Thelonious, Duke, Phil and Buckshot

Let’s get back to the mundane business of watching prices of rare jazz vinyl soar on eBay, shall we. Let’s start with Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington, Riverside 12-201. This is the original pressing of the first record in the 200 series of Riverside. It is an original white label pressing with the original cover, featuring photos of Monk, Oscar Pettiford and Kenny Clarke. The record looks to be in nice condition, although the description is pretty vague for a seller who does not offer returns. Cover also looks pretty nice, based on the pictures. The bidding starts at about $750 and so far there is no action, with the auction closing in about two days. I would love to own an original copy of this record and I came close about 20 years ago for what at the time was a reasonable price. I was at the Jazz Record Center in New York and had a copy in my hand in very nice condition and the price was $100. I thought long and hard, asked Fred what he thought and he said it was a bargain at that price, but I guess I didn’t have the money, or the balls, at the time, so I left it behind. Came back a few days later to get it, but it was gone. Read more

Ramblings, Records and Rancor, Oh My

In my real life I’ve been writing what we call an “eBook” for a client. Basically, it’s a long term paper of about 5,000 words. The topic is climate change and, if you want to get really depressed, read the latest report from the United Nations. Anyway, I share this because being buried in work has left little time for the important things in life, like Jazz Collector and, lo and behold, in my absence there are 55 comments, and counting, on the latest post. Surely, they can’t all be about getting happy with Freddie Redd and Jazz Collector, so I am curious about what is going on to inspire such interest and, perhaps, inspiration. So, pardon me while I catch up. Hmmm, now I see that there was a personal, and in my view entirely unfounded attack on Clifford from a new commenter named Gohoos81, who has since apologized and rambled to the point where I am having trouble deciphering whether this was a real diatribe or an attempt to spam the site. Whatever. I see there has been enough pushback without me having to waste more time worrying about it. But Gohoos81, if you are still here, you may find that there are other sites where the community is more welcoming of your rancor and bluster, but you don’t seem to have a very welcoming audience here, including your usually amenable host. Read more

Jazz Vinyl Alerts From The Field

Let’s turn things over to a couple of readers for today’s post, starting with Andy, who sent the following:

“Hi Al, hope all is well. I’ve been doing some shopping over on Yahoo! Japan Auctions and found a couple interesting pieces I thought I’d share. First off is a sold listing: J.R. Monterose’s self-titled on Blue Note. According to the seller it only had the RVG and ear on side two. If I had to guess I’d assume it would be a later pressing because of this. It still fetched a nice sum though! 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

Random Vinyl with Random Musings

Time to clean out my watch list in time for the holiday weekend. Some of this stuff goes  back a few weeks (or more) but I kept them in the queue thinking that someday I would do exactly what I am doing now. Here goes, starting backwards, from May there was Howard McGhee, Dusty Blue, Bethlehem 6055. This was an original mono pressing that was listed in VG condition for the record and G for the cover. It was in pretty bad shape, yet it sold for nearly $500. I don’t understand what it is about the record or condition that warranted that kind of price, with a bidding war to boot, so perhaps someone here can elucidate me. 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

$hade$ Of Redd

Well, whaddya know: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was the one we mentioned the other day from our friend Rudolf. Mint condition, original pressing. The speculation was that this would be the one to break the $2,000 barrier. Indeed. It sold for $3,551.50. Guess I got my copy just in time. Rudolf, could you ever have imagined that your jazz records would bring this kind of annuity? How about this one: Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 4140. This was an original mono New York USA label. The record was listed in EX+ condition and the cover was EX. The final price was $941. Read more

Outward Bound, I Wish I Was

Today we have some random jazz vinyl we are watching on eBay, starting with a pair of Dolphy New Jazz LPs: Eric Dolphy, Outward Bound, New Jazz 8236. This looks to be an original purple label pressing with the deep grooves. The record is in VG condition and the cover is VG+. The auction closes in a few hours from when I am posting this, with a start price of about $300 and no bidders. The seller does mention “surface sound” during some soft passages, so that may be scaring away potential bidders. Great album with a great cover. The same seller has Eric Dolphy, Out There, New Jazz 8252. This also looks to be a deep groove purple label original. Same condition as the other, VG with surface sound for the record and VG+ for the cover. This one has bids and is currently in the $200 range. Read more

Patterns, Icons and Socks

Here are some of the items in our eBay watch list, starting with Gil Melle, Patterns in Jazz, Blue Note 1517. This looked to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the records and VG++ for the cover. The final price was $2,716. That is the highest price ever recorded for this album, according to Popsike. I own a Japanese pressing of this LP and, frankly, I’ve never listened to it, but somehow I get the sense that it is the label and not the music or the artists that makes this record so coveted among collectors. Maybe next time I get a chance, I’ll put it on the turntable. FYI, the highest price for any of the Melle Prestige records was $544 – and that wasn’t even the one with Kenny Dorham, Gil’s Guests. That one has had a top price of $381. Read more

Shorter Shilling?

I’m watching a couple of Wayne Shorter auctions on eBay now, starting with Wayne Shorter, JuJu, Blue Note 4182. This looks to be an original New York USA pressing with the Plastylite ear, RVG and deep groove on one side. The record is in VG condition with “surface marks and some scratches” and the cover is also listed as VG. The auction closes in a couple of days and there is a single bid at $300. The more interesting record, to me, is Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 84194. I put this one second in this post because I typically like to use a picture with the first record I mention and, for aesthetic purposes, the idea of putting this particular Speak No Evil cover violated my sense of good taste. Read more

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