an original Savoy copy of The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra, a classic early 60s non-Saturn session that’s actually quite difficult to find in decent shape (or any shape at all). At least, that’s been my experience. This example was listed as EX for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover, with some evident clear tape issues, and closed at $260. It’s easily gone for twice that according to trusty Popsike, so not a bad price at the end of the day.

As always, happy bidding and even happier listening!

Another non-deal is this LP from Japan, which I’m quite fond of but $999.99 seems a bit on the high side. Seikatsu Kojyo Iinkai was begun by pianist-reedist Yoriyuki Harada and saxophonist Kazutoki “Kappo” Umezu, and as a group ranged from trio to orchestra over the ensuing years. Their privately-pressed first LPwas recorded in 1975 during the height of the loft jazz years and also features three American players: bassist William Parker, trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah, and drummer Rashid Sinan. The copy on offer here, sans obi, is autographed by Umezu and appears to be in nice condition for the record (M-) and the jacket is a solid, spotty VG+ or VG++. Apparently Abdullah had a couple boxes of dead stock several years ago and they were accidentally thrown out in a move. Oh well!

I’m not sure if it came up somewhere in the comments on the recent Esquire post, but the question of alternate European edition Blue Note sleeves is an interesting one. I’d never seen anything from the classic era but did know that Blue Note licensed at least a few titles from Vogue (Fats Sadi, among others). Apparently this went the other way as well, judging by a Vogue UK 10″ pressing of the Elmo Hope Quintet, which I’d never encountered and which vinyl-house-uk, the seller of some fine Esquires and other titles recently, is offering. So far it’s not getting stratospheric (and presumably won’t) but my curiosity has been piqued. With a VG++ sleeve and NM- record and a price at $22.50 someone might get a deal after the auction is up next week.

Finally, in trawling eBay for semi-odd releases, I came upon this one, which not coincidentally is one of my favorite jazz records of all time: trumpeter Alan Shorter’s Parabolic LP, recorded in 1968 and released on Verve/Polydor UK under this title and in the US as Orgasm. Presumably the English record buying public weren’t ready for the latter concept (not that Americans were either, though Frank Zappa might’ve prepared some). The record features Shorter’s knotty originals played by saxophonist Gato Barbieri, bassists Charlie Haden or Reggie Johnson, and either Muhammad or Rashied Ali on drums. This M- copy is holding at $44 with half a day to go, and presumably will nudge closer to $75 or so by the auction’s end.

At any rate, thanks for reading this far, and as always happy collecting and happier listening!

With that in mind, here are a number of European jazz records on eBay that I’ve been watching. First up is the third LP by Finnish saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen, The Original Sin, released on Scandia in 1971. It’s a fantastic slice of Finnish-American (due to the presence of guitarist Lance Gunderson) modal jazz and jazz-rock that has recently been reissued (though even the reissue is hard to find). Koivistoinen also released a couple of superb records on RCA Victor somewhat later, both of which are well worth seeking out. Scandia pressings aren’t known for their high quality, and this one was probably in VG+ or VG++ for the vinyl with the thin cover in VG or VG+ condition. The final price was $477.

A personal favorite in the realm of private-pressed Scandinavian jazz is this first LP by Danish saxophonist Carsten Meinert, To You, released on his own M.S. imprint. A second version exists on Spectator, which Meinert co-founded, with pretty much the same artwork (albeit without a flipback sleeve) and in presumably about the same quantity (not many). It’s solidly in the realm of mid-60s Coltrane and despite being a bit derivative, is in my opinion a fantastic listen. A high-quality authorized reissue was released on Fredriksberg Records in 2015 and is still in print. This original pressing was listed in about VG+ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover and landed at an unsurprising (to me, anyway) $858.

Here’s one for the $1,000+ bin: a very rare Italian jazz LP led by the team of saxophonist Gianni Basso and trumpeter Oscar Valdambrini, co-leading a bossa nova-inspired ensemble through a program of nine standards and originals. Their LPs are quite in demand (as are most early-60s Italian jazz albums) and I’ve never seen Bossa Nova before. This original Ricordi pressing with a simple red, black and white sleeve design (very sound-library in its look) was in VG++ to M- for the record and probably VG or VG+ for the thin jacket, and ended at $1,259.

This rare album from a Belgian-Italian combo was on offer from the same seller, auderesemper (Roberto Castelli), who in my experience has been very reliable, and almost reached the $1,000 bin. The record was made under the leadership of Belgian saxophonist Jacques Pelzer and features trombonist Dino Piana, bassist Benoît Quersin, and others in a small-group setting. While being familiar with the players, I’ve never seen the album before. An original pressing on the small Cetra label, the LP was probably in VG+ or VG++ condition and the very thin cover with beautiful artwork was in VG condition. It netted a cool $920.

Finally, here’s one that would easily stand up to its American counterparts in the category of tightly-arranged hard bop: Italian drummer Gil Cuppini leading quartet, quintet and sextet units through a program of modern jazz classics, including Basso, Valdambrini, bassist Giorgio Azzolini, and saxophonists Lars Gullin and Eraldo Volonté. It’s a really fine album and there are a few different issues of the music. This original Broadway pressing was probably in VG or VG+ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover, and went for a “reasonable” $350.

There are still a lot of interesting jazz records to keep an eye out for, perhaps allowing a bit of respite in our day to day.

First up is one you don’t see often at all, at least in its original form: Japanese guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi‘s debut leading a free-form ensemble, Independence: Tread on Sure Ground, on the Union Records imprint from 1969. The late 1970s reissue with an alternate sleeve image shows up from time to time, but this first pressing with a deep groove label and original jacket artwork is exceedingly rare. Is it rare enough for someone to Buy-It-Now for $1,500 given that the cover is a somewhat tatty-looking VG+ and the LP maybe VG++ or so? Well, this is the second time around for this BIN and there haven’t been any takers, so we will see.

One that I’ve posted about before is the rather elusive French Polydor recording by Marion Brown for the soundtrack to a Marcel Camus film. The LP is titled Le Temps Fou and features fine playing from Brown, Gunter Hampel, Barre Phillips, Steve McCall, Ambrose Jackson and others. It does have one somewhat funky track but most of the record is pure late Sixties improvised music. A seller in Germany had one, which went for $1,005, a hefty price given that the cover was a little iffy at EX–, or a weak VG+ (with some notable damage), and the LP was probably about the same. Hope the buyer is happy.

The same seller had a number of nice LPs that you don’t see on eBay very much, including this bootleg double LP compilation from the International Holy Hill Jazz Meeting held in 1969 near Heidelberg. There are some wonderful performances contained therein by Peter Brötzmann, the Rolf + Joachim Kühn Quartet, Joki Freund, Pierre Favre, and others. I’ve been after a copy for years but I’ve either not set my bid quite high enough or the condition was off. Both issues had me out of the running, with the cool-looking cover in probably VG condition and the LPs in VG+ or so with some edge warp. Nevertheless the set ended at a relatively average price of $500.

The seller also had a copy of this oddball record, The Chitinous Ensemble, directed by cellist-composer Paul Buckmaster (Third Ear Band, Miles Davis, The Grateful Dead), and an odd bit of string-heavy and Eastern-influenced UK jazz-rock featuring Ian Carr. The original LP was released on Deram in presumably rather small quantities in 1971 (luckily there’s a nice CD version on Vocalion). With the LP probably in VG++ condition or so and the cover in a decent VG+ from the looks of things, it closed in just shy of $500.

At any rate, happy collecting and even happier listening!

That’s changed somewhat, as seen in this first commercial issue of Spiritual Unity on ESP-Disk’ with the red-on-white silkscreened cover, booklet, and alternate take of “Ghosts (Second Variation).” It’s a beautiful piece of the recorded history of improvised music, and from what I understand one of the most sonically representative examples of Ayler’s sound. For a copy in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ condition for the cover (with what looks like slight damage to the upper left seam), the closing price was $800. Perhaps not Blue Note territory, but expensive nonetheless. I attempted to get in the fray but was quickly dispatched and will have to continue chugging along on a clean second-ish pressing (purchased for around $10 almost 20 years ago).

Another prime early Ayler side and a rare sideman appearance is on drummer Sunny Murray’s Sonny ‘sTime Now (sic), issued on poet LeRoi Jones’ Jihad label in 1965 or ’66. Though comparatively easier to find than a first edition Spiritual Unity and with a Japanese pressing circulating as well (which is what I have), it’s still an important 1960s jazz collectible. The seller of the Ayler above had one on offer in VG+ or VG++ condition for the vinyl and cover, including the mimeographed insert. The price at the end was $325.

And just for comparison to the recent auction of the test pressing of A Love Supreme, this seller also had an original mono of the iconic Coltrane album in very nice-looking condition, with the LP in VG++ condition and the cover also in probably VG+ or VG++ condition. The end price was $365, or $65 more than the coverless test issue. That’s a respectable price, if not top dollar.

As always, happy collecting and happier listening (we need the latter especially right now).

Here’s one that really caught my eye recently; Danish drummer Bjarne Rostvold recorded with Kenny Drew, Bent Axen and Allan Botchinsky among others. Probably his rarest side is Jazz Journey, recorded for the tiny label Hit Records with Axen, Botchinsky and Erik Moseholm on bass. It was reissued by Sawano several years ago and even that pressing is fairly pricy. A few originals have turned up over the years, usually in pretty rough condition, and still netted prices north of $500. Well, this copy really went into the stratosphere, closing at $3,700 with the vinyl in presumably VG+ or VG++ for the record and a weak VG+ for the cover. It’s far rarer than a lot of in-demand American modern jazz LPs, so the price seems commensurate… while still out of the range of sanity for me.

Falling a little afield from the jazz or free-jazz realm but still of interest to collectors of improvised music is this wonderful LP assembled by electronic music and sound library composer Basil Kirchin, featuring improvisations with Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, and and uncredited cellist and percussionist mated to a fascinating array of tape-manipulated field recordings. Worlds Within Worlds is a very special record and probably one of the weirdest albums to come out on UK EMI/Columbia (there’s a second volume with the same title on Island, released a few years later). This copy is listed in “EX” or probably VG++ for the record and VG+ for the cover, which looks to have suffered a bit of water damage at some point though I guess it’s still presentable. The bidding has it just shy of $300 with a day to go, though it will probably top twice that.

A bit more in the realm of classic American jazz (hard bop) but still not well-known by any stretch is a sextet LP led by drummer Dave Bailey for the small Jazz Line/Jazztime label, Bash!, featuring an all star lineup of figures like Curtis Fuller, Tommy Flanagan and Kenny Dorham. It’s certainly not a common record and usually when it comes up for sale it’s been put through the ringer. Boston area seller Stereo Jack’s had one in probably VG++ condition for the record and VG+ condition for the cover, and it ended at a cool $1,259 – certainly the highest price I’ve seen it at auction. Hope the buyer is satisfied with the condition.

At any rate, as always, happy collecting and happier listening!

One that surprised me today was this copy of trumpeter Don Cherry’s second LP as a leader and first for Blue Note, Complete Communion. It’s a classic mid-60s avant-garde jazz album with Cherry’s music played beautifully by Gato Barbieri, Ed Blackwell and Henry Grimes. That said, $678 for a mono copy in presumably VG++ condition for the record and cover seems downright ridiculous. I’ll happily keep on trucking with a $25 stereo early edition in similar shape.

The same seller, our old Italian friend bullsite2000, got a cool $350 for the very rare Sun Ra/LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka) LP A Black Mass, issued privately on Jones’ Jihad imprint in two small runs with color or black and white printing around 1968. The b&w copy he had was listed in probably VG– condition for the record and I’d say VG for the cover. Truth be told, examples in better condition almost never show up, but that’s still a chunk of change for a mere play copy.

One that I’m watching and that may enter the $1,000 bin (and thus outside of my price range) is a fantastic LP led by alto saxophonist Marion Brown for French Polydor, Le Temps Fou, an unused soundtrack for a Marcel Camus film. The personnel include members of his working European band at the time such as Gunter Hampel, Steve McCall, Barre Phillips and Ambrose Jackson. There is one ostensibly “funky” track but the music is generally pretty far-out. The bidding is already over $250 with a couple of days left in the auction. The LP itself is probably VG+ or VG++ and the cover looks to be about a VG++ and you don’t see it often in any shape.

In any event, happy bidding and happier listening!

As my collecting interests have generally been shifting to the other side of the pond(s) over the years, even in mainstream jazz, things like this record tend to be of interest. Moseholm directed the Radiojazzgruppen in Copenhagen, which performed weekly workshop broadcasts and occasionally toured elsewhere in Europe. The music was generally composed by members of the group and others in the local Copenhagen jazz scene – for example, trumpeters Hugh Steinmetz and Palle Mikkelborg, or reedist Sahib Shihab. This, their second LP for the Danish Debut imprint, was listed as VG for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover and one has to assume that the record itself was pretty well used (especially considering that Debut pressings aren’t the highest quality). It’s a very rare album in any condition and hopefully the buyer was satisfied at $350.

Speaking of Sahib Shihab, the same seller also had a copy of the reedist’s excellent Debut LP, Sahib’s Jazz Party, on offer. However, this was a bit of a mongrel with a Dutch Fontana cover (the original Debut had a sticker over the Fontana logo) and vinyl from a late 1960s German reissue, which was retitled Conversations. My assumption is that somebody had a nice cover with a broken or destroyed record and a coverless copy of the German pressing and mated them together. Nevertheless, with the vinyl in M- condition and the cover in VG++, the seller got a cool $710. I guess my Japanese repress will have to do.

One of my favorite US jazz records from the late 1960s is the second LP under tenor saxophonist Marzette Watts’ leadership. A student of trumpeter-composer Bill Dixon, Watts was also an abstract painter and later a recording engineer for many loft-jazz sessions in the 1970s. Dixon produced The Marzette Watts Ensemble for Savoy and conducted a rendition of his “Octobersong” that starts off the LP. The rest of the album features spirited small-group playing, not too ‘free,’ and a gorgeous version of “Lonely Woman” with lyrics written and sung by Patty Waters. Our friend nobbyknucks had one listed in M- condition for the record and VG– for the beautiful textured cover, which netted $315.

Hopefully everyone is finding records of interest out there and, just as importantly, squirrelling away time to listen to them!

While we’re on the subject of the Jazz Record Center, they’ve been auctioning some nice and uncommon avant-garde titles from the 60s and 70s in recent months. Many of these appear to be from the same collection, and I’ve picked up a few nice bits. The latest list features a clean promo copy of Steve Lacy’s Sortie on International Polydor (Germany). The original issue was on the Italian GTA label, which is what I have in the racks, but even the 1969 Polydor pressing is tough to find and it features a rather interesting cover image. The music is rather inspired collective improvising, and was recorded in Italy in 1966. The record and cover are listed in M- condition and the bidding is around $73 with two days to go, though I’d expect it to end around $250.

The Don Heckman-Ed Summerlin Improvisational Jazz Workshop is an odd one, issued privately in 1967 and featuring Steve Kuhn, Joe Hunt, Ron Carter and others. The group was connected to Charlotte Moorman and avant-garde performance art in late-60s downtown lofts, and while the music isn’t much to write home about, it’s a fascinating document of the jazz-art collaborative environment at the time. The bidding starts at $50 for this M- copy and there are no takers thus far; I wouldn’t mind a clean example of this one myself.

One item being sold overseas I’d been watching but at the end of the day decided my pockets weren’t deep enough was this one, from the German singer Inge Brandenburg — It’s Alright With Me on German CBS, featuring some fine performances by the Gunter Hampel Group (one of the earliest avant-garde jazz groups in Europe). The copy listed was in M- condition or thereabouts for the vinyl and maybe a strong VG++ for the cover, and the final price was $360. The price seems comparatively cheap considering the item’s rarity, but dry-voiced German jazz singers on obscure mid 60s major-label releases may not get others’ juices flowing like Blue Notes and such often do.

Finally, I guess the original Danish Debut pressing of My Name Is Albert Ayler has been a high-priced record for a while now, but it’s still impressive when a copy fetches something the high hundreds — like this one, which was probably in all around VG++ condition, closing in the last moments at $800. While far from Ayler’s definitive recording, it’s an interesting document and defines the early development of the Scandinavian avant-garde just as much as it does the burgeoning American free music climate of the 1960s.

At any rate, happy bidding/hunting and even happier listening!

First up is this fine trio date led by saxophonist Byard Lancaster, Us, with drummer Steve McCall and bassist Sylvain Marc, on the French label Palm. The LP is listed in NM- condition and the cover VG- (although apparently it’s just an unglued Euro sleeve which, pasted back together, would probably be a VG+). It also includes the funky 7″ in NM- condition as well. I’ve been trying to get a copy for years and usually it’s held at around $250, though given the fact that with just under a day to go it’s already at $207, I’d have a hard time believing it won’t do serious wallet damage. It is one of the tougher records to find on Palm, which was the label run by French pianist-composer and bandleader Jef Gilson.

The auction for bassist Henry Grimes’ The Call, recorded in 1965 and his only leader date until resurfacing out in LA in the early 2000s, has me a bit perplexed. It’s a wonderful album with clarinetist Perry Robinson and drummer Tom Price, part of the famed early ESP run (the money ran out sometime in 1968), and it appears to be a 1970s pressing with an alternate label design. Normally I would think a record like this would run you about $40; however, this VG+/VG+ copy is holding tight at $111, and I’d be surprised if there isn’t a little bit of insanity in the final moments driving it even higher.

Reedist Peter Brötzmann’s Machine Gun is a classic German free jazz session, an example of which should be in every home in America… or at least those homes that appreciate rather dense improvised music. It was originally issued on Peter’s own BRÖ imprint in 1968-69, apparently in two pressings (one with a top-loading sleeve, the other with a normal side-loading sleeve). FMP reissued it in 1972 and there were several FMP editions into the late 1980s. The copy on auction here is probably a first FMP, so third pressing, and is also priced at $111, though that’ll probably change by Monday afternoon. The vinyl is listed in NM condition and the matte cover looks to be about a VG+ to VG++ with some wear. I’ve got a clean later FMP copy and am holding out for a crisp original BRÖ. Maybe the Mrs. Clifford will find one for my Christmas present this year?

I’m proud to own a copy of Opium/For Franz, a collaboration between Austrian trumpeter-composer Franz Köglmann and the great American trumpeter-composer Bill Dixon. Privately released on Köglmann’s own Pipe label, each copy has a different hand-painted sleeve and is signed on the back by Mr. Köglmann (the one I acquired has a bit of newspaper glued onto it, giving a collage-like effect). It’s a beautiful album from a musical perspective as well as visually, and this is a pretty fine example on offer… $90 doesn’t seem too bad for a NM copy with a VG++ cover, but who knows what the final price will be.

As always, happy collecting and happier listening!