Category: Savoy

Another Jazz Vinyl Perusal

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As you can probably tell, I no longer peruse eBay with the same vigor and excitement as I have done in the past, particularly when I was buying or selling jazz vinyl with any regularity, which I have not done for a quite a long time. But I still like to peruse and write about my perusals, so here we go with another live edition of Al perusing rare jazz vinyl on eBay. My normal course of action involves looking at current auctions, starting with highest prices first. Right at the top are three records I have seen before doing this, none of which has sold at the prices asked by the dealers. These are: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original pressing listed in “excellent” condition for the record and the cover. The start price is $3,500. Chet Baker Sings, Pacific Jazz 11. There is no condition listed for this 10-inch record. Cover looks to be about VG+. Starting price is $1,800. Not a serious seller, IMHO. And from the same seller as Lee Morgan Candy, we have Introducing Lee Morgan, Savoy 12091. This looks to be an original red label pressing, also listed in “excellent” condition for the record and the cover. The start price is $1,500. I’ve been watching these records for a long time on eBay and the fact that there are no bidders at the starting price doesn’t seem to dissuade or discourage the sellers. Read more

$1,000 Jazz Vinyl (And Not)

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Back in action. Let’s do another live tour of random rare jazz vinyl now listed on eBay. Let’s start right at the top: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing. The seller grades it in “Ex” condition. Seller only has a rating of 95.7 on eBay across more than 8,000 listings, but when you read the feedback it seems to be overwhelmingly positive. If I were bidding, I probably would not be concerned, but I will not be bidding. Even though I sold my original pressing of Candy more than 30 years ago and have since been unable to replace it, the starting price of $3,500 for this copy would be way, way, way out of my comfort zone. So far there are no bidsThe same seller also has Introducing Lee Morgan, Savoy 12091. This is an original pressing with the deep red label. The record and cover are listed in “Ex” condition and the start price is $1,500. So far there are no bids. Read more

Jazz Vinyl Gems, Some With a Little Tarnish

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Finally, back on eBay. Contrary to my last experience a few weeks ago when I  asked the question Where’s The Action?, I’m actually seeing quite a bit of activity this week, from buyers and well as sellers. Let’s start with Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 5065.This is an original 10-inch pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover, although the picture of the back cover might call that grade into question for discerning buyers. But the seller stands by his listings, and any bidder can see the picture and judge for himself. There are seven bidders and the price is in the $160 range with a little more than a day left on the auction. Read more

Jazz Vinyl Auctions for the Road (And Beyond)

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I’ll be off line for the next week so I won’t be able to post. Not that it will be any different than a normal period between posts, but this time my absence will at least be planned. Everything’s fine. Just enjoying a little holiday. In the meantime, I will leave you with a large batch of records to watch so you can all comment to your heart’s content. Let’s start with one of the records that would still be on my want list, if, indeed, I had a want list: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This looks to be an original deep groove pressing listed in M- condition for the record and EX+ for the cover. Bidding is in the $200 range with almost three days left on the auction. I have no idea how this record has eluded me all these years, but it has. Read more

How Many Original Copies of Rare Jazz Vinyl Have Survived (and Other Existential Questions)

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Let’s check out the Jazz Collector watch list on eBay, starting with Introducing Lee Morgan, Savoy 12091. This is not an original pressing. It has the maroon label with no deep grooves. I was fooled at first because the label looks red in the pictures, but the seller is very clear about what it is. Also, it’s not an original Savoy cover, with the white frame. It is in nice condition, graded M- for the record and near mint for the cover. The auction closes today and the bidding is in the $400 range. Read more

More Jazz Vinyl From Europe

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Let’s look at a few more original European pressings, starting with Zoot Sims in Hollywood, Esquire 20-040. This is an original 10-inch version of an original 10-inch U.S. Prestige. The record looks to be in M- condition and the cover looks to be VG++. The bidding starts at about $115 and so far there are no bids. I have to admit – I’ve never seen a copy of this record before, either in person or even on eBay. Can’t beat the cover on this one: Gigi Gryce-Clifford Brown Sextet, Jazz Time Paris, Volume 2, Vogue L.D.E. 048. This is an original French pressing. It takes a while to interpret the seller’s description, but I would say this looks to be in VG- condition for the record and VG for the cover. The start price is $100 and so far there are no bidders. The auction closes tomorrow. Read more

Selling on eBay; Not Selling on eBay; Mobley on Film

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Clearing out my watchlist and inbox, starting with The Return of Art Pepper, Jazz West 10. This was an original pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and the cover. The final price was $405. Given the state of the market lately, I would have expected a higher price tag for this one. According to Popsike, there have been two copies of this record that have sold for more than $1,000 in the past, including one that sold for $2,026 in what one could only guess was a fairly massive take-no-prisoners bidding war. Read more

Whims

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I’m back watching eBay and it’s really hard not to return to the Blue Notes, particularly in light of the discussion on the previous post, but let’s resist the temptation and start with one from a few weeks ago: Booker Ervin Quintet, Cookin’, Savoy 12154. Someone, I think it was Gregory the Fish, mentioned that the bottom may be collapsing on some of the non-Blue Note, non-Prestige pressings from the ‘50s. I don’t doubt that it may be happening, as GTF is far more active in the market than I am these days. However, I must say I’m not seeing it from some of the records I’ve been watching on eBay and this is one of them. It was a second pressing with the maroon label. The seller identifies it as a second pressing. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $788.99. I’ve had a copy of this record for years, also with the maroon label, and I used to wonder if, perhaps, maroon was the original label, since I had never seen a red label in person. But, eBay has cleared that up and, indeed, if you have a red label of Cookin’, you have an original.

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Two Old Jazz Records That Are New (At Least to Me)

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Time to peruse the old watchlist once again. Let’s look at two records I don’t recall seeing and were certainly never on my radar until spotting them on eBay. First is Electrifying Sounds of the Paul Jeffrey Quintet, Savoy, 12192. This is a very late issue for the Savoy label and it has a maroon label. I’m assuming the maroon is the original color at this stage of the Savoy catalogue, but I don’t know that for sure. This one had a corner clip and original shrink wrap and was listed in M- condition. The final price was $265. Further research shows that the quintet consists of Jeffrey, Jimmy Owens, George Cables, Larry Ridley and Billy Hart, recorded in August of 1968. Part of my interest is the simple fact that I am not familiar with this record, even though it was issued near the time when I first got interested in jazz and began shopping the bins for jazz records. Also, it was near the time when I started seeing jazz live regularly. Jeffrey was the tenor player with Monk and I saw him many times at the Vanguard and was always impressed with his playing and always wondered why he didn’t get more accolades and/or record dates as a leader. So, I guess, he had at least one more record date as a leader than I was aware of. Read more

Really, McCoy!

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I realize it’s a long gap between posts when readers send me links to records that have sold  recently on eBay. It’s like a gentle reminder that you are still out there, which I appreciate. This link came to my in box yesterday from Aaron: McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy, Blue Note 4264. This was an original mono Liberty pressing from the seller Carolina Soul. It was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. I’ve never purchased from them, but based on the prices they get and their descriptions of the records, I have a sense that they are pretty conservative with the grading. Is that true? In any case, this record sold for $336, with the following note from Aaron: “Hi Al, Not sure if you saw the latest auction for an original mono McCoy Tyner The Real McCoy but it brought back memories of your post from 2014 (Really, McCoy?) when it ‘sold for $171.05, quite a high price for a later Liberty.’” To Aaron and all: In hindsight, I probably misjudged the rarity of and interest in this record back in 2014, particularly the original mono version. According to Popsike, there have been many instances of The Real McCoy selling for more than $200, with a top price of $406. Read more

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