Category: Blue Note

A Period Piece and More

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As a collector, I have always tended to focus more on musicians than on labels. So, for example, it was more interesting to me to have original Coltrane, Miles or Cannonball records, than to focus on the Blue Note, Prestige or Riverside catalogues. Anyway, the key artists for me have been the key artists for many of you – Miles, Trane, Clifford Brown, Monk, Dexter, Sonny Rollins, and a few more. One of the records that has somehow slipped my grasp after all of these years of jazz collecting is this one: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This is an original pressing listed in VG condition for the record and the cover. The start price is $500 and so far there are no bidders. I haven’t been buying in a while, but a record like this would be of interest for sure and would fill in that one Newk hole in my collection. And I always liked that cover.
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Still Here, Still Watching That Jazz Vinyl

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Whew, it’s been a long time  between posts. Sorry about that. All is well, but there’s been a lot going on here. I’m even back in New York City for a bit. Set up a new turntable here and brought some records back to the apartment, mostly duplicates. Haven’t been following eBay closely, but I should be back in regular action, such as it is, starting today. So, let’s look at some of the jazz records and auctions we’ve missed along the way, starting with Hank Mobley Sextet, Blue Note 1560. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing with the deep grooves, ear, etc. The record and cover both looked to be in M- condition. The final price was $3,036.23. Read more

New Year’s Vinyl

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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

High Tide for Jazz Vinyl

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Ella and Louis, Verve 4003. This was an original pressing with the orange and yellow label. It was listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The seller was Carolina Soul. The final price was $465, the highest we’ve ever seen for Ella and Louis. Music doesn’t get any better than this, IMHO. Pretty good cover too, wouldn’t you say? I didn’t realize this had become this highly valued as a collectible but, hey, if I didn’t have a copy of this record I’d be fine to pay the going rate. Maybe even sell one Blue Note and get two or three copies of Ella and Louis, just in case.

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More Love (And Higher Bids) For Blue Note 4200 Records

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I was watching the latest auction from the Jazz Record Center, so let’s get into another Blue Note day, starting with Sam Rivers, Contours, Blue Note 4206. This was an original New York USA pressing with the Van Gelder stamp and “Audition Copy” stamped on the back. The record looked to be in M- condition and the cover was probably VG++. The final price was $754. From what I can see on Popsike, this is the second highest price for this record, or any Sam Rivers record. Several years ago, a copy of Contours sold for $810. Read more

Lexingon Avenue, to West 63rd, To St. Louis

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Let’s look at various items sitting in my watch list for various reasons, starting with The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume One, Blue Note 1505. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was probably in VG+ condition and the cover was probably VG+ as well, based on the pictures. The final price was $610. I flagged this one because my recollection was that this record wasn’t among the Blue Notes you would expect to see in the $1,000 bin, being a pre Van Gelder Blue Note that was a compilation of music originally issued on 78-RPM or on 10-inch vinyl. I wasn’t surprised to see the $600 price tag because nothing would surprise me these days and because, hey, it’s an original Lexington Avenue Blue Note, and just holding one of these in your hands is a thrill. Not to mention the presence of Clifford Brown and Charles Mingus, among others, on the record. I did check in with Popsike and discovered that The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume One has, indeed, had a presence in the $1,000 bin, selling for more than $1,500 back in 2010, well before the most recent market spike. Read more

Lou, Red, Mr. PC and Everything is Beautiful

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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

Giant Steps, Impulse and Moose the Mooche

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Let’s take a look at the Jazz Collector inbox, starting with one of our favorite provocateurs,  CeeDee. This one came in under the subject Trane Reigns! John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was an original black label pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $1,604. It look me a long time, but I’m glad I finally got my black label Giant Steps a few years ago, prior to the current shift in the market where, it seems, anything goes and most things are going up. Looking back, it was 2016 when I made that particular score, which I wrote about in this post: A New Year’s Adventure in Jazz Collecting. It was interesting getting this link from CeeDee, because I have been in a Coltrane head lately, starting with a comment from my friend Dan about Mal2, followed by another comment from Dan about Cattin’ With Coltrane and Quinichette, followed by an evening listing to, in order, Blue Train and A Love Supreme, followed by the purchase of the new release A Love Supreme Live in Seattle. At this point, I have only listened to Side One of the new Love Supreme. Once I’ve listened to the whole thing, I’ll have more to say. I will note that I could listen to Coltrane all day, every day, never get bored and always hear something new.   Read more

Familiar Names and Titles for The $1,000 Bin

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Catching up on some more jazz vinyl auctions on eBay, starting with Tommy Flanagan, The Cats, New Jazz 8217. This was an original purple label mono deep groove pressing. The record features John Coltrane among others. The record and cover were listed in M- condition, although the picture of the bag cover is clearly not M-, and is probably just VG+.  The final price was $1,675. Based on Popsike, that is the highest price we’ve seen for The Cats, possibly more than double the previous high.

Whilst we are perusing the $1,000 bin: Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original West 63rdStreet pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The final price was $1,514.89. This one had a start price of about $5,000 but did not sell: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This was an original pressing. The record was listed as M-, but the cover was VG-. It is back on eBay for the same start price. Read more

Vinyl Sadness and Stuff

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Once again relying on our friend CeeDee to keep me apprised of jazz vinyl happenings on eBay while my work prevents me from being as active as I would like. The first one is a record I’ve never heard of by an artist that is not familiar to me: Bjarne Rostvold Trio, Tricrotism, RCA Victor 9955. This was an original mono German pressing sold by vinyl-house-uk.The record was listed in EX+ condition and the cover was EX. The final price was $503. Is this a bass, drum, trumpet trio, as it seems on the cover? I’m trying to think of other records with this personnel and I’m coming up empty. There surely must be more out there, but I can’t think of them. Read more

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