Newk, Candy, Jug, Bird: A Jazz Vinyl Potpourri

Pardon the interruption. I decided to take a much needed vacation. Hopped in the car with The Lovely Mrs. and headed south. Ended up in the northern part of Florida, with a small Airbnb located right on the ocean. Damn, a fellow could get used to that. Didn’t think about work, didn’t think about records, didn’t think about much of anything. I’m back now and there’s still snow and ice on the ground and the winds were howling at about 40 MPH overnight and into this morning. Of course, you are not here for a weather report but for information about rare or not-so-rare jazz records. Let’s hop on over the eBay for the first time in a couple of weeks and see what is going on, shall we? We can start with Newk: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Esquire 32-045. This looks to be an original UK pressing. The seller describes it as EX with a lot of plus signs, so I would take that to be M- or so for the record and the cover. The bidding is in the $300 range and the auction closes later today, so by the time many of you see this, the bidding will be finalized and someone will be anxiously awaiting their copy of this very cool record. The music isn’t bad either. Read more

Filling Up the $1,000 Bin

Catching up on the eBay jazz vinyl watch list. Let’s start with one that was sent to me by Japhy: Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This was an original deep-groove. West 63rd Street mono. The record and the cover were both in VG++ condition. The final price was $1,650. Japhy’s note was titled “Swinging for the fences,” and he did my homework for me: “A new high of $1,650 for Jackie McLean Swing, Swang, Swingin’ in reported VG++/VG++ condition. Prior high was $1,283 back in 2005.” Speaking of “Swingin’” new highs, we were watching this one the other day: Read more

New Year’s Vinyl

This record seems appropriate for the time of year: Vice Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Fantasy 85019. This looked to be an original stereo pressing. The record and cover were listed in EX condition. The final price was $355. I always liked the music for the Peanuts gang, but I never did own this record. And still don’t. I guess it’s the season because I was watching another copy at the same time. This copy of A Charlie Brown Christmas was listed in VG++ condition for the record and EX for the cover. The final price was $227.50. Read more

Lou, Red, Mr. PC and Everything is Beautiful

Just a sittin’ here watchin’ some rare jazz vinyl on eBay. Let’s start with Lou Donaldson, New Faces, New Sounds, Blue Note 5021. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing. I had this record once, but I don’t have it anymore because I sold it 30 years ago. It’s an old familiar refrain that involves a sunken boat. In any case, I spotted this copy on eBay because the seller’s listing said “BEAUTIFUL COPY” in ALL CAPS and it caught my eye. But the listing has the vinyl in VG or VG+ condition and the cover n VG+. BEAUTIFUL COPY, as always, is in the eye of the beholder. The auction closes in five days and the opening bid price is $200, with no takers so far. Read more

Two Old Jazz Records That Are New (At Least to Me)

Time to peruse the old watchlist once again. Let’s look at two records I don’t recall seeing and were certainly never on my radar until spotting them on eBay. First is Electrifying Sounds of the Paul Jeffrey Quintet, Savoy, 12192. This is a very late issue for the Savoy label and it has a maroon label. I’m assuming the maroon is the original color at this stage of the Savoy catalogue, but I don’t know that for sure. This one had a corner clip and original shrink wrap and was listed in M- condition. The final price was $265. Further research shows that the quintet consists of Jeffrey, Jimmy Owens, George Cables, Larry Ridley and Billy Hart, recorded in August of 1968. Part of my interest is the simple fact that I am not familiar with this record, even though it was issued near the time when I first got interested in jazz and began shopping the bins for jazz records. Also, it was near the time when I started seeing jazz live regularly. Jeffrey was the tenor player with Monk and I saw him many times at the Vanguard and was always impressed with his playing and always wondered why he didn’t get more accolades and/or record dates as a leader. So, I guess, he had at least one more record date as a leader than I was aware of. Read more

Benson, Bird, Dex and More

Last week I posted that video of the guy who bought George Benson’s record collection (In The Mailbox: Yikes, Yowzas & George Benson’s Collection). Now we are starting to see some records from the collection coming onto eBay, starting with Dexter Gordon, A Swingin’ Affair, Blue Note 4133. This is an original New York USA pressing featuring Sonny Clark on piano. The record is listed in VG condition and the cover looks to be about VG+. The bidding is in the $125 range with eight days left on the auction. There are already 16 bids and 83 watchers, which will surely increase with this post. It’s a great record and a nice collectible: Does the fact that it was probably owned by George Benson have an impact on the price? If you were considering buying this record, would it matter to you? Read more

Records and Record Setters

To pick up here I left off yesterday, here is Freddie Redd Quartet with Jackie McLean, The Connection, Blue Note 4027. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing with the deep grooves, ears, etc. The record and cover were both listed in M- condition. The record sold for $1,525, which has to be a high for this record as I open a window to Popsike and . . . . it is, indeed, nearly doubling the previous high price for this record. Here’s another record that seems like it may have set a new record: Bennie Green, Soul Stirrin’, Blue Note 1599. This was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $969. Indeed, according to Popsike, that is a new record high, quite a feat considering the condition. Surely, there have been M- copies of this record in the past. Read more

Four For Blue Note

Random Blue Note jazz vinyl from our eBay watch list, starting with Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles, Blue Note 4175. This is an original mono pressing listed in M- condition for the record and cover. Seller rates it a ten on a scale of one to ten, for whatever that is worth. I had this in my queue and a reader sent me a link and it has 70 watchers, so it is, at the very least, a widely viewed listing that closes within a couple of hours of when I post this. The bidding is already more than $900 and at that price it will set a new high for this record, according to Popsike, but we are fully expecting that this copy will break into the $1,000 bin. Read more

Miscellaneous Music and Musings

Back from a road trip that took me from The Berkshires to Chapel Hill to DC to New York and back. Didn’t stop in a single record store along the way and returned home to find that there are now two new record stores a few hundred feet apart in the little town of Great Barrington near my home. One of the record stores opens next week, the other opened this past weekend. I stopped by the one that has opened and it has the feeling of a guy clearing out his house, basement, garage and attic of a lot of stuff. But there were definitely records to view and buy, particularly if you are into vocals. I came upon a lot of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, but I can’t vouch for the conditions. As of now, there is no organization to the store, everything seems to be thrown in at random. I did find three 10-inch records to buy: Lars Gullin on Vogue, James Moody on Emarcy and Frank Rosolino on Capital. They seemed in decent enough condition at the store, but when I took them out of the car I realized I would have to sneak them into the house because they smelled of mildew. I may go back to check out the store again, but I’ll be careful. Maybe next time I’ll take off the mask so I can make use of my sense of smell before buying anything. As for the other store, I’ll check it out when it opens and get back to you with a report.

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Catching Up: Blue Notes and Prestige

Sorry for the long gap between posts. I spent a week in New York and when I got back I began a major record reorganization project to clear space in the house, which has resulted in me moving 2,000 records and my entire Downbeat collection into storage for potential sale and/or donation. I imagine that sentence may pique some interest, so feel free to email me if you have questions. The time is ripe: I’m in a purging frame of mind, and who knows how long that will last? Anyway, I’m back on eBay once again and, as always, watching jazz vinyl for sale, starting with: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This is an original 10-inch LP, listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG for the cover (and what a great cover it is). The bidding is in the $240 range. Seeing this record, which I don’t own, I am wondering why Prestige chose to issue this on 12-inch in Monk’s name and not Sonny’s. Anyone venture a guess or opinion? Rudolf, our Prestige expert, any insight? Read more

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