Watching Jazz Vinyl From the Jazz Record Center
Our friends at the Jazz Record Center have a new auction this week and we always like to keep an eye on their stuff because it gives a pretty good indication of the overall market, which still seems to be down these days, right? Here are a few of their listings:
Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This is an original pressing with the purple label and deep grooves. The record looks to be in M- condition, and the cover probably VG+ with some seam splitting. The start price is $75, there are no bidders and there are eight days to go. We’ve seen this record sell for as much as $966 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, so we’d expect that this will fetch a much higher price than the start price. We’ll see.
Horace Parlan, On the Spur of the Moment, Blue Note 4074. This is a weird one, with a Review stamp on one label with the New York USA address, and the other address the West 63rd Street label. As noted by Fred Cohen, proprietor of the Jazz Record Center, the original pressing on this one should have the West 63rd address on both labels. So what does that make this? Here’s where we get into that whole debate again about original and first pressings. This one has a start price of $200 and no bids as of yet.
Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 5065. This is the original 10-inch version and it looks to be in beautiful condition, M- for both the record and the cover. The start price on this one is $500.
Lee Morgan, Volume 3, Blue Note 1557. This is an original West 63rd pressing and it looks to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ or VG+ for the cover. The start price is $750.
yea! the dolphy album is a gem. always a pleasure to hear booker little play from the limited recordings he did in his short life. thanks for posting
The Dolphy has a non laminated cover, which is strange for an original pressing. My original first pressing is laminated, so the conclusion is that this one may be original, but not first.
as a lonely wolf I repeat: the word ORIGINAL should be applied to first pressing only: my copy IS original.
laminated.
I agree with Dottorjazz. If a seller says ‘original’ it should mean 1st. If not, it can be confusing and a little deceitful. The value could vary quite a bit.
I believe that the Lee Morgan Vol 3 should be NY 23, not NYC, to be a first pressing. JRC’s description did not call it a first pressing (and actually pointed out it was not NY 23). So, Al, I would change your “original” to “early” on the Lee Morgan. BTW – I think JRC is very careful to let you know when they have a first pressing and when they don’t (esp with BNs). And I don’t think you’d ever hear them accused of being midleading (though I couldnt say that with lots of sellers).
Thank you BigBear. As usual, you are correct. Apologies on my inaccuracy. When I see a start price of $750, I guess I automatically think “original,” although this is, indeed, an early pressing.
one needs close reading these days. I noticed the Lee Morgan case, but Fred made it clear himself, no NY 23. So it is no first pressing, but a Blue Note original, not a Japanese or french re-issue.
Dottore, I hear the lonely wolf crying, but tend to disagree. the name of the game is close reading and interpretation of the given facts. Every buyer should draw his own conclusions.