Monk, Blue Notes, Warhol: Another Day on eBay
We’re going to ask our European readers about this one: Thelonious Monk, Piano Solo, Swing 33.342. This is a 10-inch LP that I think is an original French pressing. I’m not sure if it’s a re-issue of Blue Note tracks. I’m not sure of much about it at all, in fact. When I did a Google search, the previous mentions that came up were from postings here at Jazz Collector, showing that the record has sold for more than $500 in the past. This one is listed at M- condition for the record and Ex+ for the cover and is now in the $150 price range with just a few hours left in the auction. Anyone doing a search for this record may be stymied because the seller didn’t realize that the label is “Swing” and not “Wing.” Any background on this rare record would be most appreciated. Awesome cover, by the way.
Meanwhile there are always Blue Notes and more Blue Notes:
This one also closes today: Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This looks to be an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address, deep grooves, etc. The record is listed in M- condition and the cover is VG. The bidding is around $275.
One day I WILL get an original pressing of this record: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in VG or VG+ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The price is around $120 and there are three days left in the auction. This will not be the copy of the record for me: Condition too risky, even if the price may be right.
This seller has some nice items this week, including: Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume One, Blue Note 1596. This is one with the Andy Warhol cover, of course, and it is an original pressing. The seller users a visual grade and an audio grade. Visual is VG+, audio is VG++. I would bid based on whichever grade was lower. The cover is listed as VG+. Bidding is in the $260 range with three days left. There is also Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume 2, Blue Note 1597. This is also a West 63rd pressing, but I can’t tell if it is an original. I think it isn’t because I can’t see deep grooves in the photos. This one looks to be M- for the record and VG++ for the cover. Bidding is in the $175 range, so my guess is that it’s not an original. But it’s got that nice Warhol cover that looks to be real nice, so it’s quite attractive nonetheless.
I have sold the Thelonious Monk (spelled Theolonious on the cover) recently on discogs and i remember that my research had brought up this was a sesion hastily recorded by Eddie Barclay during a visit of Monk in 1955 (?) in Paris. Since he could not find accompanists, he recorded him solo. This was allegedly recorded before Monk signed to Riverside and is therefore an original french recording. Unluckily i was not the least thrilled by the performance.
Go for the 4045 looks great
SD_sales has some heaters up for sale! many of these on my want list, and many I’ll be watching the prices!
jason…
“heaters”…are you cold?
“Heater” or “heat” seems to be a recent development in record parlance, coming from the soul/funk 45 world. I’ve noticed a fair amount of DJs splashing out on rare hard bop titles lately; of course, that was certainly the case in the UK 20 years ago on the tails of Gilles Peterson.
Didnt Blue Lights Vol 2 not have dg?
I believe that’s correct, Mike, but I don’t have Fred’s book at the ready to confirm.
the Monk recording done in Paris was for Vogue’s Swing label, not for or by Barclay. It was never on Blue Note, but French Vogue re-issued this session with four extra tracks leased from Blue Note.
BN1597 Vol.2 was a delayed release not out until october 61. 1st pressing–> no deep groove !
This album has recently been issued on cd part of a Sony box set of 35 French Vogue original albums. The album was recorded on the 7th of June 1954.I purchased the set as it was excellent value.
Horsti62: that’s completely wrong, all Blue Note 1500 series has deep grooves.
what does cohen’s book say on this? i never did buy one, as $45 is an absurd price.
I think Fred’s book says yes on the deep grooves.
Fred’s book says that all 1500 series Blue Notes have deep grooves. I always go by his book. No exceptions.
It seems that the Blue Lights Vol. 2 was pressed with deep grooves. However, it looks like this version is very, very, very rare. I only saw 1 recorded sale of this on Popsike (by Fred) over the years. The deep groove version of this LP may fall into the same category as the Blue Train NY23 vs. no NY23 category where many people consider both an original.
@horsti62, could you provide the source indicating delayed issue of 1597? There are some strange stories related to BN pressings, so I wonder if this is another one …
In Fred’s book it states that the true rarities include: “Mono deep-groove pressings of BLP 1597, 4054, 4063 and 4069, all of which were transitional pressings: 1597, 4054 and 4063 during the gradual disappearance of the deep-groove, and 4069… during the transition between W63 St. and NYC.”
So I would assume that the deep-groove and non deep-groove of 1597 are equally original, with deep-groove appearing less frequently. Obviously it came out significantly later than the first volume. I’ve only seen no DG on this one myself.
Gregory the Fish says $45 for Fred Cohen’s Blue Note book is an “absurd” price. This, like any discography or comparable work, involves a lot of time, effort, research, and knowledge. Perhaps years of work! Further, like any specialty publication like this has a tiny, prospective audience. I read the manuscript, so I know how invaluable it is!
$45 is not expensive when you consider GW’s points.
I’s not a mass produced product with a major publishing house….it’s always going to be a higher unit price. It’s a great resource for that money.
If used correctly, this book could save you a lot more then $45
$45 is nothing compared to what you can loose if you purchase what you think is a 1st pressing but is in fact a 2nd pressing or something, for lots of dough. But the real reason why it’s cheap is because you get a guide to the Blue Note 1st pressings, which is quite hard to figure out by yourself. And Fred’s experience is invaluable, and he can be trusted 100%. I support that.
Good gravy. This seller has something for everyone.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/thearchiverecords/m.html?item=321749901380&hash=item4ae9c9e044&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562
This is a comment on the previous blog on the Essen jazz festival record with Coleman Hawkins and Bud Powell on European Debut records. It was not Dutch but Danish. A Danish jazz enthusiast Frode Westergaard imported American records and sold them via post catalogue through his bookshop. I bought my first records from him as a teenager in the early 1960s He got the right to Debut in Europe and produced only very few records, among them one with Brew Moore who lived in Denmark called Svinget plus a number, his Copenhagen adress. There is a nice photo cover with Brew, Shahib Shihab and Danish musicians.(will provide photo later I am in our summer house right now). Nice record and probably very rare by now.
Kk
That seller does have some amazing records but it makes me a little skeptical when every 50+ year old record I clicked on is graded NM.
Indeed Aaron… And here’s the philosophical question of the night : does a strong and clean BUT overall yellowed/foxed cover can still be considered as mint ?
Don’t know…but i’d like to have this Ray Bryant Trio on my shelves one day…and Webster Youg, too…yellowed ot not.
Well to be fair the seller only graded the vinyl not the cover itself. I would call those covers VG+ or perhaps VG++ if you’re in to that kind of thing.
Its a nice auction…some very nice records!
I am not maligning Fred when I say that the book is too expensive. I’m saying that to bind a single book of 200 pages for a thesis costs about $10 and I imagine mass production only goes down from there.
Fred indeed put a lot of work into the book but it was to run a business, not to write the book.
He made a great resource and I love the resource, but find the price too high. That’s all.
Also, I am watching some of the great NM auction of 2015 and I noticed lots of NM grades as well. Also, NM+? What on earth is that?
I think they are some great records but also pretty funny that there are like 4 types of nm in his grading system
wow, what a collection ! But 1558 isn´t a 1st pressing as promised in the description.I´m missing ny23 label. But nice to keep an eye on…
Love this record, one of my favorite..http://www.ebay.com/itm/DONALD-BYRD-HANK-MOBLEY-Jazz-Message-Of-LP-1956-SAVOY-dg-RVG-van-gelder-NM-/321749916176?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae9ca1a10
Speaking (or typing) as someone who has written and researched lot and not been paid for much of it, $45 is a bargain.
Here’s to one of the last great Bluesmen… B.B. King (1925-2015) R.I.P.