Back To Blue Note, Prestige and Fond Memories
Just logged onto eBay for the first time in a couple of weeks and my searches led me very quickly to a wide range of Blue Notes and Prestiges currently up for auction, almost all of which seem destined to sell for pretty high prices, indicative that the demand is continuing to be as strong as ever for rare and vintage jazz LPs, particularly for records on these iconic labels. Here are a few that I’ve put into my watch list, starting with Jackie McLean, New Soil, Blue Note 4013. This is an original deep-groove West 63rd Street pressing. The record and cover both look to be in M- condition and that cover looks particularly nice, with an important caveat (see the Lee Morgan record below). The bidding is currently at $350 and the auction closes about two hours from the time I am typing this. There are 10 bidders and 24 watchers and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see this record enter or approach the $1,000 bin. But what about that cover?
According to Popsike the highest previous price for New Soil has been $1,500, but that seems to be an aberration because that is the only prior copy of this record to ever sell for more than $1,000. As for me, I purchased a Stereo pressing for $100 at a record show many years ago, and was promptly taken to task by my friend Red Carraro, who spotted me walking around with the record and told me that I over paid for a stereo copy in only VG or VG+ condition. But then I took the record home and put it on the turntable and had no regrets at all. It sounded great, stereo or mono. Which prompts me to wonder: When, if ever, will we have in-person record shows again? Here in the States, not too soon I would imagine.
Here’s another LP from the same seller: Relaxin’ With the Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige 7129. This is an original New York yellow label pressing that also looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is at $395. This record has crossed the $1,000 barrier once before. This is one of my favorites of the Relaxin’/Cookin’/Workin’/Steamin’ sessions, possibly because of the specific tracks and the intro by Miles that made its way onto the recording. Of course all of those record are great. Also particularly fond of Steamin’ because I had never heard the song Diane before and it was my mother’s name, so every time I listen to the record I think of both my mother as well as my dad, since he was a huge Miles fan and spent many an hour listening to Miles on the Fisher record player in our living room in Queens.
A few more: Lee Morgan, Lee-Way, Blue Note 4034. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. I noticed something odd about the listing – the date stamp on the picture is from 2017. I guess if I was bidding on this record, which I’m not, I’d ask the seller if the picture is from the album currently up for auction or is it from someone else’s auction. Same with the Jackie McLean New Soil Record. If you click on the picture you can see it clearly 05/07/2-17. Just sayin’. It is a really nice, clear picture, but which record? Bidding is at around $700 with about four days left on the auction.
Joe Henderson, In ‘Out, Blue Note 4166. This looks to be an original New York USA label, probably in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. Bidding is in the $420 range with more than five days left on the auction.
Surprise, here’s one I’m NOT interested in: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing in VG condition for the record and the cover. The start price is around $400 and so far there is no action with the auction closing in six days. In case you missed it, I filled in this gap in my collection a few months ago.
Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage, Blue Note 4195. This looks to be an original Mono New York USA pressing. The record is listed as VG++ and the cover as VG+. Bidding is already at $800 with six days left, with 16 bids and 65 watchers. Guess there’s a lot of interest in Maiden Voyage.
Finally, one more from the Prestige vaults: Coltrane, Prestige 7105. This looks to be an original New York yellow label in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The bidding is at about $600 and there are still six days left on the auction.
I have over 300 vinyl albums for sale various artists
Thanks for the post, Al, hope you and the family are healthy and well. Your post made me ponder a question for the JC Family: what Blue Note/Prestige/New Jazz are undervalued? That is, do the auction prices alone reflect the quality of the sessions on that vinyl? Or, are there stronger sessions, mutually admired, whose vinyl value is much lower than others? This question should probably extend to other labels whose sessions are uber-strong… yet cost a pittance to own.
Daryl, I guess you are a pretty smart guy ! Not everyone is drinking the Koolaid my friend. You are in store for some audio bliss, slap that unmentioned, lesser known on the turntable and smile your way through some great jazz….
Daryl:
Just my opinion, but there are some fabulous Jimmy Smith dates that are woefully undervalued because 1) people dislike organ for some reason, 2) many of his dates are actually not great, 3) he recorded sooooo much.
“the sermon” and “house party” come to mind.
gregorythefish – agree 100% about those two Jimmy Smith titles!
Daryl — Max Roach/Clifford Brown at Basin Street with Sonny Rollins on Emarcy. A classic that has never sold for more than $175. Also, Jazz in Three Quarter Time with Sonny and Kenny Dorham. One I’ve mentioned before, Eddie Costa, Guys and Dolls, with some great early Bill Evans. Just looked it up on Popsike, highest price ever was $68. Art Farmer, Art on Argo; any of the Bird studio sessions on Savoy; any Monk on Columbia with Charlie Rouse; Cannonball Adderley Quintet at the Lighthouse; Dexter Gordon, The Panther on Prestige; another one mentioned here before, Charles McPherson, Con Alma on Prestige. Those are a few off the top of my head. Good question.
Good music that is not ‘dated’ + rarity + cool label (not Verve) + hip graphics = expensive.
Two examples among many: Lawrence Marable- Tenorman, Tina Brooks- True Blue
Al- nice to hear all is well with you and read a column from you again.
Daryl- don’t know if term undervalued and Blue Note go together anymore. Me, I always liked the Three Sounds records, don’t know if they’ve reached stratosphere yet. And when I was a collector. always enjoyed sounds on labels such as Pablo and Xanadu. Roost and Roulette had great stuff, can’t go wrong with Getz, Stitt, and Basie.
Thanks for the excellent suggestions, my friends. While looking for some of your titles on Discogs, I stumbled across this (link below) new series of remastered releases of Blue Note classics, which may be of interest… or blasphemous for first press devotees! https://blog.discogs.com/en/joe-harley-kevin-gray-blue-note-tone-poet-audiophile-vinyl-series/?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=discogs&utm_campaign=Culture_2020_09_15
The Tone Poet releases have been out for awhile, think the second round is wrapping up soon. I’ve picked up several and have not been disappointed yet.
The most underevalued record of all times is Rolf Kuhn “Streamline” on Vanguard. I exagerate a bit of course. But its worth getting a copy.
Wes Montgomery albums on Riverside are undervaluated.
For “Organ Jazz for people that hate Organ Jazz” try Jimmy Smith plays Fats Waller.
Very Sunday morning cool .
Al, Been reading you for years and I always enjoy learning. Glad to see a shout out for Eddie Costa. I love him so much. What is his best disc in your opinion?
I have noticed that it is that at this time people seem to hate most organ jazz records. I therefore rush in to name a few that really hit the spot with me. The two first Smith albums on Blue Note (A New Star – A New Sound) brings the heavy hammond sound to the fore. Just put on his version of “The Champ” and you must really hold on to your hat!! I also must mention his “Organ Grinders Swing” on Verve as an outstanding set.I can also recommend Lonnie Smiths live double set live at Club Mozambique, where a young George Benson is awesome.
Hey, Kevin. Thanks for commenting. Can’t say what is the best Eddie Costa, but I’m sure people will weigh in. One of may all-time favorites is The Swinging Guitar of Tal Farlow.
Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px7HvcEDQbM
I don’t understand the hatred that some purists have for organ jazz. Sure, they are some corny titles out there, but that’s not exclusive to this genre. Soul jazz is an integral part of jazz history, it played an essential part especially in black culture, and it makes me happy that it has not fallen prey to the overly academical approach to jazz as other modern jazz styles have. Personally, I absolutely love a good soul jazz album, and there are plenty good ones out there. Maybe Jimmy Smith gave the genre a bit of a bad rap because he recorded so much, including many duds. But he’s also done some incredible work, and his early recordings were nothing short of being revolutionary at the time.
Undervalued:
Fantastic Frank Strozier on Vee Jay (with Booker Little, Paul Chambers, Wynton Kelly and Jimmy Cobb)
Cannonball – Them Dirty Blues on Riverside
Benny Carter – Jazz Giant on Contemporary
Getz/Gilberto – I realize this famous and everyone has a copy but it always sounds amazing to me and it’s very cheap
Max Roach – On the Chicago Scene on Emarcy
$1,675.00 for that Maiden Voyage copy, damn!
$400 For Shades of Redd ? That’s what I got when I sold one…..in 1987 ! Still one of my all time favorites.
Thanks Vinyl Word for mentioning ‘Jimmy Smith Plays Fats Waller.’ Haven’t had nor heard this music in some 35 years. Bought the cd this week. An enjoyable lusten.
FWIW, I bought a Red Garland record from the sellers of the top two discussed here, the ones with the 2017 date stamps. They’re great sellers and the record was as advertised, in really beautiful shape.
So far as organ jazz, goes, Big John Patton’s Along Came John and Larry Young’s Young Blues spend a lot of time on my turntable.
Undervalued? Gene Shaw on Argo, all the Impulse! Chico Hamilton records with Gabor Szabo, and although they’re creeping up, the Kenny Barron records on Muse.
Kevin, Amen to Gene Shaw being undervalued.
Spent time with him in Chicago in late 60’s. A most amazing man. I was too young, late teen’s, to really appreciate the words/lessons he was giving me.
Wish I could turn back the hands of time.
Of the 96 lps I have kept, there’s 92 Coltrane, 1 Bird and his three on Argo.
Lennib, I confess that your narrow retention of lps has me curious. It could be that you have a jazzcollector column waiting to be written! Clearly, you are serious about your jazz, your vinyl, and your collection. You have kept 96 lps! At one time in your life I suppose it was 960 or more. Might you talk about how you winnowed your jazz vinyl collection down to 96, of which 92 are Coltrane? I think your experience is genuinely valuable for all of us as we consider our collections. Please? Al, might you let him spin this story into a column? 🙂
Daryl, thanks for your kind words. Al has already been gracious enough to spare me space, twice, to write a column on this matter.
They were titled ‘Dancing in My Head’ and ‘How I Got Over’ and appeared 4-25-2019 and 5-17-2019, respectively ( had to look up the dates).
Perhaps saying more may be redundant, let me add the Bird record is the first Jazz record I ever bought , the Gene Shaw’s remind me of a time in my life, though one could say all music can evoke memories, and the Coltrane’s because I remember seeing him in 1965 and the experience was one I shall never forget.
An older friend of mine saw Coltrane at least 3 times, once with Miles in 1959, again with Wes and Dolphy in 1963(?), and at least once in Seattle in 1965. It must have been incredible!
undervalued… art farmer-to sweden with love… line up: farmer, steve swallow, pete laroca and jim hall… yes!
the play mesmerizing and haunting accounts of swedisch folk- and childeren’s songs…
Yes, To Sweden with Love is gorgeous-
I heard Trane live at least three times. First with Miles, then in 1961 with his quartet and Dolphy added. Thereafter the quartet in 1962, 63 or even later.
The most electrifying evening was end November 1961. Dolphy added extra sparks. I remember Trane referring to his latest records on an hitherto unknown label, Impulse. To relive these sacred moments, I play his Impulse recordings done that month live in N.Y.