Another Adventure in Jazz Collecting?
Last week I was driving along the Cross Island Parkway in Queens with the lovely Mrs. JC when she turned to me seriously and said that it was time to discuss what I wanted for my birthday, which happens to be today. I couldn’t think of anything and, in her always infinite wisdom, she asked what I loved to do. “I love to buy records.” What else? Of course, she said, that’s what we’ll do. So today the lovely Mrs. JC and I are heading into Manhattan to have lunch with our two junior JCs and then we are going downtown to the Jazz Record Center on 26th Street where I have carte blanche to purchase any record(s) of my choosing (plus the new Blue Note Guide). I must say that through the years I have never been much of a customer at the Jazz Record Center simply because so much of my enthusiasm for record collecting was in pursuit of the big score. At the Jazz Record Center it was always Fred who had the big score and, as a customer, I was just paying fair market prices. In retrospect, of course, I would have shopped there more frequently if I had known that the market would keep going up, up, up. In fact, it’s probably been a few years since I was even at the Jazz Record Center. In any case, today is a day to abandon any principles about how much to pay for a record and to just go for something I’ll enjoy and appreciate and be able to look back on and remember that, yes, this is the record my family got for me on my birthday.
Hello All – AL
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Nick
happy birthday and please share with us the goodies you found at Fred’s. You are privileged to be able, on a whim of your wife, to go to the JRC to celebrate your birthday, instead of going to a posh restaurant. Or will you do both and celebrate your purchases with a good glass of Burgundy (as Fred likes it, he is a Burgundy connoisseur)
…Now that is a great birthday present Al ! All the best in the year ahead.
AL,
Happy birthday !!!
Shopping record in the Jazz Record Center..Lucky you ..
Again,
Have an amazing birthday with your relatives!!!!!
re:”..my birthday, which happens to be today.” Happy B-day,Al! If I can dig my car out of it’s weeklong ice bank,I might even join you! Either way,thanks for your efforts in making this blog so much fun. Mrs.JC is the ultimate reward for your hard work-“So you’d like to go crate-diggin’ for your birthday? That’s great,honey!” Now THAT’S what I call s-e-x-y!
Happy Birthday, Al…Do you have an idea of what you will choose ? Any plan ? Or just “let’s see what’s available” ?
I’m so jealous. Happy Birthday Al.
Never been but I imagine the wall display looking something like this:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/records/blue-note/auctions
Now what’s it to be – the Mobley 1550 or Shades of Freddie Redd?
When last I had a dilema like this and I couldn’t decide which one of two to buy, a little voice said “Why not just buy them both?”
So I did.
You have to come back with an armful of records in one hand and very understanding Mrs JC in the other
I can surely understand: 1-3 times a year, when I visit NYC, I never skip on Jazz Record Center.
Even though Fred sells high end records on eBay, you can still see fine records on the floor.
Man, this is fun, real fun !!
From Fred’s you can walk 5 blocks down to 18th St and have desert with some fine classical records at The Academy…
Happy birthday, Al. You asked for the best gift ever 😉
Happy birthday!
Al, best wishes for you and your family!