Heading Down a Dangerous New Path?
Someone sent me a link to this, in light of my recent post about the Miles Davis Prestige records: Miles Davis, Relaxin’, Prestige 7129. This was an original New York yellow label pressing that looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $738.88. The one we were watching last week sold for $393. Shows that there can be real value in posting more pictures rather than fewer pictures, and of getting the proper light and angle on the pictures. At least that’s the lesson I take from the price differential.
So I’ve been writing a bit lately about how some of the European pressings have been catching my eye, such as that 10-inch French Zoot Sims record yesterday and some of the Prestiges that were released on Esquire. And our friend CeeDee sent me a link a few weeks ago to a seller who had a bunch of these pressings, and the prices were pretty low, and I actually put in a bid on a couple of records and wound up with this:
Jackie McLean, Lights Out, Esquire 32-041. This was an original UK pressing that was listed in VG condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. I put in a snipe of more than $60 and wound up buying the record for $25.49. The nice thing about it is, now that I have two places of residence, I can keep my U.S. original pressing in one location, and this nice British pressing in the other. I listened to the Esquire pressing the other day and it sounded great, probably as good as the original Prestige, although I’m not sure my ears would pick up any slight variations. And the condition of the vinyl, to my pleasant surprise, was better than advertised. The biggest problem, of course, is now that I’ve taken the first step down this path of replicating my original Prestiges with European pressings, where will it end, if, indeed, it ever ends at all. And I’m sure there will be people among the Jazz Collector audience to remind me that once upon a time I set out upon a Great Jazz Vinyl Countdown, which is fading obscurely into a distant memory even as I type this post.
Al
Lack of discipline is dangerous….but
Lack of Passion is indeed Fatal.
That’s a nice new path to go down.
this seller does a good job in presenting his merchandise.
I am puzzled why the Joe Wilder on Savoy is already at 67 dollars.
I refrain myself from making any comments on your Esquire adventure.
This Joe Wilder is by the way a very fine session, with an incredible version of “Cherokee”. For sure a must have for any collector.
Thank you, Rudolf. You are most generous. When I think of how I’ve fallen off the wagon, I do know that you are watching with some level of detached bemusement.
absolutely.
The Vogue pressings of Contemporary and Pacific Jazz titles sound really great, too.
Esquire pressed some Delmark titles for the UK market as well and those sound nice. They’re a little bit later – maybe early ’70s?
Fontana records often get me excited for whatever reason (it certainly can’t be the pressings).
Also, if I had the pocket change for Danish Debut…