Category: Prestige

On the Menu: Classic Blue Notes and Prestiges

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We’ll start today with a few from the Prestige label, opening with Zoot Sims Quartets, Prestige 7026. This is an original New York pressing that looks to be in about VG+ condition for the record and similar for the cover. It’s not a record that we’ve written about much. We don’t see it on eBay that often and it doesn’t typically command high collectible prices, compared to other original pressings from the era. This one has a start price of $200 and so far there are no bids, with the auction closing in two days. I happen to own a copy of this record, but haven’t listened to it in like 30 years. Maybe I’ll try it later. Zoot is always worth a listen, IMHO. Read more

Blue Notes and Beyond

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I’m back, finally. I see in my absence, Mr. Lee did a good job of keeping the interest alive. I’ve actually removed a couple of posts that had to do with cases filed on eBay. Sorry, Mr. Lee, that’s not something we do here at Jazz Collector.

Let’s start with the tease on the Blue Note documentary. It is called Blue Note Records: Beyond the Blue Notes. I saw it at a special screening at the Tribeca Film Festival. Watching the movie and knowing that I would have to write about it here reminded me why, early in my journalism career, I decided that I didn’t want to be a critic. To be fair, there were some great things about the movie. Nice clips of Monk, the Lion and Wolff story, the artwork (of course) and some great commentary and stories from 91-year-old Lou Donaldson, who lights up the screen every time he appears. Would I recommend the documentary to you, loyal Jazz Collector readers? I don’t need to, do I? You’ll see it no matter what I say, as you should. Within the movie is the story of the music we love as it was recorded and packaged on one of the labels we treasure and collect. Read more

Shades of Tommy Flanagan Overseas

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When I began collecting jazz vinyl as a serious (obsessive?) endeavor, sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, the record that was identified as the “rarest” or “most collectible” was Tommy Flanagan Overseas. There was no internet in those days and I had never even seen a copy of this record for years, and didn’t hold a copy in my hand until maybe 20 years later, when it was part of a collection that I did not buy. I never owned an original until the Bruce W. West collection back in 2013, so it was a long wait of more than 30 years for me. I’ve always kept an eye on this record on eBay because of its early mythological aura, at least as I experienced it. Over the years I’ve seen as this record has moved into the $3,000 price range on occasion, which is certainly quite a high price, but the aura of this record as the height of jazz collectibility has been eclipsed by other records, particularly Blue Notes, and most specifically Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. Yet Tommy Flanagan Overseas is still high up on the list of valuable and highly sought-after jazz collectibles. I mention all this as a prelude to this listing on eBay now: Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134. This auction for this copy

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A Trio of Rare Jazz Vinyl For Your Perusal

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Back on eBay catching up on a few items, starting with Teddy Charles/Mal Waldron, Coolin’, New Jazz 8216. This was an original purple label deep groove pressing. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG++, although the former owner’s name stamped three times on the back lessens the grade for me. The final price was $478, which is quite a lot for a session led by Teddy Charles. Is this now just the going rate for original New Jazz pressings, or is there something in the personnel — Mal Waldron, John Jenkins, Idrees Sulieman — that makes this record a bit more of interest to collectors than some of the other Teddy Charles dates? This is not a record I have ever owned, so I can’t vouch for the music, but the music seems to hold less sway these days in determining how much collectors are willing to pay. Not a big fan of the cover, BTW, so that wouldn’t helping in piquing the interest of this collector.

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Into the Woods (At the Right Price)

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I was watching a few items from the Jazz Record Center auction that closed yesterday, including Phil Woods, Woodlore, Prestige 7018. This was an original yellow label New York pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The final price was $493.88. In looking at this auction, I realize I’m still somewhat of an old-school collector whose attitudes haven’t changed all that much, even as the value of the records has increased over the years. I love this record and have never owned an original pressing. As you know, I’ve been collecting jazz records for nearly 50 years. Still, as much as I would want an original pressing of this record in may collection, I would prefer to go without it at this kind of price — even though the market value will likely increase — and continue to wait until I get lucky and find it for a price I feel is reasonable. It’s not the money and it’s not even the principle. It’s more like the ingrained habit and the ethos of “this is how I choose to collect.” If I want to listen to Phil Woods, I have a lot of other great Phil Woods records to listen to. If I really want to listen to Woodlore, I have my Japanese pressing. That’s good enough for this collector.

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Jazz Vinyl Miscellany From A Random eBay Watch List

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Going deep into my watch list on eBay to clear out some of the older items that have been sitting there. Let’s start with Ben Webster, Soulville, Verve 8274. This was an original trumpeter logo that was in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover. The final price was $207.50, which presents a question for me to pose here. I’ve noticed that among the Verve/Clef/Norgran records, Webster seems to be just below Lester Young in terms of value, more than Stan Getz, Johnny Hodges, Sonny Stitt, Buddy DeFranco and some of the other Verve regulars, who were either contemporaries or of the next generation. That’s not even counting Ella, Basie, Hampton or Tatum, whose records seem to have fallen off the value charts completely. Anyone care to proffer any theories for the elevation of Webster in the eyes of collectors, assuming you agree with my observation?

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Dolphy Vinyl, Autograph Updates

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Here are a few odds and ends we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with some Dolphy: Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Volume One, New Jazz 8260. This was an original purple label, deep groove pressing. The record and cover were both listed in V++ condition, although the picture of the back cover would be more VG+ in my eyes. It’s always tempting when the front cover is so nice to try to ignore other blemishes. In my eyes, VG++ is reserved for covers that would otherwise be M- but have a single minor flaw, such as the original owner writing the date on the back, which was the case with all of the records I purchased in the Bruce M. West collection in Baltimore. A cover such as this, with blemishes and tape stains doesn’t quite say VG++ to these eyes, but I’m sure the buyer will be pleased, otherwise, he wouldn’t have bid $612.50.

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All Star Autographs?

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We are going to need the expertise of our friend Don-Lucky for this one: Sonny Rollins, Blue Note 1542. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing with a signature on the front that purports to be a Sonny Rollins autograph. I actually have an authentic Sonny Rollins autograph in my collection and, to my eyes, this one definitely looks legitimate. But this is Don-Lucky’s area of expertise, so I will refer to him, assuming he’s paying attention to Jazz Collector these days. The record looks to be in about VG condition and the cover is graded as good, but it does potentially have Sonny’s signature. The price is around $90 and the auction still has four days left. I find this of particular interest, not only because it would be cool to own an original pressing of this record with Sonny’s autograph, but because the seller has several other cool records with purported autographs, including this very special one:

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A Rare 10-Inch Trio and $3K For Saxophone Colossus

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Been offline for a few days, but back in business. Here are a few records that sold on eBay whilst I was away, starting with Jack Sheldon Quartet, Get Out of Town, Jazz:West 1. This was an original 10-inch pressing. To be honest, this is a record I’ve never seen before and I wasn’t even aware of any 10-inch records on the Jazz:West label. Apparently, there were two, both by Jack Sheldon. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and G for the cover. It sold for $450.45. And the same seller had the second Jazz:West 10-inch LP as well: Jack Sheldon Quintet with Zoot Sims, Jazz:West 2. This one was in much better condition, listed as M- for both the record and the cover. It sold for $560. You would think, based on the condition, there would have been a bigger discrepancy between the prices.

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An Unusual Quartet of Jazz Vinyl

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I’m always pleased to see my little love notes from CeeDee, although I usually expect to see them when I’m hardly posting. That hasn’t been the case this week, but I got a couple anyway, with links to a bunch of records that typically defend the sensibilities. The first such record this week was an auction from December, so I’m curious about the delay. Anyway, Yusef Lateef, Before Dawn, Verve 8217. This was an original pressing with the trumpeter label. The condition looked to be around M- for the record and the cover. This one sold for $350 and, yes, that is an unexpectedly high price for a Yusef Lateef record on Verve, IMHO.

This one also comes from December: Roland Alexander, Pleasure Bent, New Jazz 8267. This was an original pressing with the purple labels and deep groove. The record was in M- condition and the cover was Ex. The final price was $293. High? The last time I went to the WFMU Record Fair in Brooklyn I purchased a mint copy of this record for $50. That was in May 2015. I guess the value has gone up in less than three years. A lot.

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