Updating Some Later Pre-Liberty Blue Notes
Here are some “later” Blue Notes we’ve been watching.
Larry Young, Unity, Blue Note 4221. This was an original New York USA pressing with the ear and the Van Gelder stamp. It was in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. It sold for $231.38.
Pete La Roca, Basra, Blue Note 4205. This is also an original New York USA pressing with the ear and the Van Gelder stamp. It is still in its original shrink wrap and in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was a whopping $494.99, quite a bit higher than the $1.59 Special on the shrink wrap. The way things are going, someday records such as these will be destined for the $1,000 bin, no?
This listing is lacking in information: Grachan Moncur III, Some Other Stuff, Blue Note 84177. This is a stereo pressing, which would seem to diminish the interest and value right off the bat. However, the seller doesn’t mention whether there is an ear or Van Gelder stamp in the deadwax. It is a New York USA pressing. It sold for $61 in what looked to be VG+ condition. Have to believe if buyers knew it was an original it would sell for more: Then again, if it’s not original, would it have sold for this much?
This is another stereo pressing without full information:
George Braith, Two Souls in One, Blue Note 84148. This was a New York USA pressing. The cover was M- and the vinyl VG+. It sold for $43.63.
This one had complete information, and the price reflected it: Andrew Hill, Black Fire, Blue Note 4151. This one also was in its original shrink wrap. The vinyl was M- and the cover looked to be at least VG++ (depends how you feel about someone writing his name on the back cover). It sold for $260. This one came from the same seller: Sam Rivers, Contours, Blue Note 4206. This was a New York USA pressing and, according to the seller, was never pressed with the ear in the deadwax. I have to get Fred Cohen’s book to keep up on all of this stuff. I am planning an excursion to the Jazz Record Center this week. The record looks to be M- and the cover probably VG++. The price was $134.50.
From what I understand Joe Henderson’s “Mode for Joe” (BLP 4227) was the last record to leave the line with the “ear” imprint in the deadwax. I’m pretty sure my copy of “Contours” has an ear on it.
According to Cohen – no ear on 4206
Confirmed, my 4206 has no ear but sports NY labels, VAN GELDER, 43W61 on cover, and the correct 1939-1966 “27 years of” inner sleeve. Liberty press in all but name.
The vinyl is E- in my opinion and cover would be too but for a name on the back, but the most significant difference is my copy closed a tad less, at $47.50 instead of $134.50 !
Sheesh,these prices! A lot of recent auctions close at $150-200 for only “middle-of-the-pack” collectibles and winners with only 100 or so auctions under their belt. Perhaps a glut of new collection-builders still in their early phase, bidding up prices?(no science behind that guess!)
That’s right. Some years ago, I’ve been able to snipe some bargain Blue Notes out of ebay. Catching up the latest auctions on records I’d like to have – these days are gone.
And to some extent I’m sick of getting bad LP’s, that were advertised as VG for reasonable prices. I have to think about spending top dollars on just one record per month. That’s going to be hard! 😉 But it fosters the deeper listening experience I might gues…
Kartharsis, For a while I’ve only been buying NM pressing from reputable sellers of premium items. It is uber expensive but I’ve gotten tired of not getting what I want. Chasing records and hoping to get lucky on something that sounds better than rated is more expensive than buying one or two a month that are pricey but quality. There weren’t any deals in the recent Jazz Record Center auction(except the Mingus 78 which is uber rare, maybe three or four copies known according to Fred), but at least you know you are getting quality and a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. I’ve spent to much money chasing VG+ items that don’t sound VG+. Now I’m trying to make a difficult but I think worthwhile decision of buying only NM items and supplementing with Re-issues(not collectible but usually sound good). It’s not like I don’t have enough music to listen to either, which I assume is true of most of us.
Basra: one of the best bluenote albums i think. Pete laroca has a ‘loose’ sound of his own
Some other stuff: one of the nicest covers by Blue note.
@Mike: You’re absolutely right. In the last years I was able to found a solid collection with some nice records, among them a good amount of reissues, which helped me to get the music. Sometimes I was lucky and VG graded records turned out to be NM. Some other record, graded as VG+ turned out to be poor. In the middle I was kind of lucky, but right now I’ll definitely switch to NM records from acknowledged sellers. It’s better for the purse and the heart 😉
Whay kind of forum would it be if everyone just agreed with everyone?
I hear the argument “quality not quantity”, but I think it was Stalin who reputedly said “quantity has a quality all of its own”
I blew $200 dollars each chasing my half dozen “holy grail” BN’s (including Basra!Wonderful original)
But the other day, for the price of just one holy grail record, I came home with an armful of eight interesting records – some japs, some Prestige and New Jazz, lots of discoveries of different artists I hardly knew, and some Sixties British pressings I have previously avoided – wrongly as they sound great.
So thats my recipe – do both.
LC, love the Stalin quote.
Another NM copy of Contours just sold for $294!
Dear Jazz Collectors, I have just acquired a Sam Rivers “Contours” 4206 from Ebay for a whopping USD850,– due to a 39* feedback person bidding it up to there. I didn;t want to let go you see.
I haven’t received the LP yet but the it’s supposed to be in NM condition and the sellers feedback provides comfort in that respect. Although more uncomforting is the fact that he mentioned it to be a rare ‘first pressing’ with New York USA Address. Can anyone elaborate on the ‘first pressing’ remark?