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Undercurrent: DG or Not DG, That Is The Question

March 1, 2011 Al 15 comments

A couple of weeks ago Fred Cohen of the Jazz Record Center shared some new information about a much-discussed record on Jazz Collector: Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. He sent me a note the other day stating that it raised some interesting issues about Blue Note original pressings and suggested that perhaps I give it a little more play rather than simply having it buried among a variety of comments. So, without further ado, here’s Fred:

For the benefit of Blue Note collectors and/or readers of the pressing guide, I would like to bring to their attention to the recent eBay sale of Kenny Drew “Undercurrent” on Blue Note 4059. The vinyl was in virtually new condition; the jacket showed minor wear (you can find the complete description as eBay #300517372359). What made this copy interesting is the lack of the deep groove on Side 2 and the “Review Copy” stamp on both the Side 2 label and the back slick. This is the first time I have seen a label-stamped review copy of Undercurrent and it raises the issue once again as to the definition of an “original” pressing: is it a record, regardless of any other consideration, that includes all the details – such as a deep groove – that collectors look for, or is it the first issue of that record? It is my impression that the presence of the “Review Copy” stamp on the label is a very strong indication that the “original” Undercurrent pressing had no deep groove.

Blue Note frequently stamped “Review Copy or “Audition Copy” on the jacket only, making it possible to substitute another copy of the same record. But the presence of the “Review Copy” stamp on the label would suggest

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eBaying With Horace, Lou, Newk & Leo Parker

February 25, 2011 Al 14 comments

Some interesting items on eBay now. Shall we see?

Horace Silver, The Cape Verdean Blues, Blue Note 4220. This looks to be an original mono pressing with the ear and the Van Gelder in the deadwax, although there is no close-up picture of the label to tell. This one is closing soon and is at more than $150 in VG+ or VG++ condition. Anyone out there have an explanation? Not that it’s not an excellent record, but it’s never been one of those that has garnered high prices. Perhaps because it’s a mono pressing?

We’d mentioned this one a couple of weeks ago when it sold for $81 in VG condition: Leo Parker and Bill Jennings, Billy in the Lion’s Den, King 395-527. The record here is VG+ and the cover is VG, but the pictures with the listing are very nice. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and, in this case, they seem to be worth several hundred at least: This one is already more than $325.

Random Notes: Mobley, Byrd, Warhol

February 24, 2011 Al 10 comments

This one was in VG- or VG condition for the vinyl with surface noise in the ballads: Hank Mobley Quartet, Blue Note 5066. The cover was listed in VG condition and it had clear marks on the back. It sold for $710. Indeed, this is a hot record these days. Based on the sale of a similar record last week, I thought this one would fetch more: Donald Byrd, Parisian Thoroughfare, Brunswick 87904. This was an original French pressing. The record and the cover were both in VG+ condition. There was just one bidder and the price was $299. As I type this I am listening to my original pressing of George Wallington, Jazz For the Carriage Trade, Prestige 7032. I tend to agree with Rudolf, Donald Byrd is not a favorite player, but Phil Woods just wails on this LP. Here’s another Andy Warhol cover available for those watching such items: Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1543. This has a Lexington Avenue address but it’s not clear whether it’s a deep groove, flat edge original. It probably is, but I’d ask if I were to bid. The seller clearly does not have experience selling jazz records because it’s really tough to gauge the condition and vintage. He does know enough to have a start price of 4500. No bidders so far.

More Jazz Vinyl Updates and A Couple of Surprises

February 22, 2011 Al 36 comments

Here’s an update on some of the jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:

Let’s start with the $1,000 bin, this one from last week: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,675. Hmm, in the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve had four or five of these sell for more than $3,000. What’s going on? Is there something in the listing that would indicate this is not an original pressing? Looks good to me. I know the listing would have been enhanced by more and better pictures, but still. . .

As we saw last week, prices for certain records with Andy Warhol covers seem to be rising. Here’s an example: Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1543. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing — the last original Lexington Avenue, right? — and the record was VG but the cover was VG+. It sold for $833. That’s the highest we’ve seen in the Jazz Collector Price Guide for any Burrell record.

Here’s one that provides an answer to a question we posed the other day:

An Opportune Time For eBay Bargains?

February 21, 2011 Al 5 comments

Today may be a time to find bargains on eBay. When I bid on records, which is not too often these days, I use a sniping software called BidNip. Earlier today I tried to snipe two records, but the software wouldn’t allow it. These were records closing within a few hours, yet the BidNip software showed them both closing sometime in 1999. Indeed. Anyway, I’ll share my secrets: One of the records was this: Randy Weston, Trio and Solo, Riverside 227. This was an original pressing with the white label. I love those white label Riversides and I don’t own an original copy of this. It was listed in M- condition for the record and the cover. I was going to put a snipe bid of about $71, since it was only at $30 with about an hour to go. I would have lost: The record sold for $83.20. The other record is still coming up, but I’ll have no chance to win it, snipe or not: Stanley Turrentine, Look Out, Blue Note 4039. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide our top price for this is nearly $400 and this one is sitting at about $125 in VG+ condition. I might have gone close to $200 for it, but not with confidence and not expecting to win it. The point of all this is that

e-Bay Watch: Getz, JR, Byrd, Mobley, et al

February 21, 2011 Al 4 comments

Here’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching now on eBay. Some of these are closing soon, so by the time many of you read these they will be sold.

Stan Getz In Stockholm, Verve 8213. This is an original pressing with the trumpeter label. Excellent LP with Getz in fine form. This one is listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It is currently at $100.

Euclid Records has some nice records today, including these: J. R. Monterose, The Message, Jaro 5004. The record is in M- condition and the cover is just VG. It is already priced at more than $650. Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. How much do you want to own a copy? Would you accept one in G condition for the record, with noise, and VG for the cover? Someone will. This one is about $125 and I expect it will sell for a bit more than that. Bud Powell, Time Waits, Blue Note 1598. This looks to be an original pressing. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. The current price is $175.

Haven’t seen this one in awhile, but now it’s up for the second time in a week:

Catching Up on Some 10-Inch Jazz Vinyl

February 17, 2011 Al 13 comments

Can’t sleep so I’m up early updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Here are some 10-inch records that will be going in:

Miles Davis All Stars Volume 2, Prestige 200. This looks to be an original pressing with the yellow label, probably one of the first Prestiges to have the famous yellow label. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $204.50.

I think this was the first LP issued by Blue Note: Mellow The Mood, Blue Note 5001. It features Ike Quebec, Benny Morton, Buck Clayton and others. The record was VG and the cover was VG++. You’d think it would fetch a high price just for the historic value. But, alas, this copy did not: It sold for $28.

I’ve never seen this one and it has quite a cool cover: Bill Jennings/Leo Parker Quintet, Billy in the Lion’s Den, King 527. This was listed in VG condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $81.

Hard to find this one in M- condition, but here was a copy: Gerry Mulligan Quartet, With Chet Baker, Pacific Jazz 5. It sold for $115.52.

And now for some 10-inch Blue Notes:

Jazz Vinyl Update: Richardson, Monk, et al

February 14, 2011 Al 2 comments

Here’s some jazz vinyl we were watching over the weekend:

Jerome Richardson, Roamin’ With Richardson, New Jazz 8226. This was an original pressing that was listed in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $305. Looks like a new seller on eBay who will be posted some more items in the next few weeks.

Thelonious Monk, Prestige 7027. This looked to be an original pressing with the kakubushi cover. It looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $250.

This seller from South Korea sold some nice records this weekend, including: Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The vinyl was M- and the cover was VG++. The price was $638. Also, Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This was also an original pressing and this one was in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $421. Finally, Art Farmer, Donald Byrd, Idrees Sulieman, Three Trumpets, Prestige 7092. This was an original New York pressing in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $344.

Some Nice Jazz Vinyl For the $1,000 Bin

February 9, 2011 Al 22 comments

Time to update the $1,000 jazz vinyl bin:

Here’s quite an interesting one: Donald Byrd in Paris and Parisian Throughfare, Volumes 1 and 2, Brunswick 903 and 904. This was an auction of two rare records, released in France , and listed in M- condition for both records and both covers. The seller described them as like new. I’m familiar with the U.S. Signature release of these records and, in fact, I own Volume 1. I’m not sure how and when these were released in France and the U.S., but I imagine someone out there will have that information to share. These records, quite attractive and enticing, fetched $2,400 as a pair.

Horace Parlan, Us Three, Blue Note 4037. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,675. I actually owned a copy of this record is nearly the same condition, maybe slightly less, and sold it for $1,500 last year to a Jazz Collector reader. We were both pleased, and I’m pleased to see the price is holding steady, if not increasing.

Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. This looked to be an original pressing with the drummer logo and the blue writing on the back, although it would have been nice to have seen a picture of the back cover. Nevertheless, this one was in VG++ condition for the record and the cover and it sold for $1,545

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