Comments on: Updating Some Later Pre-Liberty Blue Notes

By: mojo

mojo — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:54:34 +0000

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?

By: bill

bill — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:54:35 +0000

Another NM copy of Contours just sold for $294!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:01:37 +0000

LC, love the Stalin quote.

By: London Calling

London Calling — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:51:50 +0000

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.

By: Katharsis

Katharsis — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:42:17 +0000

@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 😉

By: maarten kools

maarten kools — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:41:03 +0000

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.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 18:10:10 +0000

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.

By: Katharsis

Katharsis — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:06:37 +0000

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…

By: London Calling

London Calling — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 10:19:27 +0000

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!)

By: bill

bill — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:12:11 +0000

According to Cohen – no ear on 4206