Heavy Hitters: Monk, Duke, Evans, Dorham
Here are some of the rare Jazz LPs I am currently watching on eBay, starting with Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington, Riverside 12-201. This is an original white label pressing with the original cover. The seller doesn’t offer a grade, but it looks like the record is in nice shape and the cover looks really clean. This is a cool record, with the original cover, great music and the first record in the Riverside 200 series, signifying the label’s shift to modern jazz and, in particular, its very fruitful relationship with Monk. I would love to have an original pressing of this record and, unfortunately, I passed up an opportunity to buy one for $100 at the Jazz Record Center in New York about 30 or so years ago. This one has a start price of $940, which is too rich for my sensibilities. I took a look over at Popsike and, to my surprise, this record has sold for more than $1,000 at least two times. Perhaps this will be a third?
Whilst on the Riverside label, Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby, Riverside 399. This looks like an original blue label deep-groove pressing. The record and cover both look to be in about VG++ condition. The auction closes in one more day and the bidding is in the $280 range.
This one also closes tomorrow: Kenny Dorham and the Jazz Prophets Volume 1, ABC Paramount 122. This is an original pressing. The record is probably in VG+ or VG++ condition, and the cover is probably VG+, or maybe VG. The starting bid is $500 and so far there are no takers. This is another record that has broken the $1,000 in the past, although I don’t see this one in that category due to the condition of the cover.
i’m surprised that Monk LP is worth that much. it’s a great LP but not what I would expect to sell for that much from among Monk’s Riverside stuff. For me, the appeal of Monk was always has original compositions.
The Monk is not quite a first. This “original pressing” has, if memory serves correctly, three variations of the back cover. This particular copy looks like it has the second.
While I’d love to have this record someday, I filed a mint UK first pressing for around $25 many years ago that sounds fine and has this same front cover artwork.
There is a copy of the Dorham on the wall at Academy on E 12th St. in New York for $400. Cover is in nice shape. Disc has a few light marks on one side, so I’d play test it before plunking down, but it looks overall ok.
The Waltz for Debby is not a first. Its a second, without “true” deep groove, and RS – RLP on top back cover. Someone will pay top price for a hissy second Riverside.
Yes Michel is correct on that; didn’t look at the link for that one but indeed it’s not a first pressing.
While it is correct that Waltz for Debby is a second pressing, with RM catalog number prefix on the labels, it is indeed deep groove and the vinyl on my copy isn’t hissy at all, no better or worse than earlier Riverside pressings.
I have a London edition of the Monk trio album, the sleeve, with the original design, printed in the UK, but the vinyl pressed in Germany.
Fully concur with the remarks by Michel re the Bill Evans album.
K.D. I have a non DG pressing with an Impulse inner.
Mark is correct
The Monk didn’t sell. How can you try to sell a 1000 dollar record and NOT play grade it? I have listened to Mint minus perfect visual records,.. just to hear a woodblock fire surface noice all over it. Pictures say nothing on sound Quality.
And what’s this tear-jerking thing as “it belonged to my father in law”?? What does that mean?
Maybe he was a perfect record collector who treated his Mint records in the best possible way, or maybe he slapped his wife with the records every time he was drunk?
Hey all, I’m the eBayer offering this record.
Since I’m not practiced at grading records, and I know my ears and equipment are different than others, I chose not to grade my records on ebay.
For this record, I’ve added the below to the listing:
*NOTE* If you might be interested, I have recorded a sample of this record that I could share with you, letting your own ears do the grading. Feel free to message me with any questions.
Thanks,
Tom