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  • Earl, that’s a book written by Fred Cohen from JazzRecordCented. It’s available directly from him, you just need to look at the items he’s selling.

  • I knew about the Blue Note book that Fred wrote, and have it – I thought he was referring to something more general

  • Can anyone help me identify whose signatures these are? Information about the Howard Hanger trio is scarce.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Howard-Hanger-Trio-A-Child-Is-Born-LP-SIGNED-Nas-Illmatic-/161103852340

  • I just picked up a copy of BN 1598 Bud Powell Time Waits and the mono record has Liberty labels, RVG 9M stamp, a “27 Years…” inner sleeve (which are understandable together) but a laminated 47 West 63rd jacket which I thought would be well and gone by 1966, especially the lamination. Does anyone else have any early Liberty Blue Notes with laminated jackets with original addresses and big catalog numbers or did someone do a nice switcheroo?

  • Joe L (or anyone): when did Impulse move from ABC Paramount label to the non-ABC?

  • DaveS – londonjazzcollector has a good timeline of the Impulse pressings: http://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/record-labels-guide/7-impulse/impulse-us-labels/

  • Hi, does anybody have any info (how rare & good it is and so on..) on this LP: SONNY ROLLINS QUINTET: Hot-Cool-Moderne, US original 1957 Jazztone J1243 LP, with the Thad Jones Ensemble and the Zoot Sims Quintet.

  • Fredrik – the Sonny Rollins and Thad Jones tracks look to be from “Sonny Rollins Plays,” the rare Period release. The Zoot Sims tracks from “Zoot Sims Goes To Jazzville,” on Dawn. I assume it was a typical Jazztone mail-order reissue/reorganization from those releases. I’ve never heard the Jazztone pressing, just recognized the songs.

  • Thanks Joe L, then it doesn’t seem that appealing after all. You’d want the original stuff.

  • Fredrik: the Period 1204 had one side Rollins and the dedicated to Thad Jones. Jazztone give incomplete Rollins (two tracks out of the three recorded and issued on 1204. So this French Jazztone album can be forgotten.

  • Rudolf – do you store your original Prestige pressings in the original onion skin inner sleeves? Put another way, do you have any worries about those sleeves damaging the vinyl, as opposed to paper sleeves (or audiophile sleeves)? I store my records in the original onion skin sleeves (when I have them), but I’m curious if you think they are rough on the vinyl. Thanks, as always.
    Obviously, if anyone else has an opinion, I am interested. Thanks!

  • Generally I set aside all original sleeves and use fresh audiophile ones after cleaning. I do keep the paper liners with the record listings on them from Blue Note, Impulse or Prestige, and insert a fresh rounded plastic sleeve in them. The onion sleeves in my experience tend to get crinkly and fall apart. Same as my 50 year old body.

    I would never reuse an old paper sleeve as the can scratch worst case or certainly shed paper dust routinely.

    My only caveat is that you need to be careful with inserting the larger MobileFidelity sleeves in the jackets. I have noticed that they are usually ok for BNs and Impulse, but some of the other labels’ jackets might be a tight fit and could tear the seams if you are not careful. In that case I use the rounded bottom ones which are thinner and slightly smaller.

  • Thanks DaveS. I tend to use new paper sleeves, but I have been fortunate enough to have recently acquired a number of original Prestige pressings that came in their original inners, which were in great shape (surprisingly). They fit veeerrry snugly, such that I don’t think paper sleeves will fit without potentially splitting the jackets (that is how good the condition of the jackets are – very sharp and tight). Just wondered if the onion skins are especially damaging. Thanks!

  • JoeL: Congrats on the score!!!

  • Joe L: inner sleeves, esp. the onion skin ones, do leave traces on the vinyl. That is why I have adopted the system as recommended in the mid-fifties by the U.K. London label and the Dutch Philips label. They had designed an inner which was open on three sides. So, as with the pages of a book, you open it, lay the record in it and turn the page. Then you put the record and inner together in the art sleeve.
    This system protects the vinyl (you don’t slide it in and out), but the disadvantage is that you have got to open two sides of the inner. This may appear barbarian and in a way it is.
    When I am finding rare items nowadays, with their original inners, I keep the inner intact (and stored separately with the catalogue number written in pencil) and use a provisional London system inner.

  • Thanks so much Rudolf. I’m grateful. That is terrific advice.

  • The follow-up question: where do you get those inners? Thanks.

  • you make them yourself. A new inner (I prefer all paper, no polylining), a pair of scissors. You shape it the way you like, and cut two sides completely, leaving one side attached.
    I am left handed, so I take the record in its sleeve out of the art sleeve, lay it down and turn the “page” to the right to have the vinyl naked in front of me, without touching it during the operation.
    Then, again, according to the London/Philips system, a use a lightly damp cloth (liquid distilled water 90 % volume and alcohol 10 % volume) to wipe off dust. Before storing a record it is always cleaned this way. I tried record cleaning machines, but gaveup on them.

  • Blue Note Pressing Run Sizes Again:

    I remain confused as the number of Blue Notes copies of a particular album pressed, especially in the early days.

    I passed on buying a copy of Jimmy Smith 1514 Flat Edge Lex yesterday at a physical records store because I already have 2 copies.

    Yet, I have never held, let alone seen, any of these early Mobley or Morgans, etc. outside of eBay.

    I understand that they pressed alot of Jimmy Smith later on, along with Horace, 3 Sounds. But in the Lexington era, did they really press so many Jimmys and so few Hank and Lees? Or are all the Hank and Lees locked up in collectors’ closets and the Jimmys are left to circulate with the common folks?

    Maybe it was a coincidence with the Jimmy Smith 1514. Don’t know.

  • I am doing some analysis of unique interviews with jazz musicians, originally recorded on cassette or reel-to-reel tape. Does anyone have suggestions as to the value they might have in the marketplace. These range from famous names like Benny Goodman, Pete Barbutti, and Buddy Rich, to sidemen and bit players like Al Grey, Herb Jeffries, and Benny Morton. They are all original and unique, and not duplicated. Suggestions? Thanks!

  • I have a CAPITOL LC.6501; Chappell & Co Ltd London. 33 1/3 LP Microgroove Unbreakable Record. “A syphonic Portrait of Cole Porter” Orchestra conducted by GUY LUYPAETS. It has L159-Y and L159-Z stamped into each side.
    The cover is faded and mottled, but the record is still in good condition.
    Where can I sell it? What would it’s value be now? Is it worth keeping …ie: will the value rise?

  • Leigh: can’t help you on this – most Jazz buffs would not be interested in “symphonic portraits” of anyone – but relly depends on what some buyer is after. And your condition description is not particularly encouraging.

  • I would like to inow what you all think a M-/M-, 2nd edition (purple label, v heavy vinyl, DG) copy of Pepper’s “Surf Ride” might be worth? Firsts of this album in this condition would of course sell for $500 plus

  • I must be frank….I really don’t know how one can honestly ‘spruce up’or be more ‘encouraging’ about the condition of something that has been stored for 40 odd years…?? but thanks anyway Eric….point taken.

  • Mya apologies….
    not Eric….. Earl!

  • Sorry Leigh – I was not asking you to spruce anything up – and I am aware that old albums are frequently in less than optimal condition – however, if you will peruse some of the better 50+ years old jazz albums that are ferequently pointed to in Al’s columns, you will find many covers that are close to pristine. Also, perhaps you are not familiar with the language, but to say a record is in “good” shape is to say it’s pretty bad: NM (nearmint), VG++, VG+ and VG are all above “good” in the commonly used classification system

    Your album may be better than Good, but you don’t say

  • Leigh – for what it’s worth, there are a few copies for sale currently on eBay for about $20. And no mentions of that particular record on the “high historical auction results” websites. So not much, is probably the answer.

  • British Jazz ,i have been told my Tubby Hayes collection on Tempo Tap are more collectable than Tubby Hayes on Fontana label is this the case ?

  • Geoff: Tempo is a very collectible label, more so than Fontana, Hayes or no Hayes.

  • Andy : to sum up, i would say about this Saxophone Colossus that no matter what stange grading the seller uses, it is visually a trashed copy.

  • Google says Zoot Sims made 157 albums One of them albeit a CD,has a different sleeve photo to my LP on Vogue called Tonites Music Today which is the original sleeve anybody please?

  • Geoff: the Sims album you are referring to is a Storyville LP, which was issued in the US with a picture of the artists (Zoot and Bob B.) My French Vogue edition of same has a picture of Zoot only, on a white background and some red. What has your U.K. Vogue, assuming you have that one?

  • Rudolf My Vogue black background shadowy figure of Bob playing trombone with Zoot Sims behind,

  • Geoff: your Vogue is U.K. and has a replica of the US Storyville art work.

  • re the Sonny SaxCol: don’t know that I’d call it trash, but by the seller’s own description, it is certainly no better than VG/VG – however, since it is an original pressing of this very popular album (can sell for close to 2 thou in true VG+ condition) will probably garner some good money (not from me)

  • Thanks again Rudolf. Being a jazz novice your knowledge is invaluable so many questions about my collection, I will try not to bore you.

  • I was hoping that someone on this forum might be able to help me determine whether I have a first, or early, pressing of Getz/Gilberto (Verve VG-8545). My copy has the black label with the silver T. The jacket is a gatefold and the front cover indicates “stereo”. The dead wax markings on Side A read: F.G. V6-8545 SIDE-1 63-VGS-560RE-1. On Side B, they read: F.G. V6-8545 SIDE-2 63-VGS-561RE-1. I’ve heard that the first pressings have a VG, but I don’t know whether a VGS is the same as a VG. Thanks in advance for any guidance or advice.

  • Some of my Blue Note labels have 47 West 63rd St. Some have 43 west 61st St. why is this I assume they moved am I right?

  • The price tag on the back of that Blue Train makes me absolutely sick!
    Geoff: no BN labels have a 61st ST address – that address appears on the back cover after they (yes) moved

  • A copy of Pepper meets the rhythm section claims the cover, with Red printing of the top line on the back, is the original – I have a copy which seems original in every other regard, but the top line is in Blue – does anyone know if one is the original and the other isn’t?

  • I have a couple of Clifford Brown LPs = Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street, Tribute To Brownie, both are on Mercury labels I assume these are UK what would be the American label for these recordings?

  • Thanks Earl I meant to say on the back cover, does that mean 63rd st is more collectable

  • Geoff, I believe all the original Brown/ Roach recordings were first released on EmArcy. I know the Inc. – Studies in Brown and the at Basin Street are. I only have the original EmArcy pressing for Basin Street: Studies in Brown I have on the lesser Trip label.

  • Geoff
    The Blue Note covers with the 61st St first appear around 4021 – The Duke Pearson Profiles (4022) only exists with a 61st St cover – this does not at all make it inferior or less desirable; however if anything prior to 4021 appears with a 61st ST cover it would not be an original pressing, and would accordingly be significanltly less valuable – a 4022 with the 63rd st label and the 61st St cover is an original pressing, and in my book, highly desirable

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