Waxing Rhapsodic on Kenny Dorham Vinyl

Here’s an update on some jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with The Arrival of Kenny Dorham, Jaro 5007. This looks to be an original deep groove pressing. The record was in what looked to be VG++ condition and the cover was listed as M-. The final price was $580. This one is closing in a couple of days: Kenny Dorham ‘Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing listed as Ex condition for the cover, which I consider a catch-all rating similar to VG+, and VG for the cover. The bidding is in the $350. Curious about favorite Kenny Dorham records out there among the Jazz Collector community. I like him on pretty much everything. This Blue Note is fantastic for example, and, of course, there is Quiet Kenny on New Jazz. Someone was asking me about KD the other day and of of the best things I had on my iPhone to play for her was Kenny Dorham on the Benny Golson Riverside album The Modern Touch on which his playing really stands out among a great group of musicians in a great setting. The other one I had in my pocket on the iPhone was  KD on Rollins Plays for Bird, another standout performance.

Here’s another nice Blue Note up for sale now on eBay:

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The “Infamous” Junkie Cover?

Once again we will travel to France for today’s post thanks to our friend CeeDee, who seems to be inspiring a few of our reports lately. This one concerns this record: Miles Davis Group, Barclay 84.018. This was an original 10-inch French pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It consists of music from the Prestige “Dig” date, featuring Sonny Rollins and Jackie McLean. In his note to me, CeeDee described this as “the infamous junkie cover.” I had to confess my ignorance. I had never seen this cover before, nor had I ever heard of the picture and the reference to a junkie cover. I asked CeeDee what he knew. Apparently, he doesn’t know much in terms of details but said he’s always heard that’s how this particular cover was usually referenced by collectors and the image has rarely been produced in any format. He suggests that some of our European readers will have what he describes as the “grim details.” So let’s put it out there and see what comes back. The record sold for $577.89, by the way. I have a feeling after this post and subsequent comments, the value may go up even higher. I will say I, for one, am newly intrigued by this record.
Separately, CeeDee sent me these followup excerpts to set the mood of the times:

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A 10-Inch French Beauty, And A Pair of Blue Notes

Goodness, it’s been days since I’ve been on eBay and nearly a week since my last post. Thank you for not complaining, although in the future please feel free to do so. When I get caught up in my regular work, it is nice to be jolted back to Jazz Collector so I can do my fun stuff. So here are some of the jazz records we missed while we were away, starting with: Zoot Sims, Henri Renaud and Jon Eardley, Ducretet-Thomson 250 V 023. This is a 10-inch French pressing from 1956. I have to admit, I have never seen this record before. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG+. There were more than 250 page views, 21 bids and a final price of $2,281.

Sonny Rollins, Volume 2, Blue Note 1558. This was an original pressing with the New York 23 deep groove labels. It was listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover and the listing was accompanied by some nice clear pictures. The final price was $1,227.99. We see a couple of these sell for more than $1,200 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is quite near the top of the market for this record.

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Miles, Monk and a New Face

Here are some of the items I was watching from the recent auction by the Jazz Record Center, starting with: Wynton Kelly, New Faces – NewSounds, Blue Note 5025. This was an original 10-inch pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $191.38. I should have bid on it. Great music, great cover. How can these 10 inch Blue Notes not be worth more money, given what’s going on with 12-inch Blue Notes?

Miles Davis, Steamin’, Prestige 7200. This was an original New Jersey yellow label pressing that was in probably M- condition for the record and at least VG++ for the cover. It sold for only $75. Weird. Why wouldn’t this get more. It’s actually my favorite among the Miles Prestiges that were all recorded in that one session — Steamin’, Cookin’, Workin’, Relaxin’. By contrast, look at this one from the same auction: Miles Davis, Relaxin’, Prestige 7129. This was an original New York pressing in virtually identical condition to Steamin’. It sold for $393.

I thought this one might fetch a higher price as well:

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A Prestige Pair, and a 10-Inch Blue Note

Here are a few items we’re watching now on eBay, starting with a couple of Prestiges: Phil Woods, Pairing Off, Prestige 7046. This is an original New York pressing and is graded Ex- for the record and VG for the cover, which translates to approximately VG+ for  the record in the terms we use here, although the seller seems to use both VG+ and Ex in his grading system. Anyway, the start price is $150 and so far there are no bidders. We would expect this to sell, but you never know. I recently received the 10-inch Phil Woods Prestige that I got as a birthday present to myself and to my pleasant surprise, the condition was much nicer than what had been advertised. Music is very nice as well.

Roy Haynes with Booker Ervin, Cracklin’, New Jazz 8286. This seems to be an original pressing, although it has one side that is a deep groove and one that isn’t. What do you make of that? The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG+. The price is in the $140 range and I’m assuming it is an original unless I hear otherwise.

I almost bid on this one and now kind of regret that I didn’t:

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A Tale of Two Blue Notes

Others saw this and pointed to it already, but I couldn’t let it pass without at least a mention: J. R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was, alas, a reissue. A reissue that sold for $1,081. Clearly the buyer thinks he is getting an original pressing and will be quite disappointed. I’ve sold enough collectible jazz records on eBay to know that English is not the first language for many of the high-end buyers and when you underline words like “flat edge” and “deep groove” and you don’t call out that it is a reissue, then you are being purposefully obscure. I’m pretty sure the seller is a reader of Jazz Collector and perhaps he will make a strong argument that he was being aptly descriptive of the record. And maybe the buyer won’t complain. I know there are many people who believe that it is the buyer’s responsibility and in this case the seller uses the word “repressing” to describe the record. But if it was me, and I paid nearly $1,100 for a record, and I was waiting for it in the mail and I opened up the box and pulled out a reissue, I’d be might, mighty disappointed. And pretty angry. And I would demand a refund. Whereas if I purchased this record and opened it and pulled it out of the box I’d be quite pleased because it was no doubt an original pressing: Fats Navarro Memorial Album, Blue Note 5004. This was an original — a real original– 10-inch record in M- condition for the record and at least VG++ for the cover. What a beauty, and the seller took some nice pictures as well. It sold for $178.09. Which would you rather have: The Fats original or the J.R. reissue?

 

Another Story

So I said there would be another birthday story from yesterday and here it is:

About a week ago, you may recall, I posted an item about a lovely Phil Woods 10-inch record on the New Jazz label (Of Prestiges and Great Tenor Records). I mentioned that this would be of particular interest to a good friend, who has a passion for both 10-inch LPs and Phil Woods. That friend is the oft-mentioned Dan Axelrod and when he saw that post he emailed me a listing of yet another 10-inch Phil Woods record from the same era, and that was called Encores, the Phil Woods New Jazz Quintet, Prestige 191. And Dan told me that this is the record that has been at the top of his want list for years, and that it should also be at the top of my want list. Why? Well, in looking longingly at this record over the course of many years, Dan discovered that it was actually recorded on February 4, 1955. That was the exact date of my second birthday. Which was cool enough. But, in addition, there was actually a song on this record called “Toos Bloos.”  Get it: Too’s Blues and I was two on the day it was recorded. Well, to be honest, that coincidence didn’t do all that much for me, but for Dan it was a sign. I had to own this record. It was “my” record. And, if I had even one shred of a doubt, Dan told me one more fact that seemed to be the clincher that this was, indeed, a signal from a power far greater than any of us that this was “my” record and I must, at any cost, own it: Read more

Jazz Vinyl With Cool Covers

I happened to be browsing on eBay last night when several of the auctions we’ve been watching from the seller robertb8640 were closing, so I plucked a few to watch and share, starting with: Thelonious Monk, Piano Solo, French Swing 33.342. I’m definitely developing a thing for some of these European pressings. This is a 10-inch pressing, apparently first issued in France? The record was VG and the cover was VG++. The price was $225.82. Fantastic cover, with a great picture of a pensive Monk.

Johnny Griffin Quartet, Argo 624. This was an original pressing with the very weird split cover. The seller showed some nice pictures of the cover and how it worked surrounding the record. This one was in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $471.88. Is this highest priced of all the Argo records. It is, indeed, according to the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

 

 

 

Of Prestiges and Great Tenor Records

Prestige Day at Jazz Collector. This one is for a good friend who has a passion for 10-inch LPs, and for Phil Woods: Phil Woods, New Jazz Quintet, New Jazz 1104. Man, look at that cover. Phil looks like he’s about 15. The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG to VG+. Start price is $250 and it’s closing in four hours. No bidders so far.

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This is an original New York pressing. The record and cover were listed in VG++ condition. The bidding is in the $275 range with more than a day to go. Someone recently sent me a list of something like the 50 greatest tenor sax records ever. I quickly glanced at the list to see what was #1 (it was either Giant Steps or A Love Supreme). I looked to see where this record ranked, since it would have it in my top two or three. But it wasn’t on the list. I clicked my off off the link and never looked back. I’m sure a quick Google search and someone will find it and post it here. I would have it Tenor Madness had been on the list.

This is another great tenor record I listened to recently for the first time in years:

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Monk and Newk, Superb in Every Way

Be still my heart. Look at this beauty: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This is an original 10-inch with the maroon and silver labels. Hmmmm. M- condition for both the record and the cover, as the seller describes “superb in every way.” Now this is temptation. It closes in less than three hours and is priced at close to $400. I just won $500 in Fantasy Football this season. Perhaps, this would be the payoff?

Here’s one I’ve never seen in person, only on eBay: Tommy Potter’s Hard Funk, East-West 4001. This is an original pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. Kind of a strange record for the era, recorded in Sweden with an American rhythm section and Swedish horn players. I imagine this is all explained on the liner notes?

 

 

 

 

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