Jazz Vinyl, Highs, Lows and In-Betweens

Let’s clear out some of the jazz vinyl we’ve been tracking on our eBay watch list, starting with a few from the Jazz Record Center auction that ended earlier this week, including Curtis Fuller, Bone and Bari, Blue Note 1572. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing that looked to be in M- (or close) condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $1,136. I thought that might be approaching a high point for this record, but it’s not even close. According to Popsike, the top price for this record was $2,550, and there have been at least four other copies that have sold for more than $1,500. It is possible to think that the buyer got a “bargain” at $1,136?

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Back At Our Post, Watching, Lamenting and Celebrating Jazz Vinyl

I don’t know what to say about my extended gap(s) between posts, so I will just apologize and hope to do better. I have somewhat of an excuse for the latest gap, sort of, in that part of that time has been in pursuit of a small record collection that has resulted in success, sort of, in that I am in possession of the records. Whether I want to be is another story, and what I will do with the records is also another story, and, sorry to do this to you, but I am not in a position to tell any of the stories yet, because we are still in progress. But all the stories bill be told in time, when they are complete. In the meantime, let’s get back to basic business, i.e,. looking at records on eBay.

Here’s a nice 10-inch Blue Note that caught my eye: Introducing the Kenny Drew Trio, Blue Note 5023. This is an original 10-inch Lexington Avenue pressing, in what looks to be M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The bidding is at $250 with more than three days left on the auction. The record is from the Jazz Record Center, so, naturally, I clicked over to their other listings, and these are some of the items I saw: Read more

Random Musings on Random Collectible Jazz Vinyl

We will look at some highly coveted jazz collectibles today, starting with John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Impulse A-77. This is an original mono pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is more than $1,000 and the auction closes later today. Of course, this record is iconic and wonderful (not always the same), and it has continued to go up in value over the years, to the point where the $1,000 bin is no surprise, even in VG+ condition, and especially with a widely respected seller such as Euclid Records. From the same seller is Workin’ With the Miles Davis Quintet. This is an original yellow-label New Jersey pressing listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The album still has the original shrink wrap and, based on my anecdotal observations over the years, this seems to add value to the record. I guess there’s a feeling that the cover has been protected, so it is more likely to be clean, which I understand. Of course, when I get a record like this, the first thing I do is take off the shrink wrap and put in a sleeve, usually the 12-5/8 sleeve, but sometimes the 12-3/4, depending on the fit. I do obsess a little about these sleeves, as I do about so many little things to do with my record collection. Read more

Old Jazz Vinyl and a Young Jazz Singer

Catching up on eBay, starting with Paul Chambers Quintet, Blue Note 1564. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is in the $250 range with three days left on the auction. How about Art Taylor, Tailor’s Wailers, Prestige 7117. This is an original yellow label with the New York address. The record and cover are both listed in VG+ condition, although the seller does mention “minimal noise,” which is better than lots of noise, but you do have concerns when there is mention of any noise at all. To be fair, I guess minimal noise does relate to some VG+ records, since VG+ is somewhat of a catchall description. Anyway, the start price for this record is $250 and so far there are no bidders. Read more

Prez to Rollins to Trane and More

Thanks for all the great comments and discussion on Saxophone Colossus. I think the consensus is blue cover, GEM, AB hand engraved, all of which I have on both of my copies. JLike our friend Lennib and other commenters, I love these discussions and get a lot out of them. Now, on to more records. Join me while I clear out some of the older items on my eBay watch list, starting with one I’d threated to bid on, but somehow lost track of along the way: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This was an original New York 23 pressing. This was one I thought had been under-graded based on the seller’s description. Read more

A Colossus Question, Blue Notes, And . . . .

Sorry, once again, for the long gap between posts. As this has become somewhat of a regular occurrence, I feel I owe some kind of explanation now that regulars such as Japhy and DaveS are calling me to task, rightfully so. I will do so in the next couple of days, but now that I’ve put aside some time to post, I feel obligated to go back to eBay and talk about jazz records as opposed to my own personal peccadillos, such as they are. So, here we have Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This is a New Jersey yellow label pressing listed in M- condition for the record and perhaps the same for the vinyl. The bidding is in the $442 range with five days left. Not bad for a New Jersey pressing. I do have a question about Saxophone Colossus. I have a duplicate copy and a few weeks ago got into a discussion with one of our readers who was looking to make a trade.

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A Love Supreme, Woodlore and a Dash of Vinyl Envy

Watching this item on eBay:John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Impulse A-77. This is an original mono pressing with the white promotional label. You don’t see too many of these. Thus one is listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The bidding is in the $900 range with more than three days left on the auction. We have seen a promo copy of A Love Supreme sell for as much as $1,358, according to Popsike, and it would not be surprising to see this record fall somewhere in that range as well.  This listing is one of many nice items from the seller Carolina Soul, now and over the past few weeks. Read more

Jazz Vinyl on a Summer’s Day

Where did I leave off before I was so rudely interrupted by the summer? Oh yeah, Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. Ex-plus record, some questions about the cover, overall consensus that this was not the copy to purchase after waiting for 45-plus years. Reality would have bitten anyway, because the final price was $1,624, which would have exceeded any reasonable price I would have been willing to pay. Of course, what is reasonable to me seems to be pretty far out of whack with what is reasonable in today’s overall market. I think I’ll solace myself with listening to my lovely Japanese pressing this evening. In the end, it’s about the music anyway, isn’t it? Or is it? This is another one on my so-called want list, meaning it is an original pressing I don’t own: Here Comes Louis Smith, Blue Note 1584. This one is listed as VG++ for both the record and the cover and it has a start price of about $1,600. There are more than four days left on the auction and so far there are no bidders. Read more

To Bid, or Not to Bid

Needless to say, I did not bid on that copy of Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. I was convinced that there was enough difference of opinion on the cover to avoid taking the risk. In any case, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have bid enough to win the record anyway. The final price was $1,624, and who knows how much higher the winning bidder actually bid. Perhaps if it had been a mint copy, but I’m guessing that mint copies will now only be available in the $2,000 or even $3,000 bin. In any case, time to move on. The Jazz Record Center has a copy of Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This is an original pressing. The record looks to be in VG++ condition and the cover probably around VG+. The bidding is in the range of $2,250 and the auction closes in a little more than a day. I would love to replace that record in my collection, and I like the fact that it is from the Jazz Record Center, but the price is beyond my reach, financially and philosophically.

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More Adventures . . . Or Just Misadventures?

Today we have various jazz vinyl that has caught my eye for various reasons, starting with Miles Davis, Miles, The New Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige 7014. This looks to be an original New York pressing with the green cover, although it’s hard to tell if it is the frame cover from the picture, but the seller says that it is. The seller also says the cover is VG++, which doesn’t look quite accurate to these eyes. The record is listed in VG+ with “a touch of light surface noise in spots.” The start price is around $280 and there are nearly five days left on the auction. So far there are no bidders. When I started collecting, this was considered a real rarity, John Coltrane’s first recording with Miles. And, indeed, this record has made it into the $1,000 bin several times. I’m wondering if there will be interest in this record. If not, will it be because of the condition or will it be because it is not on Blue Note? I’m sensing it may be a combination of the two. But I could be wrong and the bidding will become heated at the last minute, as it so often does on eBay. Read more

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