Catching Up: Blue Notes and Prestige
Sorry for the long gap between posts. I spent a week in New York and when I got back I began a major record reorganization project to clear space in the house, which has resulted in me moving 2,000 records and my entire Downbeat collection into storage for potential sale and/or donation. I imagine that sentence may pique some interest, so feel free to email me if you have questions. The time is ripe: I’m in a purging frame of mind, and who knows how long that will last? Anyway, I’m back on eBay once again and, as always, watching jazz vinyl for sale, starting with: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This is an original 10-inch LP, listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG for the cover (and what a great cover it is). The bidding is in the $240 range. Seeing this record, which I don’t own, I am wondering why Prestige chose to issue this on 12-inch in Monk’s name and not Sonny’s. Anyone venture a guess or opinion? Rudolf, our Prestige expert, any insight?
Here’s another one I have my eye on: J.R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record is listed in VG+ condition with slight surface noise in spots. The cover looks to be pretty nice, perhaps even VG++. I say I have my eye on this record because it is one I could potentially be interested in buying, although regular readers will note that the price is already out of my comfort zone, with a $600 bid that has not yet met the seller’s reserve price. As I see records like this, and remember back to when I first started watching records on eBay, the value keeps going up and up, so perhaps we will all look back in 10 years and look at the current prices as bargains. Then again, I do have a United Artists pressing of this record and, while it will be less fun to look it, it will be just fine if I ever get the motivation to actually put it on the turntable.
Finally, there is Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This is an original deep groove mono pressing. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is VG. The bidding is at $375, with five bidders and 26 bids. Lots of action on this one, which closes tomorrow.
My wild guess is that contractual issues are the explanation for the difference in leadership between the 10″ and the 12″.
PrLp 190 had three tracks. One was was re-issued on Rollins’ Movin’ Out # 7058, and two tracks were re-issued on # 7075, which was entitled Thelonious Monk ? Sonny Rollins. Three tracks on 7075 were originally by Monk ex two 10″ albums. So I think Prestige had been fair to Sonny.
Sonny had left Prestige end December 1956, Monk roughly one year before.
With all due respect to Al, I think he asked a wrong question.
That Curtis Fuller does not have deep groove. The pictures are small so it’s hard to say. And the listing has no mention of being a first OG pressing or ear or anything. Discogs list a 1966 pressing that looks identical on the labels…
To answer some of the questions that have come in: No, these are not original Blue Notes. For the most part they are records from the 1970s and 1980s — think labels such as Muse, Pablo, Concord Jazz. There are also a lot of great traditional jazz records — think Ellington, Armstrong, Basie. Great music, but there is just so much time to listen.
Reagrding the Fuller it landed on $611. Quite a lot for a second press – or is it not?
I inquired with the seller and that Curtis Fuller Vol. 3 was a Liberty pressing without the Plastylite ‘P’. As such I topped out at $375. I would love to snag a copy of that wonderful LP though.
lowstephenell, so you were ready to pay $375 for a Liberty? I see that market for later BN pressings are really going up.