Jazz Vinyl Countdown: Miles? Prestige?

This is a test of whether I am willing to cut close to the bone in this Jazz Vinyl Countdown upon which I have embarked. This is the record in question: Miles Davis, Early Miles, Prestige 7168. This is a yellow label pressing with the deep groove and RVG in the deadwax and it’s in very nice condition, at least VG++ on the vinyl. Plus it has a promo stamp on the back. So why is this record even in contention to be discarded? Well, the music was previous issued on 10-inch LPs and, more notably, on the 12-inch LP Miles Davis Plus Horns, Prestige 7025. I recently obtained a very nice original pressing of Miles Davis Plus Horns. So, the question I’m asking myself: Does that make Early Miles extraneous. In the old days, the answer would have been a clear NO WAY! Today, however

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New Ones For The Jazz Collector Price Guide

Here is some more jazz vinyl that will go into the Jazz Collector Price Guide:

When did this become a $100 record: Barney Kessel, The Poll Winners, Stereo 7010? This was an original pressing with the black label. The vinyl was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The final price was $97, so it wasn’t officially a $100 record. Still, I had no idea that Kessel was this collectible. I’m not complaining about it, since I do have all of his records on Contemporary, just a bit surprised by this one. In any case, it will be making its first appearance in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Also premiering in the Jazz Collector Price Guide will be: Bill Jennings, Enough Said!, Prestige 7164. This was an original yellow label pressing with

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On eBay Now: Webster Young, Pres, Jutta, KD

A lot of the big time sellers are up on eBay this week with some big time records. Here are some of the ones we are watching at Jazz Collector:

Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This one is a personal favorite, very nice record if you’re not familiar with it. This one is being offered by Atomic Records and it looks to be in VG++ condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The current price is about $315 and there are a few hours still to go. The same seller has this item: Lester Young and Buddy Rich Trio, Norgran 1074. This is a black label pressing, which I usually assume is a second press, although I think this may be an original: I’m not sure when it was issued and if Norgran had switched to black labels, but I know the copy in my collection is a black label as well. This one is in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The current price is about $75.

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For the $1,000 Bin: Blue Notes, Prestige

Time again to update the $1,000 bin.

Walter Davis, Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing and was sold by a reputable dealer. The record was listed in M- condition and was described as “uplayed.” The cover was probably VG+, based on the description. The price was $2,000. Our previous high price for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was $1,248.

This one has made many appearances in the $1,000 bin: Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134. This was an original pressing with a promo stamp. The record and cover looked to be in M- condition. The price was $2,175.

Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. This looked like an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the deep grooves, although the seller’s description was quite lacking, making it

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Catching Up: What’s a Promo Worth?

Here’s an update on some odds and ends we’ve been watching on eBay:

Zoot Sims, Stretching Out, United Artists 4023. This was an original deep groove mono pressing. It was a promo copy, with a promo stamp and the white label and it was in M- condition, for both the record and the cover. The price was $124. What do you think: Does the promo stamp enhance the value of a record for you, or detract, or neither. I recall in the world of rock albums, the promo stamp was always considered a good thing, but I’ve never heard that one way or another in the jazz world. Which leads me to this LP: Bill Evans, Waltz For Debby, Riverside 399. This was an original pressing with the white promo label. The record was

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More Blue Note: Another Exception

The Blue Note information provided by Larry Cohn has been invaluable and yet, it seems, there is always more to learn. We noticed this tidbit in a posting by Fred Cohen at the Jazz Record Center, which has a new auction on eBay this week: Wayne Shorter, Adams Apple, Blue Note 8232. This is listed as an original mono pressing with the Liberty label. Under normal circumstances you would expect this to be a New York USA label, based on the catalogue number. However, Fred points out

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Updating & Analyzing the Jazz Vinyl Fraud

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve heard anything new on the Nautiluso Jazz Vinyl Fraud. We’ll place a call into eBay after the holiday weekend to see if they have more information, but there has been no new feedback on Nautiluso and nothing from the Berlin police about any arrests. We imagine eBay would like to put this to rest and has probably paid off all of the victims. One of our readers and loyal commentators, Gregorious, was doing a blog entry on the fraud for The Our Stage Blog and asked us for some comments on the fraud. This is what we said:

“I’m always watching records for the Jazz Collector site. When I saw the group of records that Nautiluso had for that week I was pretty stunned: It was probably the best collection I’d ever seen in one week. I posted an item about it and immediately started getting comments and emails from collectors who

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Blue Note Deep Groove: All You Need To Know

Last week one of our readers asked about deep grooves and flat edges. Another reader reached out to the Blue Note expert Larry Cohn for the answers. Last week we posted the answer about the Blue Note flat edge LPs. Here is Larry’s response on the deep groove. Thanks to Larry for being so generous with the information and to Don-Lucky for reaching out.

“Put simply, there were special dies attached to the pressing machine, that held down the stampers for Side A and Side B during manufacturing.  These dies traditionally cut the deep groove into the label during a pressing.  In 1961 new dies were created that were more streamlined, holding down the stampers in place but putting the mere slight indentation into the label – what we see on modern pressings and call NO DG.

“These parts were interchangeable and compatible with the machines, so for the period

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Now on eBay: Webster on Verve, Evans Promo

I’m a big fan and collector of the Verve label — as well as Norgran and Clef, of course — so it was with great pleasure that I saw this record on eBay selling for a relatively high price: Ben Webster, Soulville, Verve 8274. This looks to be in M- condition and, with several hours still to go, is already more than $200. It does not have a David Stone Martin cover, and it’s Ben Webster not Lester Young, so I’m kind of wondering what cachet the record holds that would cause it to fetch such a high price. Perhaps it’s just because it’s a nice record in excellent condition.

Also on eBay now is a rare white-label promotional copy of this record:

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Brubeck Honored: Kennedy Center & Jazz Collector

Time for our next giveaway. Here’s the record: The Dave Brubeck Quartet Plays Music From West Side Story and Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra, Columbia 8257. This is a reissue, very nice pressing, of the album Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein. We are offering it in recognition of Brubeck being chosen as a recent recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. The broadcast of the event will be tomorrow evening in the States, on CBS. They usually keep it a surprise as to who the performers will be, but CBS has put up a brief video on You Tube with Brubeck’s four sons playing Blue Rondo A La Turk from the seminal Take Five album. We’re sure it will be quite moving, especially since the actual event took place on Dec. 6, Brubeck’s 89th birthday. As for the Jazz Collector giveaway:

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