Ornette, Intrigue, Esquire and More
Today we will get back to the normal business of watching and commenting on jazz vinyl for sale and we will also pose some reader questions and comments. Let’s start with Ornette Coleman, The Shape of Jazz To Come, Atlantic 1317. This is a deep groove pressing, unplayed, still with its original loose sleeve. The start price is around $200 and the auction closes today with no bidders. This record caught my eye because in my other room just down the hall I have a copy of this record still with its original seal unopened. Oh, yes, and the record happened to be owned by Ornette himself. Oh, yes, and it is part of a collection that I recently purchased and am looking to sell in toto. Intrigued? I will be providing more details soon, because, as always, there was an adventure and a story that goes with it. In the meantime, if anyone is interested you know where to find me, alatjazzcollectordotcom.
I’m still intrigued by the original Esquire pressings of the Prestige records, but the prices have skyrocketed since we’ve been watching them and they are now out of my comfortable reach. Here’s another one: Art Taylor, Taylor’s Tenors, Esquire 32-149. This was an original pressing, such as it is, since the original original was in the U.S. The record looked to be in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was about $300. Here’s another with a great cover: Relaxin’ With the Miles Davis Quintet, Esquire 32-068. This one was listed in “very good” condition, although I get the sense that the actual record may have been what we would think of as VG+ or even better. I think the seller used “very good” as a catch-all as opposed to an “official” grade that we would take from Goldmine. This one sole for about $140, so perhaps the buyer did well if my grading theory is correct.
On to the mail.
This is from Tim:
I’m looking for info about a record. I have a 45 rpm single and was wondering if it is the first record released that features Herbie Hancock. I would imagine it was pressed and released prior to the LP (1961 “Out Of This World” album by the ?Pepper Adams ?Donald Byrd Quintet), which is normally considered to be his recording debut. I haven’t been able to find others for sale online nor much information about the single. But wouldn’t this be Herbie Hancock’s first released recording (as opposed to the LP)? Here is the information I have about the single (it’s also described to some degree on Discogs):
Artist: ?Pepper Adams ?Donald Byrd Quintet
Side 1
MR. LUCKY THEME
(From the TV Show “Mr. Lucky”)
(Mancini)
Runout: 61 WA 70 (handwritten)
Side 2
IT’S A BEAUTIFUL EVENING
(Wayne – Rasch)
Runout: 61 WA 71 (handwritten)
Warwick Records M650
Recorded March 2, 1961
Released 1961
“Bell Sound” is stamped in cursive lettering in the runout on both sides, indicating that the lacquer was cut at Bell Sound Studios. Thanks for any help you might have.
This is from Japhy:
Hi Al,
I have a question that perhaps readers could assist with. Regarding the various Blue Note inner sleeves, is there a general window where a span of catalog numbers should have X sleeve, then the next span of catalog numbers should have X sleeve, etc.? I suspect it might get a little messy when you start getting into the Liberty era.
I ask because I have a bunch of Blue Notes without BN inners, as well as a bunch that I’m sure have the wrong BN inner in it. Then, I have a stack of unused BN sleeves and I’d like to try to finally get the right sleeve with the right record.
This is from our old friend Daryl:
When my friend showed me this original Blue Note Catalog, I freaked out a little. I think you should post it for the Blue Note freakazoids who follow your post. While I loved it, I could not make it work for a purchase: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Note-Records-1956-Catalog-Brochure-Miles-Davis-Thelonious-Monk/372667237564?hash=item56c4b2c4bc:g:NioAAOSwCcBc1EXj
Blue Note inners: Lex. adress copies had a blank almost transparent very thin inner.
The 63rd St inners were also white but the paper was thicker.
Both are difficult to describe for people who have never seen them.
They have a certain feel and there is often a faint blue gloss from the contact between labels and paper.
Relaxin’ on Esq. was sold by a charity. I don’t think they would abide by Goldmine standards. Just a layman’s impression. Risky business!
LondonJazzCollector gives catalogue number ranges for the printed inners, apparently based on Fred Cohen’s book, though it doesn’t account for titles released out of sequence: https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/record-labels-guide/labelography-2/the-blue-note-inner-sleeves/
That A.T. is the only Esquire LP I own and I think I paid somewhere around $30 for in comparable condition…
@cellery – Thanks for the link! Exactly what I was looking for.
The sealed Coleman 1317 previously sold on 11/14 with one bid at $210. Either a return, or a non paying bidder; I suspect the later.
How do Esquire pressings compare to original US pressings ? Market values can be capricious and misguided.
On Esquires – This guy has far to much time on his hands and has done the hard work: https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/record-labels-guide/10-esquire-uk-2/
Jazz LPs sold in far fewer numbers here in the UK than they did in the USA, here in Britain they are still fairly hard to find ‘in the wild’, and often in sub-prime condition when you do! From my own experience, prices have really soared in the past decade/15 years. It used to be possible to find most of them for 10 – 30 pounds, depending on the title, some like ‘saxophone colossus’ or the Dolphys would be more, but not nearly as much as a US copy. Then the world and his wife started collecting jazz and now they are more or less the same as their US counter-parts – I’ve seen a battered ‘Saxophone Colossus’ for £300 recently. They have a strong collector following in the own right here in the UK.
Listening tonight to TUBBS -Tubby Hayes – Fontana TFL 5142
What a great and fun wild ride !
Highly Recommended.
J
Tim, that is probably just a 45 release from the Warwick album? I’m not sure the single preceeded the LP’s at this time – probably not since they went to jukeboxes and such. /Shaft
Tubby Hayes rules.
Years ago there was a guy at the top of the subway stairs with a box of records marked $3. The lp in front was an original copy of Jimmy Deuchar’s “Pal Jimmy”, with Tubby Hayes on Tempo Records. I bought it immediately without looking at the vinyl and spent my ride home reading the back of the jacket and pretending there may be a NM lp inside. After several hours of admiring the VG+ cover sitting on my desk it was time to face the music(see what I did there?). Although it was VG- at best, I was rewarded with a powerhouse performance as the Tempo Label holds their own against the Rudy Van Gelder recording and mastering sessions at that time. After all the true value of these records is in the music, not the physical object itself.
Or, Tubby Hayes on Smash with Kirk and Moody. Terrific. Bought it close to 57 yrs ago.
Mexican Green’s the one!
Every Tubby records is worth listening for.
Yeah, Tubby Hayes could play a lot of notes. Remember liking a tune titled “You for Me” on a U.S. Epic label lp
Um… you’d promised more comments and details in your original post, and have us all hanging on a thread waiting! Great story, yup!
“….I will be providing more details soon, because, as always, there was an adventure and a story that goes with it….”
The Blue Note catalog looks awfully familiar. I think I may have one like that tucked away somewhere. The asking price seems to be quite high for something that is not good for anything. It has no practical or research value. It is not like buying the Cuscuna’s Blue Note Discography or the Cohen’s book. To me, the decision of how to spend $150 would be really quickly settled in favor of buying an actual BN record rather than this folded sheet of paper.
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