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A Conclave of Coltrane

April 30, 2014 Al 11 comments

Just cleaning out the last of my eBay watch list before moving on to new items.

John Coltrane, Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. Notice how I listed this as a John Coltrane record. It is actually one of those Prestige jam sessions featuring Coltrane along with Hank Mobley, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. So Why do I think of it as a Coltrane record? Because that’s where I place it within my collection, under the Coltranes. Where else would you put it? Mobley aficionados aside, Coltrane is the one transformational musician in that group, aside from being, by far, my favorite tenor play among the four of them. So, to me, it’s always been a Coltrane record, and one I am quite happy to own. This one was in M- condition for the record and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $350. A bargain for someone, IMHO. This one falls into the same category: John Coltrane, Wheelin’ and Dealin’, Prestige 7131. This one features Coltrane along with Frank Wess and Paul Quinichette. For me, it’s a Coltrane record. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and the cover and sold for $263. Wonder what prices they would be selling for if they were on Blue Note? Double that? Triple?

And now some Blue Notes:

Another Fun Night of Jazz Vinyl

April 25, 2014 Al 25 comments

Well, I had so much fun the night before, I decided to do it again last night. Listening to a classic jazz record, that is. My choice was John Coltrane, Coltrane, Prestige 7105. Why this record? It is one that has always slipped through the cracks for me and, honestly, I don’t think I had ever given it a really close listen until last night. The first copy I purchased of this record was a blue label pressing in mediocre condition with a not-so-great cover. I never owned an original copy until I purchased the Irving Kalus collection last year and now, I’m almost embarrassed to say, I own two mint original copies of this record as a result of the Bruce W. West Baltimore collection. Part of the reason for listening to this record was practical: Do I keep two copies, one for the city and one for the country? Or do I potentially sell one on eBay or bring it to the WFMU Record Fair in New York next month? So I had an hour last night and I put this record on the turntable and, again, it was magic.

Prestige

Having Fun With Jazz Records

April 24, 2014 Al 19 comments

I had fun with my records last night. I had about an hour and a half where I had nothing to do, nothing I wanted to read, and I decided I would just sit and listen to two records fully rapt, eyes closed, no distractions. But what to play? I just went to the shelves and the first record that caught my eye was Mating Call, Tadd Dameron and John Coltrane, Prestige 7070. Why Mating Call? I’m not sure. It’s not a record I’ve listened to often and it’s not on my regular play list. When I want to listen to Coltrane, there are other records that grab my eye. Perhaps I haven’t listened to Mating Call in 10 years, so I wanted to check it out again. And I did. What a great record. This is actually, I think, the first record on which Coltrane was the sole featured horn player. His playing is great, not nearly as adventurous as it would become, but far more confident than on Miles, Prestige 7014. He had either come a long way in the period between those recordings, or the format gave him more room to showcase his gifts. As for Tadd Dameron, Read more

Recording Record Record Prices

April 22, 2014 Al 6 comments

Spent some time casually perusing eBay for jazz vinyl the other day and here were some of the items I found.

Beverly Kenney Sings For Johnny Smith, Roost 2206. This was an original pressing with the blue label and deep grooves. The record was listed in mint condition and the cover was VG++. There were 18 bids and the record sold for $660. I’m sure there are Beverly Kenney records that have sold for a higher price, but that’s the highest that we’ve ever seen in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

The same seller had several other interesting items as well, including: Steve Lacy, Evidence with Don Cherry, New Jazz 8271. This was an original purple label pressing listed in near mint condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. This one sold for $687, setting another record for the Jazz Collector Price Guide. And here’s another:

A Date With Prestige

April 2, 2014 Al 30 comments

Here’s some more jazz vinyl from our eBay watch list, starting with Roy Haynes, Cracklin’ with Booker Ervin, New Jazz 8286. This is an original pressing with the purple labels and deep grooves. The record and cover are listed in M- condition. The price is in the $185 range and there are still three days left on the auction. You know you’re in trouble when you lose track of the records in your collection. I know I owned this record and I went to my shelf to look at my copy, but the space on the shelf where this record should have been sitting was bare. So I don’t own the record, apparently. But I can’t remember what I did with my copy. If any of you out there has my copy of Cracklin’ please let me know. Thanks.

This one I know I don’t own: Ray Bryant Trio, Prestige 7098. This is an original yellow label pressing with the New York address. The record and cover are described as being in M- condition, although I can’t accept that a cover with a punch hole through the label is M-. Maybe that’s just me. But probably not. Not to mention some writing on the back. Bidding on this is in the $220 range with three days left on the auction.

While we’re on Prestiges:

Prestige

Candy, An Autograph and 10-Inch Vinyl

March 29, 2014 Al 11 comments

Here are a few more items from our watch list on eBay, starting with Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. As a bidder I would be careful of the “light background noise” part of the description because the cleanest copies of Blue Notes don’t typically have background noise, at least not the original 12-inch pressings. Other bidders seem to be more sanguine about the description. The bidding is now in the $1,800 range with two days left.

Dizzy Gillespie Volume 1, Atlantic 138. This looks to be an original 10-inch pressing signed on the front by Dizzy Gillespie. I’m sure Don-Lucky or one of our other readers will weigh in on the authenticity of the autograph. The cover looks to be in VG+ condition and the record is described as VG+ as well. Bidding is in the range of $110 and there’s more than a day left on the auction.

Speaking of 10-inch records, we also had our eyes on these: Read more

John Coltrane Vinyl For the Ages

March 27, 2014 Al 4 comments

Back to our life’s mission of watching rare jazz vinyl on eBay. For some reason this morning I noticed several of the Red Garland Prestige records with John Coltrane. These are nice records and can still be purchased for reasonable prices. The exception is Prestige 7123, which is a Coltrane date and is typically one of the higher priced Prestiges, particularly with the original cover. Speaking of 7123: John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio, Prestige 7123. This is an original New York pressing and this is the original cover. It was later issued as Traneing In with another cover. This one is in M- condition for the record and probably VG+ or maybe a little better for the cover. The price is already more than $250 and there are still four days left on the auction.

I noticed two copies of this one:

Some Surprises From Jazz Record Center Auction

March 23, 2014 Al 17 comments

Our friends at the Jazz Record Center had an auction last week and here are some of the results:

Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges, Verve 8367. This was an original pressing with the trumpeter logo and it was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. I was surprised to see this one sell for $148.37. Neither Hodges nor Mulligan is typically all that collectible, and this is one of the later Verves among those with the trumpeter logo. Any theories as to why this would sell for nearly $150? Is the market shifting back to Verves a little?

I’ve never seen this one before: Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, A Nite at Carnegie Hall, Black Deuce. This was the full set of 78s capturing the historic September 29, 1947 concert. As noted in the listing, this was a pirated record release, but it was the first of the issues in any form. The set looked to be in excellent, near mint condition. They sold for $688.

This one almost made it into the $2,000 bin:

Condition in the Eye of the Beholder

March 19, 2014 Al 15 comments

Okay, this is the last catch-up for now, then I will move on to more current listings.

Introducing Johnny Griffin, Blue Note 1533. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. As we are seeing, the prices for records in less than pristine condition seem to be rising, at least if the records are original Blue Notes. This one sold for $710.

Here are a couple of Eric Dolphy records, also in less than pristine condition: Eric Dolphy, Out There, New Jazz 8252. This seemed to be an original purple label pressing listed in VG or VG+ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $177. Eric Dolphy, At the Five Spot Volume 2, Prestige 7294. This was an original yellow label pressing. The record was in just VG condition and the cover was VG+. It sold for $147.50.

And Yet Another Jazz Vinyl Update From eBay

March 18, 2014 Al 7 comments

I am going to get through my Watch List and update the Jazz Collector Price Guide. I really am. I think. I will post a few more in a second, but first I want to point everyone’s attention to the comment from the buyer of the Hank Mobley Blue Note 1568. Perhaps we will less ready to throw stones, those of us who who live in vinyl houses. It is also not often that we get comments from female readers, so welcome to Caroline.

Now, onto the Watch List and the Price Guide:

Art Farmer, Donald Byrd and Idrees Sulieman, Three Trumpets, Prestige 7092. This is an original New York pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and perhaps a drop less for the cover. It sold for $338.58. I happen to have a spare copy of this record sitting in my closet, if anyone is interested. I also have a spare copy of this one: Lou Donaldson, Swing and Soul, Blue Note 1566. This was an original pressing listed in VG condition for the record. The cover looked like it was probably VG+. The record sold for $127.50.

This one fetched quite a nice price, breaking into the $1,000 bin:

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