A Jazz Vinyl Christmas
Ho, Ho, Ho. Here are the jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay on this sunny Christmas morning in New York City.
Sonny Rollins, Way Out West, Contemporary 3530. This looks to be an original pressing with the yellow label and deep grooves. The seller calls it an original, but I think he may not be fully aware. It would have been better if he had included a picture of the back cover so that potential bidders could see, if indeed, the cover had the red writing to confirm its provenance. This one is listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $250 and, as of now, there are no bidders. The same seller also has: Lee Morgan, The Cooker, Blue Note 1578. This also looks to be an original pressing, listed in VG condition for the record and Ex for the cover. The starting price is $400 and so far there are no bids.
Atomic Records continues to have some nice items on eBay. We are still watching that copy of Tommy Flanagan Overseas, which closes tomorrow. We are also watching:
Lee Morgan, City Lights, Blue Note 1575. This is an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and VG for the cover. There are still five days left on the bidding and the auction is already in the $260 range.
this S.R. on CR is a second issue, 1959 vintage. Compare with the original issue of S.R. and the CR leaders, also with the bottom printing HIGH FIDELITY Contemporary etc.
On the rear of this Way out West now on auction, there is only black and white print, also the picture of Sonny is 1 1/2 times as big as on the original.
Thanks, Rudolf. I guess that explains why there are no bidders.
Atomic records seems to be relisting a lot of records that sold in the past. Hmmm
…Merry Christmas Al (& all out there in the Jazz Collective !)
When did Contemporary switch from the color print on the back to black only?
DaveS: not all first issues had colour print. I mention the Curtis Counce group as an example. From 3540 on I have not seen any colour print at all. More popular items up to 3540 would not have a colour print in a second run, if originally with. In short, there is no general answer to your question.
M 3550 on the Way Out West cover already gives it away. Should read C 3550. The labels however have C 3550 so the vinyl most likely is a first press. Or did later pressings continue with C on the labels while the covers changed to M?
Thanks Rudolf. Just checked my Way Out West copies and and 1 does have color print on the back. Blind luck when I bought it 8 years ago.
Thanks for the hints, but what about this one then? is it an anomaly?!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonny-Rollins-Way-Out-West-Contemporary-3530-MONO-SUPERB-/380804659057?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item58a9b9f771
It has C3530 on the front alright, but no red ink on the back!
Vinylzone:
Perhaps pressing 1.5? Maybe ran out of red ink that day at the printing press and didn’t think 50 years in the future anyone would notice?
How does everyone store there 10 inch vinyl?
IMHO, that cover is not the original. I am, however, puzzled about how to treat/evaluate the combination of a First vinyl and a later cover – except that when selling one such, the fact clearly deserves mention.
Is there another contemporary label, I have Benny Golson New York Scene. The label is lime green and says that it is part of the Vogue label is this because it is a UK recording?
MikeC: Sometimes the 10 inch cover will be able to slide a sleeve inside, if so, I’ll put a protective sleeve inside. If not, I’ll put a protective sleeve on the outside and place the record inside a plastic sheet with the protective sleeve on the backside of the cover. I keep all my 10 inches separate from the long play (just for easier cataloging). Hope that helps.
vinylzone: I noticed that one too. It is a regular pre-1959 issue. Nothing wrong with it, but not a first.
Geoff: not a UK recording but a UK edition of an album commissioned by Contemporary and recorded in NYC.
Thanks Rudolf, what knowledge.
Thanks JOK, what kind of shelving or storage do you use for your 10 inch?
Thanks Rudolf for the clarification.
One learns new things every day!
As the focus of Jazzcollector is especially first pressing Blue Note and Prestige, what are your thoughts on those who vilify Rudy Van Gelder’s mix? For example,(as quoted by Priestly in his biography), Mingus suggested that RVG “changes people’s sounds”. Others note that RVG was especially thin on the piano in his studio. Thoughts?
MikeC: I have a 12×18 shelf I store them on. It sits on top of an old bookcase that stores my LP’s. I may have to get another one soon, I am just about out of room.