Heroes: Musicians and Their Influences

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From our our archives, here’s an interesting item from June 18, 2004.

If you’re looking for a good read, pick up the July issue of Downbeat. It’s being promoted as the “70th Anniversary Collector’s Edition” and the focus is a feature called “Our Heroes” in which more than 70 musicians talk about their primary influences. Here are a few highlights:

 Sonny Rollins on Coleman Hawkins: “I first saw him play on 52nd Street. I used to put eyebrow pencil on my lip to make a fake mustache so I could get in. We’d stand in the back, and it was like looking at a god playing.”

 Joe Zawinul on Art Tatum: “He always sounded like two piano players. The story goes like this:

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Quickie Quiz

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The pianist Argonne Thornton played on classic recordings such as Charlie Parker’s “Now’s the Time” and Dexter Gordon’s “Dexter’s Deck.” He later changed his name. What new name did he take?

Catching Up on Some More Blue Note LPs

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Here’s an update on some Blue Notes we were watching last week. All of these have already been entered into the Jazz Collector Price Guide. 

Donald Byrd, Byrd in Hand, Blue Note 4019. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address in M- condition, both record and cover. It sold for $364.99.

At Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2, Blue Note 1522. This was an original pressing with the original cover and the Lexington Avenue address. It was in VG+ condition, both record and cover, and sold for $332.

The Amazing Bud Powell, Blue Note 5003. This was an original 10-inch pressing. The record was VG+ and the cover was M-. The price was $199.

George Wallington Showcase, Blue Note 5045. This was also a 10-inch LP.

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A Question on The Bossa Nova

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I got into pulling some of the old files as I’m updating the site and here’s something I wrote a few years ago about the album Sonny Rollins, What’s New?, RCA Victor LPM-2572.  If you keep reading there’s a question here for readers that was never answered on the Jazz Collector site, so perhaps, if you know the answer, you can provide it.  Anyway:

What’s New was Rollins’s second album after he came back from one of his self-imposed retirements in the late 1950s/early 1960s. This was the retirement during which he gained notoriety for practicing on the Williamsburg Bridge. After this comeback, his tone was a bit harsher than it had been during the ‘50s and his attack was a bit more staccato, but his playing was very inventive and inspired. In particular, he seemed to have a strong rapport with

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Win A Free Record (Again)

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OK, it’s time to give away another record. We’ve done well giving away Blue Notes — hey, how can you do better than Blue Notes? — so we will give away another one. This time it’s Hank Mobley, Dippin’, Blue Note 4209.  This is a mono pressing and it has the New York USA address, so it might fool you into thinking it’s an original. But it’s not. It’s a reissue with the 304 Park Avenue address on the cover. Still, it’s a great record, featuring Lee Morgan, Harold Mabern Jr., Larry Ridley and Billy Higgins. The tracks are The Dip; Recado Bossa Nova; The Break Through; The Vamp; I See Your Face Before Me; Ballin.’ The record and cover are both in M- condition. What’s best is that the record will be given away free to one lucky reader of Jazz Collector. To be eligible to win the record, all you have to do is:

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Price Updates: Blue Mitchell, Beverly Kenney . . .

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Another batch for the Jazz Collector Price Guide. These have already been entered, so you can go to the Price Guide to contrast and compare. 

Lou Donaldson, Sonny Side Up, Blue Note 4036. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record and cover were both in VG+ condition. The price was $246.

Beverly Kenney, Born To Be Blue, Decca 8850. This was an original pressing. The record was VG+ and the cover was VG. The price was $202.49.

Lorez Alexandria, Sings Pres, King 565. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition, record and cover. The price was $167.50.

Mal Waldron, Mal1, Prestige 7090. This was an original New York pressing. The record

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Quickie Quiz

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I was going through some of the old newsletters I sent out in 2004 and 2005 and recalled that I used to do a quiz every week. Since I’m sure most of you won’t remember these quizzes from earlier this decade, I will reprise them here every once in a while. Here’s one:

Which hard bop bass player went by the nickname “Home?”

You can post your answers by commenting on this post.

Price Updates: Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Duke Pearson

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Some more for the Jazz Collector Price Guide:

Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This was an original pressing in M- condition, both record and cover. The price was $610.

Phil Woods, Pairing Off, Prestige 7046. This was an original pressing with the New York label. The record and cover were M-. The price was $338.

Bill Evans, Moonbeams, Riverside 428. This was an original pressing with the blue label.

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Today on Ebay: Some Choice Blue Notes

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As we were looking ahead on eBay today, we came upon a few interesting Blue Notes, so we will declare today Blue Note Day at Jazz Collector. Here are some to keep an eye on:

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This is a mono pressing with the West 63rd Street logo. It has one side that is deep groove and, if I recall correctly, that is the original pressing. This is one of those oddball records in which there is just one side that has the deep groove. Anyway, the vinyl on this is in M- condition and the cover is VG+. The current price is $500. 

Lee Morgan, City Lights, Blue Note 1575. This is also an original pressing, with deep grooves on both sides. The seller has his own grading system. This looks like it’s in VG+ condition, both record and cover, but some potential buyers might have higher expectations. The current price is close to $400. 

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Collector Questions

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I’ve been waiting for the right moment to do this, and it has arrived. On another post, one of our readers poses a question for other collectors. I’m going to repeat the question here, and I’m going to continue to use this post to keep adding other questions. Hopefully, over time, we’ll be able to answer any question that may come up. Here’s the first question, from Jason:

“I have a Norgran-related question. I picked up a Norgran “disc jockey copy” (the words on the cover) at a yard sale. The label is black with the trumpet logo and is numbered DJ N-2. Based on the songs included, I’d date the lp between 1954-1956. Has anyone seen one of these before? I can’t find any info anywhere. Thanks.”

I don’t know the answer, but hopeful someone out there does. Please post a comment on this site if you have the answer.

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