Four For The New Year
Happy New Year. This week we are watching a new auction from the Jazz Record Center in New York. Seems like the seller Carolina Soul has become the predominant seller of rare jazz vinyl on eBay in the past year or so, but the Jazz Record Center is still a gold standard as far as I’m concerned. This week, we have a couple from Kenny Dorham, starting with Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This looks to be an original pressing that would probably be in M- condition for the record and cover, were it not for a drill hole through the cover and label. The item is new to eBay and doesn’t close for more than six days. The starting bid was $1,000 and there is already one bidder. Also, there is Kenny Dorham, ‘Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. Very nice copy, I’m sure. Like Quiet Kenny this auction closes in more than six days and already has a bid at $1,000.
I’ve never owned an original pressing of this one: Lou Donaldson, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Blue Note 1537. This is also an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record looks to be in M- condition and the cover is probably VG+ or VG++, depending upon how you feel about tape repairs. For me, the tape repair brings it to VG+ even if the rest of the cover is clean. But that’s me. This one has a single bid at $500. Well, if I want a clean original copy of Bill Evans Explorations, Riverside 351, here is one, with an odd flaw in the cover. If you look at the picture, it looks like the printer mis-aligned the color separations. I’ve never seen that before and it makes the cover art more ethereal, but probably not in a good way for collectors. Anyway, the start price for this one is $400 and so far there are no bids.
I would not chase that Kenny Dorham on new jazz even if I was rich. Why fork over huge cash for a record and cover that has a giant drill hole through it? Same for the Bill Evans. Both of those albums should hopefully not go near the top sales of past copies. But who knows these days…
Neither of the Lex BNs are first pressings, but I bet they sound great. Fred is great to deal with!
I’d be interested in the Teddy Edwards. It has eluded me many times. But my motivation for high dollar fight on Ebay has long gone, and my daughter is student now…
as a First Pressing Fundamentalist, I agree with hardbopster. it’s not the first time that Fred uses “first pressing” for a record that lacks some feature as described in his bible. I would have loved more precision about rims. is it a “new” feature? ok, talk about it some more.sorry if I’m not up to date.
the drill holes on records like the quiet kenny really don’t affect anything, play wise. i have had one such LP and never minded it. it doesn’t even look that bad, to me.
Come on guys, you can’t listen to a record cover !
The drill hole is a beauty mark, just like on Cindy Crawford.
No of course the drill holes don’t affect playback…what I’m trying to say is that if I were a rich collector after a nice copy of “quiet Kenny” I would consider that drill hole a condition flaw and not be dropping 4 figures on it.
but I guess if you lined up the record and cover just right you’d have a little peephole and could see right through the album! and that’s a neat party trick.
Put me down for $6,500.
In seriousness: JRC is a gem in NYC. Fair prices and a great shop. Looking forward to a trip there soon—I always leave with an armful, just not this kind of stuff. At least not at these kinds of prices.
I think $100 on that Teddy Edwards is high too, but then again someone may be happy to have a real clean copy for that price. He’s an underrated player—he and Harold Land are two of the finest ever to do it and they get far less credit than the usual crop of more celebrated “west coast” saxes. I wonder why.
I stand corrected re: the Teddy Edwards. Upon further investigation it seems to be worth more than I thought.
Wish I had got a copy when it was cheaper, but that’s the story with a lot of things now.
Hardbopster? Why is the BN 1524 not a first pressing? it has the Lex address/ deep groove and P , flat rim.just curious
I’m not Hardbopster but I think it’s because that copy of 1524 does not have a frame cover or flat rim but a “reverse-frame” cover and and a “hybrid rim (flat/beaded)” whatever that means.
Aaron thanks so much, i always see his auctions and he uses the word original in most of his listings, and the words played once or twice,therefore, i assumed it was a original first pressing. he seems to get top prices for his auctions.
From the JRC auction, the only entry I’m bothering to torture myself with by watching is the OG Criss on Imperial.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/295436033765
I just assume that everything else will attract too much attention and be way out of my price range.
Also, I hope some of you are watching the batch of 10″ coming up in a couple of days from this seller: https://www.ebay.com/usr/embark1010
Most Teddy Edwards deserve attention especially Sunset Eyes on PJ and Teddy’s Ready and Good Gravy on Contemporay.
I’m afraid i will have to let this one go, after many others…
(unrelated to thread above) New Monk documentary showing at the Walker in Mpls, my local art museum. The trailer speaks volumes. https://walkerart.org/calendar/2023/rewind-play-by-alain-gomis-with-thelonious-monk
Great price on the two Lexington’s from JRC, and as stated they are not originals and Fred knows that, but hey it’s up to the buyer to do his do diligence on what they are buying. now someone explain to me when does a three sound record in Ex condition go for this price?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/195541478697?hash=item2d872e2d29%3Ag%3At7sAAOSwtn5jshd-&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5336393618&customid=&toolid=10049&nma=true&si=3qNnncHl%252FaQGoQ0gqv76qzbS8YE%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Mark Hall. Two little words: Blue Note
Mark Hall – it looks like there were only two bidders above $86, which is still high IMHO.
Quiet Kenny with the bb hole through the record went for 3K!
This Blue Note hype is so boring. We are flooded by Blue Note albums reviews and reissues
Michel, I fully agree. There is so much beauty beyond Blue Note.
Thanks.