A Visit To A Record Store, Part 2
OK, so I was at my favorite record store, Infinity Records, and I was asking the guys to pull records off the wall and one of the records was this one: Teddy Charles (with Shorty Rogers and Jimmy Giuffre), Collaboration West, Prestige 7028. I knew the record was familiar and I was pretty sure I owned it but I started doubting myself because (1) I have too many records too keep track of every single one and (2) Remember I had that birthday last week and age does awful things to one’s memory and (3) I still do remember record covers and this cover did not look familiar at all. So I looked at the record and it was a New York pressing, deep groove, mono, RVG in the deadwax, yellow label, all the stuff you would look for. The vinyl was in pretty nice VG++ condition and the cover was a shade below M-. The price was fair as well: $75. So I bought the record, and put it in the bag with the Tal record and a couple of others and I got in the car and started driving home and I kept pondering and pondering this Teddy Charles record on Prestige and I realized, “Hey, wait a second. I have that record. But the
record I own has a different cover.” And sure enough when I got home I looked on the shelf under Teddy Charles and there was Collaboration West, Prestige 7028 with a different cover. And the copy on my shelf was also a New York pressing with a New York address on the label and I thought two things: 1. The first thing I thought was, this is why collectors prefer Blue Notes over Prestige: Prestige was inconsistent with its packaging, it re-released items with new covers and new packages and made it quite confusing for collectors, whereas Blue Note was consistent and focused and clear. I will have more to say on this in a later post this week because I’ve been thinking a lot about it. 2. The second thing I though was “Rudolf.” Rudolf will know the answer to this, why this record has two covers. I am pretty sure I know which is the original cover, and that is the one with the orange and black design and artwork, but even of this I am not 100% sure. That one, with the orange and black artwork, was the one that I had owned, the one that was sitting on my shelf at home. The other one, with a photographic design cover, was the one that I purchased the other day for $75 at Infinity Records. So I am hoping Rudolf is reading this and will share his knowledge of Prestige and, if not, perhaps someone else out there will have the knowledge to enlighten us.
As we all wait with baited breath for Rudolf’s answer, a possibly premature question comes to mind- Will you keep both once you know which is the original? It’s not like the 2nd pressing has a bergenfield address or even a blue and silver trident label. these suckers were pressed within a relatively short time of each other and both have the potential “keeper” value in a collection. I’d be tempted to keep both, even if I was pairing down my vinyl stacks.
There is a pretty nice copy of Saxophone colossus vailable now.It has the Bergenfield address,yellow dg label.There has been a lot of talk about the value of second/later blue note pressings here lately.
I would like to hear the opinion of some experienced and serious collectors (both I am not yet I fear even though I think that I am on a good way). Is this a really collectible item or not and how do you decide if a copy/second pressing of a record is collectible or not.Thanks
Of course the Rollins album is on Prestige not on blue note, but I think the question of buying second pressings or not can be asked both labels.
Hi Al: I am reading your 2 last entries just now, whilst passing a rainy weekend in London. (No record hunting by the way.)
As you suspected, the orange Gil Melle cover is the original. Why? Because it has a kakubuchi (frame) cover, without a broad spine. The later issue has no frame cover and a broad spine with the title of the record and catalogue number. I think identical liner notes.
The same happened to PrLp 7033, Jon Eardly with the blue cover by Gil Melle, which was re-issued under 7033 as “Down East” by Zoot Sims, Phil Woods. The grey cover showing a freight train wagon. Adapted liner notes because of the elimination of Jon Eardly as a leader. Bob Weinstock followed market trends: the classic example being 7043 “Informal Jazz” by Elmo Hope, becoming “Two Tenors” by Hank Mobley and John Coltrane, eventually becoming in a 3rd re-packaging “2 Tenors” with Trane stealing the 1st place. In the adapted liners no trace of Elmo Hope, as leader, left!
Jan/Gregorious: I don`t know what Al will decide with respect to keeping 2 copies of 7028. I for one keep both versions in my collection. For me they are both N.Y. originals with different art work. Al could tell us maybe something more on the labels: are they the same, or is one less lemon yellow than the other? Have they got the same lettering type?
Regarding Jan`s 7079 question: I have both versions, N.Y. and N.J. and intend to keep them. For me the N.J. is a second pressing original, before the trident period and nothing to do with the 7300-series re-issue of the same album. I think a N.J. original is collectible and can still be acquired at an acceptable price.
I did however sell off recently the 3rd version of 7043, with the big anachronistic Coltrane picture of the early sixties on the front cover (the album was recorded in 1956!), but not after having acquired a British Esquire version of `Informal Jazz`. So I have two Informal Jazz copies ( one U.S. and one U.K.) and one Two Tenors, the latter with a Reid Miles art cover, very nice, brown with black letters. Even the 3rd version, 2nd Two Tenors had the N.Y. adress on the back of the cover, but the front photo of Trane anno 1963 was a shame.
Please. Include in your price guide item 130365436066
I will keep one copy, the original original, and will sell the other. If this was one of my favorite records I might keep both covers — as I have with Sonny Rollins Plus Four. A for Jan’s question about what makes something collectible, I will probably do a separate post to address that. Stay tuned.
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