‘Tis the Season To Be Blue Note
After mentioning some of the 4100 series Blue Notes yesterday, I perused the day’s listings on eBay and saw a number of other records from this generation that seemed to be getting quite a bit of action. Here are some of the results and I’ll also post the one that CeeDee pointed to in the earlier post that will certainly raise some eyebrows. Here goes:
Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 4140. This was an original New York USA pressing with the ear and the Van Gelder stamp in the dead wax. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $325.
Sam Rivers, Fuschia Swing Song, Blue Note 4184. This was listed as an original pressing with the New York USA label. The condition seemed to be somewhere around VG+, perhaps a little better, based on the seller’s description. The price was $278.
This is of a bit earlier era, but a surprising price (well, as much as any price can be surprising these days): Horace Silver, Blowing the Blues Away, Blue Note 4017. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd label. It was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $202 with just one bidder.
This one got a huge price a few weeks ago, but not this week:
Hank Mobley, No Room For Squares, Blue Note 4149. This was an original New York USA pressing. It was in just VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. It sold for $76. An M- copy of this sold recently sold for $1,009. Clearly the condition makes a big difference, but it’s interesting to note that neither the Sam Rivers nor the Joe Henderson LPs mentioned earlier were in M- condition and they fetched some hefty prices.
Finally, thanks to CeeDee for catching this one: Jimmy Smith With Stanley Turrentine, Prayer Meeting, Blue Note 4164. This was an original pressing in M- condition. There were ten bids and, get ready, the price was $696.
I am usually not floored with prices of Blue Notes, they have been expensive for a while and have always increased over the years. The “Prayer Meeting” price has floored me. I can understand someone paying $5K for 1568 so much easier than $700 for Prayer Meeting. I paid $50 for a NM copy at the Jazz Record Center 8 years ago or so and thought I was overpaying at the time.
As the bidder who won a fiercely contested bid battle on a NY Joe Henderson’s Page One VG+ some two months ago – $125 if you must know – I look at the Christmas auction prices in amazement.
I think its all to do with the sheer number of collectors at home for the Holidays, bored out of their minds, passing the time on ebay.
(In passing, as I too was bored, so I compiled a small chart on the short lives of some of our greatest Blue Note players, using birth and death data from the 9th Edition of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19121992@N00/5301346928/
It may not be exactly accurate, for example Babyface Wilette’s demise remains unknown, but some may find it of interest. Bad health, bad drugs, bad women, bad driving.. cut short great music)
great statistics LC,… i always noted that the later generation (hancock,shorter,corea etc) was not so much on drugs… more intelectual players…and heroin was quite out of fashion in the sixties/seventies…
clifford,sonny, paul….ai,ai,ai
The Blowin’ The Blues Away 4017 by good ol’ Horace Silver that I bought about half a year ago cost me $73 dollars and, believe it or not, it was an unplayed copy. All the details to confirm that it was a 1st pressing were on the labels, in the run out groove and on the back cover and since it was unplayed I didn’t mind forking out the 73 bucks. But $202 ?? I don’t think so. That’s just outrageous. And diggin’ in the crates still works. Look what I found today for 15 Euro/20 Dollars. Click HERE
A lovely and M- Dutch pressing of this gem. Revealing liner notes on the back (“not everybody turned up”) and although it’s available on CD, I’m glad that I found this high powered Paris Jam Session. I mean, they’re cooking! Barney Wilen (as), Wayne Shorter (ts), Bud Powell (p), Walter Davis Jr (p), Jimmy Meritt (b), Lee Morgan (tp) and of course Mr Blakey (dr). It’s just great knowing that you only paid so much for something so good! 😉
Oh, and don’t forget to click on ‘slide show’ once you’ve opened the above photo page. You can check out the pics in hi res that way 😉
And one last thing, folks: isn’t Donald Byrd’s “Byrd In Hand” supposed to have Deep Groove in both labels? London Calling’s fabulous spreadsheet confirms it. Byrd In Hand, 4019, Deep Groove in both labels. Well, call me blind, but when I look at the pictures then I don’t see a deep groove. Check it out for yourself:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200557623642&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I guess I already found the answer in an older auction from a few weeks ago. Check it out; this one definitely has the deep groove where the above one that I just mentioned has none. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rt=nc&nma=true&item=380271663729&si=CZ7Mb232xRlGvFQp26roZkaljQk%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT
So what does this mean folks? The one with the deep groove sold for $637 and now I wonder what the one that I mentioned in the comment above this one should fetch, since it has no deep groove on either side. Does that mean it’s a second pressing? I can’t make head nor tail here.
So now we know: $221.30, off the back of 17 bids.
I think I have several near relatives of this pressing.The inner sleeve dates it as 1966 (though it may not belong to that record of course) but no claim was made of the presence of the ear, which would tie up with the inner being from 1966 or later.
I overpaid similarly for a Freddie Redd The Connection on 47W63rd labels both side and correct original cover, only to find no DG and no ear. I have three others with similar traits. The labels and the record don’t match
Only possible conclusion is Liberty kicked off their new ownership with a bunch of reissues using up old stock of everything, and I think this is one of them.
Its a nice piece of music just the same. Just not as nice as it should be at that price.
Indeed. $221 for Byrd in Hand without the deep groove… Maybe we see a ‘trend’ here: since the 1st pressings are getting rarer and more expensive by the day, maybe people are shifting to second best, hence the price hike?
Possibly, hard to tell.
My theory remains its a glut of bidders over the holiday period. Time will tell if it returns to normal.
The other possibility is a growth in demand from the number of well-heeled but niave buyers. Sometimes we forget how long and how many mistakes it took us to learn the lessons and become canny buyers, this stuff is not easy and its not documented publicly. You can pay to join the club, but the dress code you have to figure yourself.
Myself I think the problem is niave sellers whipping up a storm when don’t really have deep knowledge, as their daily bread comes from rock ‘n’ pop ‘n’ funk, and this is all way beyond them when they chance on a Jazz Collectible to sell.
Rigging Blue note prices – I have found some very suspicious activity – see my post at end of of previous Jazz Vinyl Update: Blue Notes, The $1,000 Bin
“Thanks for looking”