Category: Prestige

Miscellaneous Music and Musings

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Back from a road trip that took me from The Berkshires to Chapel Hill to DC to New York and back. Didn’t stop in a single record store along the way and returned home to find that there are now two new record stores a few hundred feet apart in the little town of Great Barrington near my home. One of the record stores opens next week, the other opened this past weekend. I stopped by the one that has opened and it has the feeling of a guy clearing out his house, basement, garage and attic of a lot of stuff. But there were definitely records to view and buy, particularly if you are into vocals. I came upon a lot of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, but I can’t vouch for the conditions. As of now, there is no organization to the store, everything seems to be thrown in at random. I did find three 10-inch records to buy: Lars Gullin on Vogue, James Moody on Emarcy and Frank Rosolino on Capital. They seemed in decent enough condition at the store, but when I took them out of the car I realized I would have to sneak them into the house because they smelled of mildew. I may go back to check out the store again, but I’ll be careful. Maybe next time I’ll take off the mask so I can make use of my sense of smell before buying anything. As for the other store, I’ll check it out when it opens and get back to you with a report.

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Catching Up: Blue Notes and Prestige

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Sorry for the long gap between posts. I spent a week in New York and when I got back I began a major record reorganization project to clear space in the house, which has resulted in me moving 2,000 records and my entire Downbeat collection into storage for potential sale and/or donation. I imagine that sentence may pique some interest, so feel free to email me if you have questions. The time is ripe: I’m in a purging frame of mind, and who knows how long that will last? Anyway, I’m back on eBay once again and, as always, watching jazz vinyl for sale, starting with: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This is an original 10-inch LP, listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG for the cover (and what a great cover it is). The bidding is in the $240 range. Seeing this record, which I don’t own, I am wondering why Prestige chose to issue this on 12-inch in Monk’s name and not Sonny’s. Anyone venture a guess or opinion? Rudolf, our Prestige expert, any insight? Read more

Four Updates For the $1,000-Plus Bin

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This one comes to us via Clifford, with the comment “Basra into the big boy bin” followed by the pithy commentary “OOF!” Pete LaRoca, Basra, Blue Note 4205. This was an original New York USA mono pressing listed in M- condition for the record. As for the cover, the seller grades it as Ex. From the pictures it is no better than VG+ and probably  on the low end of the VG+ scale at best. The final price was $1,575. Prior to this year, the top price for Basra was $820. But this is the second copy this year to sell for more than $1,000, following a $1,350 sale in February, according to Popsike. OOF! Indeed. Read more

As the Records Turn

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Time to catch up on some rare jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Phil Woods Septet, Pairing Off, Prestige 7046. This was an original New York Yellow label pressing that looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. When we wrote about the record last week at Jazz Collector, the bidding was in the $300 range. The record sold for $1,225. According to Popsike, that’s the highest price we’ve seen for that record. I’ve been saying that so often lately, I’m beginning to sound like (fill in the blank, I’m too embarrassed to write it). Anyway, this one was sold by the Jazz Record Center and here are some additional items from the same auction: Read more

Condition Still Counts (At Least For These Records)

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Normally my eBay watch list is filled with records I am watching to fulfill my mission here at Jazz Collector. There are very few occasions when I actually bid on records and, if you’ve been keeping track, even fewer occasions when my bids are successful. One of the records in my watch list that was for both Jazz Collector and potential purchase purposes was this one: Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 84140. Somehow in more than 50 years of jazz collecting, this record has never made it onto my shelves, and it is a classic, isn’t it, with Blue Bossa and Recorda-Me and Kenny Dorham and Joe Henderson? Anyway, this is an original stereo pressing and, I was thinking, perhaps because it was stereo and not mono, the price might be in line with my sensibilities. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is M- and when I first spotted the record it was in the $200 range. We are now two hours from closing as I write this and the price is close to $600. I expect it to sell for a bit more than that, so I will just keep looking. I still don’t know why I don’t have a copy. I mean, back when I started collecting I probably could have gotten a Liberty pressing for $5 or so at any of the local record stores. Read more

Rare Jazz Vinyl, Pristine and Not

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On my eBay watch list this week are some rare Gene Ammons records from our friend Rudolf, including Gene Ammons All Stars, Jammin’ With Gene, Prestige 7060. This is an original New York pressing that looks to be in pristine, nearly new condition. The bidding is at $106 with more than four days left on the auction. I don’t often listen to these jam session type records, but whenever I do, I am pleasantly surprised. Of course, it does help to have musicians like Ammons, Jackie Mclean, Art Farmer, Donald Byrd, Doug Watkins and Mal Waldron. Rudolf, if you are watching Jazz Collector my question is: Are you selling duplicates or are you digging deeper into your own collection, perhaps starting with the A’s? While we’re on the subject, here’s another: Gene Ammons, Funky Hi-Fi Jam Session, Prestige 7083. This is another original New York promo copy that also looks to be in pristine condition. Where can you possibly find records like these in that condition, like buying them new in a record store in the ’50s. Bidding on this is at about $102, also with more than four days left. Read more

Random and Rare Jazz Vinyl

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Back to my eBay watch list, starting with Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. I put this in my queue without really looking at the listing because the price was  getting up there. It finally sold for $710. When I finally did look at the listing, just now, I was pretty surprised to not see the drummer logo. So this was not an original pressing. It was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover, and having this record in M- playing condition would be nice. We are seeing the rise in value of second pressings pretty consistently now, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise, even though, to me, it was. Read more

Four for Jazz Vinyl

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Back to the grind of watching rare jazz vinyl on eBay. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. Here are items sitting in my current watch list, starting with Curtis Fuller, The Opener, Blue Note 1567. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in EX condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding starts at $500 and there is already one bidder with more than two days left on the auction. In the past, this record has made it into the $3,000 bin one time and into the $2,000 bin twice, according to Popsike. In this condition, we wouldn’t expect it to reach those lofty heights. As for my own copy, I just reorganized my records the other day and re-affirmed that I do not have an original pressing of The Opener, but rather a United Artists pressing that I purchased more than 40 years ago and probably haven’t listened to since I first brought it into my home. Perhaps I will listen today or tomorrow, if I have the opportunity. I have been doing that recently, pulling random records out of the collection and putting them on the turntable. I am preparing posts both on the reorganizations efforts as well as these random listening sessions, so stay tuned. Read more

Back in Action on eBay (Uh-Oh)

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I decided to bid on that signed copy of Sonny Rollins With the Modern Jazz Quartet, Prestige 7029. There was something about it that appealed to me. I think the fact that there was a story behind it and the inscription from Sonny was typical, humble, understated Sonny; “Thanks for listening.” Plus, my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, so what the hell. It has really been a long time since I bid on a jazz record on eBay. The last time I did so, I was still using Bid Nip sniping software, and it really didn’t work so well anymore. Never seemed to get the bids in on time, or just didn’t get them in at all. I figured I would check it out yesterday, but the link to their web site wasn’t even working. So, I called my friend Dan since he remains active on eBay and asked for advice. Read more

Iconic Autographs and a “Visit” to a Jazz Record Store in 1957

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A reader sent me a link to this auction: John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse A-32. This was an original mono pressing, I think. It doesn’t actually state the condition of the record, but that’s not what makes this copy particularly interesting, and valuable. It is signed in ink by all four members of the quartet: Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones. The record is described as coming from the personal collection of Jimmy Fox, founder of the James Gang. The final price was $5,001.25. Here’s my response to the reader: Read more

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