This week’s theme: Standards played by Charlie Parker and others. Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Scott Hamilton, Chris Flory, John Bunch, Phil Flanagan, Chuck Riggs, Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown, Roy Haynes, Paul Quinichette, Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day, Tony Aless, Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Dave Lambert, Sonny Rollins, Barney Kessel, Hampton Hawes, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, Herbie Mann, Max Roach, Al Haig, Percy Heath, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Steve Davis, Lou Donaldson, Blue Mitchell, Horace Silver, Art Blakey,  Booker Ervin, Richard Davis, Tommy Flanagan, Alan Dawson, Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez.

This week’s theme: Alternating favorite tracks between John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Shelley Manne, Ray Brown, Barney Kessel, Hampton Hawes, Wynton Kelly, Max Roach, Jimmy Cobb, Ray Bryant, George Morrow, and more.

This week’s theme: Bird in the studio for Dial and Savoy, 1947. Featured musicians include Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Max Roach, Bud Powell, Errol Garner, Red Callender, Doc West, Early Coleman, Wardell Gray, Howard McGhee, JJ Johnson, Dodo Marmarosa, Barney Kessel, Don Lamond, Tommy Potter, John Lewis, Nelson Boyd, Dyke Jordan.

This week’s theme: Random Sonny Rollins, circa 1956, 1957, 1958. Other featured artists include Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Ray Brown, Shelley Manne, Richie Powell, George Morrow, Kenny Dorham, Abbey Lincoln, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Wade Legge, and more.

When did this become a $100 record: Barney Kessel, The Poll Winners, Stereo 7010? This was an original pressing with the black label. The vinyl was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The final price was $97, so it wasn’t officially a $100 record. Still, I had no idea that Kessel was this collectible. I’m not complaining about it, since I do have all of his records on Contemporary, just a bit surprised by this one. In any case, it will be making its first appearance in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Also premiering in the Jazz Collector Price Guide will be: Bill Jennings, Enough Said!, Prestige 7164. This was an original yellow label pressing with

the deep grooves and it was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $163.50.

We’ve seen this one sell for decent prices before, but never for this much: Wilbur Harden, Mainstream 1958, Savoy 12127. This was an original pressing with the blood red label. It features John Coltrane on tenor, which is why it is a well regarded collectible, at least to these eyes and ears. This copy was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and it sold for $360.55.

And here’s yet another one that seems to have reached a new peak: Charles Mingus, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Impulse 35. This was an original stereo pressing with the orange label. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $111.10

Yesterday we answered some questions from readers. Today we have a question we would like to throw out to the community and see if anyone else has the answer. We’re starting to get a little action on the forums, so if you have questions like these please put them there and we can start building a clearinghouse of information for collectors.

On to today’s question, from Pete aka “Bongo Pete the Drummer”:

 “Hello. I have for years owned a 45-RPM EP on Clef Records called Introducing Barney Kessel and have never found any info on it. I also own the 10-inch LP Barney Kessel Volume 1 on Contemporary, which mentions in the liner notes that it is Barney’s first album – but that’s what it says on the back of the Clef 45. I know Barney just passed away on the 6^th of this month. Do you know anything about this Clef EP? I picked it up about 30 years ago when I was 14 years old for $1 or $2. It is in pretty nice shape. I have played it two times in 30 years, as I have it on tape.”

Can anybody out there help Pete?

eBaying

 Here are some of the interesting items that sold the past couple of days on eBay:

 Zoot Sims at Ronnie Scotts, Fontana 5176, in M- condition. Price: $660. The dealer described this as one of the rarest jazz LPs from the U.K. We’ve never seen it before and the price certainly justifies that description.

 Two Jackie McLean Blue Note LPs also went for high prices yesterday:

 Jackie’s Bag, Blue Note 4051, in M- condition. Price: $675

 New Soil, Blue Note 4013 in M- condition. Price: $325

Quotebook

“To me, reaching people is the most important thing. Otherwise, you just lock yourself in a room and play for yourself – that’s all. But if you’re going to work in a club and people are paying money to see and hear you, you should try to establish some kind of contact with them. What I try to do when playing in a club is to present different things, so that no matter who comes in, there’ll be something for everybody, rather than just playing one kind of thing and telling people: ‘If you don’t like it you can split!'” — Chet Baker from the liner notes to the album Baby Breeze, Limelight LM 82003, issued in 1964

Dan, if you’re watching today, Happy Birthday. See you all tomorrow with a newsletter. — Al

Today we turn things over to some readers. We appreciate all of your letters and the great support we’re already getting from the community after just two weeks. If you sent us a note and we haven’t replied, it’s just because we’re a little overwhelmed right now. Here are some of the things our readers have shared with us:

“It’s great to read your newsletter. I feel the same way about my father as you do about being introduced to jazz. I was hearing jazz at my house as a kid way before I migrated to my generation’s rock music. I eventually came back to jazz I my 20s and have stayed there since. My father game me a great gift. I try to pass that gift to as many people as I can – especially children.” — Russ O’Brien 

“My first autographed album was obtained from Barney Kessel at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach in 1959. However, I was living in Detroit at the time so I frequented Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and I did get up the nerve to have Thelonious Monk autograph his Mulligan Meets Monk album for me. My favorite story happened back in 1957-58. I had just moved to Indianapolis, my first time away from home. I was invited to an art gallery on Meridian Street, where they had local jazz musicians on Sunday night just playing and improvising. It was a small place and you could literally sit about five feet from the performers. It was there that I first heard and met Wes Montgomery, who was a local legend but had yet to make his first solo album. I had an old Wilcox-Gay tape recorder but never had the nerve to ask Wes if I could record him, although I’m sure he wouldn’t have minded. He was a really humble and nice guy who died much too soon. — Steve Hinds, Seminole, Fla.

“I’m a collector from Germany. The newsletter and website are a great idea and a most welcome feature for all jazz collectors. And it’s professionally made and fun to browse and look at. I really hope you will attract a lot of fellow collectors. I have read your features about collecting (addiction) and could recognize myself in your description of collecting and eBaying. Maybe that will be comfort to you that thousands of miles away people in different have the same hobbies/obsessions and are doing similar things and thinking similar thoughts.” — Ulrich Loh

“I was thrilled to hear I won (the Gene Ammons LP). Being from Chicago and a big fan of Ammons I’m in heaven. Also, I just finished converting a warehouse into a residence and made it imperative to have a jazz room in which only vinyl will be played. The warehouse is in Hermosa Beach, CA., which was famous for the Lighthouse. It’s still there!” — Lawrence Manning, Hermosa Beach, CA.

“I’m signed up for your newsletter and I think it’s just about the greatest thing I’ve ever read.” — Karl Bang Christensen, Denmark

And on that note, see you tomorrow with the newsletter. – Al