Live From Las Vegas: Jazz Vinyl
Sorry I’ve been delinquent in posting. I’ve been in Vegas on a work assignment and haven’t had as much time on my hands to peruse the jazz vinyl bins on eBay. So here’s a little bit of what I missed.
I’ve never owned this version of this record, just a reissue. I love the cover: Sonny Clark Trio, Time 70010. The record looked to be in M- condition based on the description, and the cover was probably VG++. This one sold for $845.
Once again I let a copy of this record pass me by: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. This one sold for $749. I watch this record often, because I’d love an original pressing. Are there others out there who share my belief that this is one of the all-time best Blue Notes?
Speaking of all time Blue Notes there was this: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. If you get a chance click on the link and look at the listing. It looks eerily similar to those of bobjdukic. Perhaps he’s moved to The Netherlands? Don’t think so. Just someone trying to us his methodology of attracting big bids, I would guess. This one sold for $1,505.
Shades of redd: ..Al, i played the record straight away, and you are right. It is one of those rare ones of blue note.. great writing, and Jackie and Tina present,..
For me, the typically 4000 series music…
the strange thing is , i collect blue notes also for their covers, and “Shades of redd” was always a bit dull by it’s cover… it deserved a more adventurous cover..
sometimes i go back to the 1500 series, or i go forward to the 4100 and up series, but for me the essence of what i like about Blue note, is the sound and type of hardbop from the 4000 series…
It has that slow but pulsating beat, great themes that always come back in multi-horn at the end of a song,creative writing but still with the beat as guideline…and often a crying, soaring, wailing kind of solo’s…Does anyone else divide their Blue notes in that (series) category…???
4045 is definitely in top 10 of all times BN. I do not own this LP (neither original nor reissue) and I’ve always been promising myself that if I ever buy it this will be the first original pressing in beautiful condition… Since I cannot afford spending 1000$ for a record now I have just bought 3LP set on Mosaic (FR complete BN recordings) in NM condition for 93$… could not wait anymore 🙂
There’s no doubt that this guy in The Netherlands (I see he lives an hour away from where I live) has at least “borrowed” some of his content setup from other well known sellers on eBay. Not only does it look like Bobjdukic’s way of presenting ‘mega rare’ items; there’s also a well known name -which of course I forget now I need it- that sells Beatles and other sixties material who is just as ‘mega’ and ‘ultra’ in his presentations with exactly the same red, blue, bold and italic fonts with tons of exclamation marks in it and sells his items for big money, too. I guess the seller of Morgan’s Candy must have thunk that that’s the way to go and apparently it works: only two bids and SLAM! 1500 bucks in the pocket. While most of us obviously get kinda itchy when we see those outrageous presentations and maybe even skip an item for that same reason, others are immediately drawn to it like a magnet… 😉
I had also spotted this guy in the Netherlands, who has aped our friend Bob Dj. Does Maarten know more about this guy?
i know of a guy who lives in that area in the North of holland, he has a record shop n Amsterdam and has collector’s items on regular bases.
But normaly he mostly sells expensive classical/avant-garde music.
I’ll visit his story this weekend, will ask… (only two bids on the lee morgan, ..hhmm)
I perfectly agree. This Freddie Redd BN 4045 really is a great record. I also belong to the category of jazz lovers who maybe could afford paying $ 1000 for a record, but definitely is not willing to. So for the time being I’m happy with my reissue. Though I do own some original Blue Note, Prestige, New Jazz etc. records, they all are lucky finds at moderate prices.
Maarten: I agree with your rough classification into 1500/4000/4100. I am more a 1500-man. I find the post 1960 productions too rough and unpolished. Now listening to Shades of Redd. The record is much better than I thought. I love “Thespian”. Dig Nat Hentoff’s note on “the ECHT jazzman”. Love that yiddish parler, ein echter Jazzman/een echte jazzman. You don’t hear that anymore in Odessa or Minsk, go to NY instead!
I have never been a fan of Tina Brooks and would sell True Blue for very good money. Prefer “Open Sesame” and “Shades of Redd”.
I made a major discovery (in my own collection): 1545 “Wailing with Lou”. A record nobody talks about, even Don Byrd is O.K., the pianist Herman Foster is more than talented.
I think that my ten favourite Blue Notes are all in the 1500 series. We did this game before and I will not annoy you by naming my ten favourites. They may change each day, if not every hour, depending on my moods!
I have much, much more Blue Note on CD than on LP, but then still: IF at gunpoint I had to make a choice, then I too would choose for the 1500 series. Thank heavens nobody made me make that choice though. And Rudolf, you are right: Wailing With Lou is great. I have a Jap reissue on CD and as far as I know it’s never been reissued on CD outside of Japan. The only name in the line-up I’m not really familiar with, is “Peck” Morrison, the bass player. Favourite tracks are “That Good Old Feeling” and the incredibly uplifting “L.D. Blues” 😉
Mattyman: Peck Morrison was the bassist in the Gerry Mulligan Sextet, which recorded for EmArcy in 1955.
My “Wailing with Lou” does not have the New York 23, so it’s a second pressing. But it’s a good record. I’m going to re-listen tonight.
I’m not sure I can pick a favorite series, but I definitely agree with MartenKools rough classification as 1500/4000/4100. Even the artists who recorded in all three are different, think of the Mobley records and Pecking Time vs Soul Station vs No Room for Squares. Or Grant Greens 4000 output vs his 4100.
Speaking of Dutch record dealers. I was listening to an interview with a Dutch Tenor named Ben Van Gelder(not relation to RVG). He said that his dad owns a record store in a town that sounded like “Hoon” maybe. Pardon my ignorance, but I didn’t understand the pronunciation. His dad specialized in Jazz. Anyone heard of the shop, or know the man.
From the snippets I heard in the interview, Ben Van Gelder sounded like he could play.
Mike: the only City i could think of by the sound “hoon” is ‘Hoorn’, a place near amsterdam.As far as i know there is no significant recordstore in that (small) place…
But i think he said “groningen”
In gronigen (north of holland) there is a record store that specializes is jazz and blues: Swingmaster, it is owned by Sem van Gelder .. good store!
http://www.swingmasterrecords.com/cgi-bin/s/aboutus?bpwpIggG;;35
could the town be GRONINGEN? I have known a pianist, active in jazz, from Groningen. His name was Sem van Gelder. He may have been his father.
I think it’s too close to be a coincidence. I confess that I don’t understand Dutch(and German) words at all. It’s funny, because I find Dutch people to speak very clear English but when they start naming Dutch streets it just doesn’t register. It was strange getting directions when I was backpacking through Amsterdam. It’s okay though, we had a great time anyway even if we had no idea what street we were on.
Ben Van Gelder Interview
I think I will check out his CD. The CD is a little pricy, but from what I heard in the interview he seemed interesting.
As for the 1500/4000/4100 debate, I will nominate a new candidate – my favorites are in the 1550-4050 area…While the first half of 1500 and second half of 4000s all have some great music, I think these consecutive 100 records represent the best of the catalogue.
yes Rudolf, Sem has the recordstore/label “swingmaster” in groningen.. they sell jazz and blues..
To be a little provocative, i would say that i many cases, my favourite albums by an artist are not Blue Note. Griffin “Do Nothin.. “on Riverside surpasses IMO all his BN albums. Kenny Drew “Walking and Talkin” on Jazz West is a desert island record for me. Not his BN album. But BN is Al, Francis, Rudy, Reid – and the whole product is so fantastic. It tends to overshadow other labels work.
how dare you, Michel, provoke our cosy community? This is more than a provocation, it nears blasphemy.
Michel, I love Walkin and Talking, maybe as much as Undercurrent. I also like his Riverside offerings. I prefer Griffin’s Riverside offerings generally as well. I think he was a better player when he was at Riverside, slightly more mature but still Intense. Another person who recorded a few for Blue Note but’s best stuff isn’t on Blue Note is Sonny Rollins. I could pick five albums or more spanning his career that I prefer to his Blue Note offerings. I would say that Tenorman is one of my top 2 Sonny Clark dates.
My favorite Blakey, Mobley, Silver, McLean, and a few others offerings are all on Blue Note. Like you said, the label is about the whole product which is just great.
Mike, I agree with you on Rollins. Blue Note, to me is not his best work. Obviously, Monk was on Blue Note very early with 78s and did better work later on. Like you, I also like Johnny Griffin in Riverside. But for the artists you mentioned, plus Lee Morgan, Sonny Clark, Lou Donaldson, Dexter Gordon, Wayne Shorter and many others, a lot of their seminal work is on Blue Note, which is a true testament to all of those who were associated with the label, as Michel noted earlier.
Let’s have some blasphemous fun…If you qualify the list to include at least three 12″ BNs, ie exclude Drew, Dolphy, Trane, Monk, Miles, Cannonball, Clifford Brown, Bags, etc.
I think if you then look at the list of major BN artists, the following could make Michel’s list of BN artists with better work elsewhere:
Newk,Ornette,possibly Blue and Jackie. Been debating Kenny Dorham, as Quiet Kenny is just awesome, but so are some of the BNs. I’ve never heard some of the pre-BN Dexter Gordon’s that many of you say are great so I will defer (keep getting beat on Ebay). And I havent heard Griffin sound better ex BN, but will try to track down some Riverside based on Michel’s comments.