Clearing the Dex in an LA Dumpster
And now we have a very interesting item in the Jazz Collector in-box. A few days ago we received an email with the intriguing subject line: “Dexter Gordon record found dumpster diving in LA.” It’s not something you see very often. And here were the contents of the note: “Hello, I was dumpster diving in LA today outside a house they cleaned out. The bottom on the dumpster was thousands of jazz records of someone’s collection. The owner of the house was old and I think the just threw out all his stuff. It was a shame it was such a huge collection. I grab two crates that I could get to. One record that made me think was a Dexter Gordon record, looks like maybe a tear press as it was just hand written on. I have a pic. Is this something that might be worth something?” I asked him to send me a picture, and he did, as follows:
Now immediately recognized the two tracks as coming from the Dexter Gordon album, Doin’ All Right, Blue Note 4077. But on the original album these two songs are on different sides. Also on this one the number looks something like BN 4893 or 6893. So, the question before us is this: What is this? I also have a feeling the new dumpster-diving owner might be interested in selling it, so there’s that possibility as well for anyone interested.
Al. Those two tracks seem to be next to each other on the self-titled compilation 393-H2, but that still doesn’t explain the top number. There also seems to be 3 tracks on the side. And, it looks like the platter is broken. Is that so?
I think it could be Blue Note BN-LA393 = Dexter Gordon Best Album
So I found the name of the man who lived in the house and who’s records I found. His name is Ron Hershewe. Seems like he is a well regarded guitarist. I ask a neighbor and he said he has gotten sick and someone came in and just threw out all his stuff. http://www.vanabigband.com/members/ron-hershewe/
As for the record, it has some light scratches but plays all the way through. The number is BN-LA393 and does refer to the dexter gordon record. It has three tracks on each side total of 6 tracks. One side says BN-LA-393-2 other side says BN-LA893-3 that being said it looks like one of 2 LP from this, http://www.discogs.com/Dexter-Gordon-Dexter-Gordon/release/1052604
My questions is why is it hand written? Does this mean something special? Can this be worth something?
I wish I would have taken everything , there were about 20 crates of records.
Woody is the winner! http://www.discogs.com/Dexter-Gordon-Dexter-Gordon/release/1052604
From the high of highs to the low of lows the circle is now complete! So is it possible that this could happen to anybody’s prized collection?…… And still the question is asked “can this be worth something?” I could not have wished for a more amazing story for this time of year!
sounds to me that mr. corey is a regular dumpster diver and is just looking for stuff to grip and flip, and is not an actual collector…at least yet…I would venture to say the record is not the gold that he is hoping for…but possibly $50+. a test press of a reissue does not make me say “YES, I NEED THAT!”…in reality, it makes me say “Eh…”
Still a cool thing to find, a shame that it had to happen under the circumstances it did. If our dumpster diving friend is looking to sell, he should go through the rest of what he found. Might be some choice items in the two crates.
More of interest,at least to me,is the idea that someone comes in( landlord,bill collector) and “just threw out all his stuff”. Without someone in your corner -or by your side-in case of ill health or misfortune,who among us can make a guarantee that we’re above such a fate? I hope that Hershewe has recovered his health,if not his records.
“Merry Christmas “,indeed…
so sad they went in the trash. there was a NYT article about ppl like that, who they dont know who gets their stuff, so they just throw it out
This is heartbreaking to hear. I was evicted one time, and had to watch as people just took my belongings right off of the street. My Dad was an old Jazz enthusiast, musician, and Radio DJ back in the Early sixties. He had an enormous collection of Vinyl spanning from the 30s to 2006 which is when he passed away. I am a record collector, and I had talked about inheriting his collection at great lengths with him many times. Imagine my surprise when I got to his apartment to clean it up and empty it out, and my brother was throwing everything into black garbage bags and into a dumpster. Of course I cussed him out, asked him to leave, and salvaged each and every record from a fate that would have gone unnoticed by anyone. People don’t necessarily think at all before doing some of the most reckless acts imaginable. It’s disheartening to say the least.
We are very interested in purchasing the Dexter Gordon Blue Note test pressing. Would you consider this?
Thank you,
Maxine Gordon
Dexter’s wife
Ron Hershewe here .Thank you all so much for the kind thoughts .I am well and busy playing full time here in LA. I am on facebook so it is easy to leave me a message. I am curious about what of my stuff got thrown out . Thank you . R.
The Cexter Gordon disc is a demo made before cassette tapes were used . 50’s-60s
I realize that I do not legally own the stuff .