Rare Jazz Vinyl Collectibles From Three Tenors
We did a whole riff on this record a few months ago and actually came up with some never-heard-before tapes of J.R. Monterose, which, to my knowledge, may still be available. Check it out here and here. Anyway, another copy of this record sold recently: J.R. Monterose In Action, Studio 4 SS 100. This was an original pressing. The vinyl was listed as M- and the cover looked to be VG++, based on the description. The price was $1,911.
Here’s another non Blue Note for the $1,000 bin: Dexter Gordon, Dexter Blows Hot and Cool, Dootone 207. This was an original red vinyl pressing. The record was listed as VG++ and the cover was VG+. The price was $1,137.
This one really got top dollar, more than you would normally expect to see for a Jazzland LP:
Charlie Rouse, Takin’ Care of Business, Jazzland 19. This was an original orange label pressing that was in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. It sold for $201.50, the highest price we’ve seen for this record.
Apparently it was listed as Stereo. There is no mention of a mono or stereo on the record himself.
The J.R. Monterose “In Action” is a very special LP. The original pressing is out of reach but I was able to snag a Japanese 1980s pressing of this LP for $15 last year and felt like it I was stealing it at that price! Sounds amazing! (Toy or Tofrec Records TFJL-38005 for those keeping score at home). The only other reissue of this LP I have seen was the V.S.O.P issue (which also sounded lovely).
I found my VG++ copy at 10 $…sometimes you are lucky…even when you are a jazz collector ! 🙂
I own an original pressing of “In Action.” I have had it since it was released. Perhaps of more interest is the fact that the drummer, Joe Abodeely, was my first cousin. I use to frequent his jazz club, The Tender Trap, growing up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a teenager, where I heard JR play with Joe’s group as well as Al Jarreau.
Side note: Joe also recorded an album with Jarreau in the mid sixties, called “Jarreau 65.” When Bainbridge Records decided to put it out on cd, Jarreau fought its release in court, stating that it did not represent his work. He lost and the recording was released on Bainbridge. As I recall, both “In Action” and “Jarreau 65,” received 4 1/2 stars when reviewed in DownBeat. Regardless of the ratings, I love both recordings and consider the latter to be the best of Jarreau’s work because he was singing the standards. Wish he would go back to that genre and do more. After all, He’s all grown up now.