New Year’s Vinyl

Happy New Year everyone. I hope all of your vinyl dreams come true. Perhaps you can find some on eBay, where we are, per usual, watching jazz records from our perch here far above Manhattan (well, actually, just seven stories), including the album Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. This is one of those jam session records featuring Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, not to mention a pretty good rhythm section in Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor. This is an original New York yellow label pressing that looks to be in VG+ or better condition for the record and Ex for the cover. The auction closes in more than three days and so far there are no bidders at a start price of $175.

Here’s one with a start price of $750: Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 4140. This looks to be an original New York USA mono pressing. The record and cover are listed in VG++ condition, but on close inspection, the cover looks closer to VG+ with some wear around the title, unless that’s just a flaw in the picture from the seller. In any case, the price is still $750, with no bidders so far. We have seen this record sell for more than $1,000 several times in the past, according to Popsike, with a high of $2,000 on the nose, if we are to believe that was the actual price and the sale actually went through.

Here’s one listed at about $450: Bill Evans and Jim Hall, Undercurrent, United Artists, 15003. I never actually thought about how weird this cover is. Perhaps someone with greater insight into artistic symbolism can tell me what it might have to do with the lovely piano/guitar music on the album. In any case, this album looks to be in M- condition for the record and cover in the original loose plastic seal. So far there are no bidders. This record has once sold for as much as $475, back in 2006. There is also a 14003 version of this record with a different cover. I put it to the JC community: Is 14003 or 15003more original than the other. The cover below is from the one listed now on eBay.