A Cross Section of Collectible Jazz Vinyl
We’re watching a few auctions from the seller bullsite2000, including Billy Taylor, Cross Section, Prestige 7071. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. It looks like the record is in about VG++ condition and the cover is M-. The bidding is in the $90 range and the auction closes later today. Typically, you don’t see any Billy Taylor records selling for high prices. This particular record seems to be somewhat of an exception, selling for more than $200 several times on Popsike. We’ll see what this one goes for. I like the picture on the cover, which is one of the reasons I’m mentioning here at Jazz Collector: It’s not often that I get to use a Billy Taylor Prestige cover with one of my posts, and this one has the old record player, the tube amp and the old records. Wouldn’t you like to own the records on THAT shelf. This is another one with a great cover: Jay Jay Johnson Sextet, Blue Note 5028. This is an original 10-inch Lexington Avenue pressing. The record looks to be in VG+ condition and the cover VG++. It is also closing today. The bidding is in the $250 range.
We were also watching a bunch of auctions from the seller vinyl.unlimited and most of them got fairly decent bids but did not reach the seller’s reserve price. Here are some of the ones that did not sell:
Barney Wilen Quintet, Guilde du Jazz 1239. This was listed in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. The top bid was $810.
Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. This one had a top bid of $404.
Sonny Red, Out of the Blue, Blue Note 4032. This was in VG++ condition for the record and probably VG+ for the cover. The top bid was $755.
Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. The top bid for this was $1,325 and it still didn’t meet the reserve price.
Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1680. This one also received a top bid of more than $1,000 — $1,025 to be precise — and did not meet the reserve price.
Regarding the auctions that did not meet the reserve prices it feels kind of silly that $1025 etc. did not make the sale happen. Especially since this was a $3.99 record from start. But that’s the greed of the market I guess….
I don’t mean to hijack the comment section of your post but I have a question and I thought what better place to ask then here. Does the 1st Press of The Amazing Bud Powell Vol. 3 have New York 23 or NYC on the label? I believe it’s the former since this record was released in 1957 but just wanted to get a definite answer. Thanks.
Also I would really love to add that Lou Takes Off to my collection but it’s about double what I would want to pay for that record.
That Billy Taylor cover is nice, unfortunately the music isn’t anything I’d spent more than $10-15 for.
Bud Powell on Blue Note 1571 is original on the 47 W 63rd label with no Inc or R designations. I don’t believe a NY 23 version exists for that one. The originals also have a darker sepia toned front cover photo rather than a lighter cream colored one.
Poor, Billy. I always thought he was a terrific pianist and a fine man, a tremendous role model and advocate for the music. But, alas, that doesn’t make his records any better or more valuable.
I have an original pressing of Billy Taylor, vol. 2 on Prestige and I like it. Not all the time, but sometimes it’s just right. I agree, though, I don’t feel the need to seek out more.
As far as the records on the shelf… what could they be? I bet they are probably some of the poppier stuff of the day unless maybe this was taken in Taylor’s own home or that of a savy industry person. Maybe it was.
Reserve prices are so silly. Just set a Buy-It-Now and best offer. Waste of money, if you ask me.
Agreed, as a bidder a reserve kind of takes the fun out of it and defeats the purpose of an auction.
If you grew up in Britain in the 70s / 80s, you may not have known who Billy Taylor was, but you’d almost certainly heard “I wish I knew how it would be feel to be free”, as it was the theme tune for the very popular “Film (insert year)” BBC TV programme.