For Lady, For Lee . . . and Irving?
More random jazz vinyl from recent eBay auctions starting with Webster Young and Paul Quinichette, For Lady, Esquire 32-084. This an original UK pressing of Prestige 7106. To me, this was always a Webster Young record, but the cover here has it as the Young/Quinichette Sextet. Great record and the UK cover is quite interesting, as always, and so much different than the American cover, which is really kind of weird when you look closely at it. The record was listed in excellent condition and the cover was very good. The final price was $194.25. I haven’t listened to my copy in a while, but I think it will be among the next set of records that will make it to my turntable.
This one closed as I was typing: Lee Morgan, Lee-Way, Blue Note 4034. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record was listed as VG/VG+ and the cover was VG. The seller, Carolina Soul, has a good reputation and often grades conservatively, so perhaps VG+ would be the operative expectation. The final price was $626.52, nearly doubling in the last several seconds of the auction. You may want to check out some of the other auction’s from this seller – they had a lot up this week, including Jim Hall, Jazz Guitar, Pacific Jazz 1227. This seemed to be an original pressing in VG+ condition for the record and G for the cover. It sold for $102.50.
This one looks legitimate and closes in an hour: Monica Zetterlund and Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby. I’ve seen this record with the original Philips cover, but I’m not sure I’m familiar with this cover, which has the label “Sonora Red.” Can anyone help out on that? This one is autographed and the signature looks legitimate to these untrained eyes. Not much information in the listing to help, just a generic description of the condition as “very good.” I’d be interested, but would need a lot more information to meet the start price of $650. The auction closes within the hour of this post and so far there are no bidders.
Booker Ervin, The Space Book, Prestige 7386. This was an original blue label stereo pressing listed in M- condition for the record and the cover. The final price was $169.50. Speaking of Booker, take a look at this picture my friend Dan sent. Love the coming attraction. Also, look at the size of that stage. Cannonball barely fits. Can anyone identify the club?
They also had Lorraine Geller’s “At the Piano”. It sold at $414 which is a good price considering it’s scarcity.
The Zetterlund is a 70s budget reissue using old stock of the original Philips cover. $650 is a bit insane unless you’re an autograph hound.
Interesting thing about that Esquire is that the cover is by drummer John Marshall (Soft Machine, Graham Collier Music). The price for that seems quite reasonable.
My goodness, I still have the minty first label Space Book I bought during one of my first visits to the Jazz Record Center in NYC. Probably late Nineties. It’s still got the JRC “N- $20” sticker on it!
Note the spelling of Booker’s name on the curtain.
I dig the leopard skin chairs and the repurposing of the external wrought iron fencing to keep the groupies from rushing the stage.
With regards to the Monica Zetterlund and Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby…I tend to side with Al and Clifford on this one. Odds are that no one in their right mind would bother to forge a Monica Zetterlund autograph ! …In all honesty, I didn’t even know who she was until this post. 😉
The guy with the upright bass is thinking, “Man, that doesn’t look at all like Booker Irving.” 🙂
Good God,man. The crap that incredibly talented musicians have had to put up with over the years… Of course,when “Booker Irving” came in to gig,he probably had to use a piano in dire need of tuning,deal with a barkeep who always seemed to wait until a ballad was played before using the icemaker, not to mention a table full of drunk conventioneers that keep requesting “Sheik of Araby”. If he could actually fit his group on the postage-stamp sized stage(Club Ruby? Birdland?),it was a bonus. Someone taking the time to get Booker’s name right shouldn’t have been too much to ask. In the words of Johnny Griffin, look out ’cause “the JAMF’s are coming”.
Those of us who cherish “the music” can barely appreciate what it’s taken to get it this far. So, to Booker,Dexter, Monk,Lacy,Charlie Haden,Jimmy Heath,Don Pullen and Don Cherry-who got around the East Village on his skateboard as easily as he ran the changes on his pocket trumpet-and all “the cats”past and present: Thank you all as I continue to cherish your gifts that have enriched all those blessed to appreciate them.