Bethlehem Beauties, Blue Note, Warhol (Again)
Here’s some of the jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay.
Let’s start with a couple from the Bethlehem label, which doesn’t always get a lot of attention here: Mal Waldron, Left Alone, Bethlehem 6045. This is an original pressing. The vinyl is VG++ and the cover is only VG. The current price is a little over $300 and there are still 10 hours to go on the auction. This next one is a little tough to figure: Charles Rouse and Paul Quinichette, the Chase is On, Bethlehem 6021. I love this record, but this is a stereo pressing with a blue label. Can’t imagine this was issued the same time as the mono pressing, so it much be a later pressing, right, even if it is the first stereo issue? In any case this stereo pressing is listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It’s closing later today and is in the $150 price range so far.
Here’s a Stanley Turrentine Blue Note doing quite well:
Stanley Turrentine, Up at Minton’s Volume 1, Blue Note 4069. This seems to be an original pressing. It has the ear in the deadwax and it has the West 63rd address, but those do not look like deep grooves on the label. I don’t have Fred Cohen’s Blue Note book here: Should this be deep groove, or is it past the point of deep groove? The price on this one is nearly $180 already.
And once again here is Conte Candoli, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003. I went decades having never seen this record and now there seems to be at least one a week on eBay. This one is in nice condition and the price is still low: The record and cover are at least VG++, perhaps nicer, and the price is just in the $225 range for now. By contrast, Rudolf’s copy last week finally sold for $1,724. This one, of course, has the cover by Andy Warhol which is the reason it is of such high value.
Has anyone heard the music on Cool Gabriels? The consistently high prices and the fact that I never new it existed until like 3 months ago make me curious. I have similar period Candoli’s without a Warhol cover that I don’t remember paying much for. I also don’t recall any being exceptional musically either, not bad just not great. I’m wondering if Cool Gabriels is worth looking into(though not as an original, I’m not willing to pay that price for a Warhol cover I don’t even like that much). Also, has it ever been issued on cd. I can’t find it.
According to the world famous Guide to BN first pressings, London calling has made, BN4069 ist original without DG.
Turrentine on BN is a strange thing. There are some sessions that fetch quite much money and there are other ones – may the be earliere or later sessions – that are bargains.
Mike: in my opinion the album is not worth looking into especially. Conte is a fine player but he is one of five in a trumpet choir with five able blowers, plus rhythm. Nothing to get excited about. Arrangements by Elliott Lawrence e.a.
Thanks Rudolph. I’ll save my money then.
Hi Rudolf, since we have you on line, any thoughts on that Prestige address over-printing issue mentioned earlier this week in the Reader Forum by any chance ? (third post from the top)Thanks again !
i have vol2 of the Turrentine album (bn4070)
it’s a strange one: side one 63rd, side two New york usa, but both sides deep groove
they play summertime on this album, always nice and i like their version of come rain come shine, but indeed, nothing special..
hi Katharsis, why BN 4069 should have no deep groove ?
First pressing Blue Notes after Kenny Drew Undercurrent BN 4059 did not have a deep groove.
Maarten,
Strange indeed, my copy of BN 4070 labels are side one New York and side two 63rd with no deep groove on either.
Aaron
According to the Blue Note guru, Frederick Cohen, copies after Kenny Drew BN 4059 “first pressings” have deep grooves either on both sides or only one side. What is the truth? My Blue Note life is becoming too complex. I yearn for the good old days when the argument was solely about the music.
Robert, I think there are a few instances where the truth will never be known. For me, Fred’s book challenged some conventional wisdom that I’ve read on the internet at least since around 97 that all DG pressings after 4059 are NOT first pressings. I know that if asked Fred could provide a reason for this on each individual one. The reason I’ve always seen from the people that believe that all after 4059 should not have DG was that Plastylite changed out the equipment and ceased to use the old equipment(that stamped with a DG) on all pressings after 4059. While this makes since I could see it as not being 100% accurate although I have no proof. So at this stage I think it’s who you want to believe.
Robert:
Take a peek at this link froma previous posting re: Blue Note Deep Grooves. This is not consistent with Fred Cohen’s book. Larry Cohn is another Blue Note expert and you can now understand the reasons why post 4059 there is some difference of opinion on this.
https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/blue-note-deep-groove-all-you-need-to-know/
back to deep groove war: we know there are two different schools.
1- Allan Songer: first pressing granitically no dg after 4058
2- Fred Cohen/ Larry Cohn: double dg, one sided dg, no dg in a very articulated description. Doubts and unsolved questions stated by Fred himself (please see his book).
Let’s consider 4069 which exists:
W63i double dg
W63i no dg
NYC side one/W63i no dg
NYC side one/W63i double dg
NYC double dg
Excluding the 3 last variations the match is between two issues on the ring: a double sided deep groove vs a completely no deep groove
Now his companion 4070:
W63i double dg
W63i side one/NYC side two dg (info Maarten Kools)
NYC side one/W63i side two no dg (info Aaron)
curiously missing for this last one W63i no dg, but it could only be I haven’t found it yet.
If anyone’s got this version please let me know, ’cause I’m collecting info for Blue Note variants.
And the winner is ………
up here we have different opinions: Katharsis and Aaron vote for Songer.
and you ?