This week’s theme: The Gershwin Songbook, as played by jazz pianists and their groups. Featured artists include: Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Red Garland, Billy Taylor, Bud Powell, Oscar Pettiford, Art Blakey, Paul Motian, Scott LaFaro, Hampton Hawes, Red Mitchell, Chuck Thompson, John Lewis, Percy Heath, Connie Kay, Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen, John Ore, J.C. Moses, Ray Barreto, Arthur Taylor, Paul Chambers, Randy Weston

This week’s theme: A potpourri of jazz songs that have crossed over into the mainstream in some way. For example, Mercy, Mercy Mercy, The Sidewinder, or The Girl From Ipanema. Featured artists include John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Steve Davis, Vince Guaraldi, Monte Budwig, Colin Bailey, Herbie Mann, John Handy, Wes Montgomery, Ron Carter, Ray Barretto, Billy Taylor, Ben Tucker, Grady Tate, Les McCann, Eddie Harris, Benny Bailey, Leroy Vinnegar, Donald Dean, Stan Getz, Jaoa Gilberto, Astrid Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Joe Morello, Eugene Wright, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Bob Cranshaw, Barry Harris, Billy Higgins, Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, Joe Zawinul, Victor Gaskin, Roy McCurdy.

This week’s theme: Part two of our exploration of jazz tracks that have the name of a woman in the title. Featured artists include Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Ray Charles, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, Art Blakey, Eddie Jefferson, Lee Morgan, Bobby Timmons, Benny Golson, Billy Taylor, Stan Getz, Al Haig, Jimmy Raney, Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, Sam Jones, Louis Hayes, Barry Harris, Jimmy Rushing, Coleman Hawkins, Jackie McLean, Freddie Redd, Tina Brooks, Nat King Cole, Sweets Edison, and more.

This week’s theme: Jazz records recorded on Feb. 4. Featured artists include Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Billy Taylor, Hal McKusick, Art Farmer, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Phil Woods, Jon Eardley, Paul Chambers, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Louis Smith.

This week’s theme: The Riverside Label, Part I

This week’s theme: Jazz Meets Broadway

Here’s one I can’t figure out: Hank Mobley, Roll Call, Blue Note 84058. This is a West 63^rd Street pressing with the ear, Van Gelder and deep grooves. But it’s also a stereo pressing. Was Blue Note issuing stereo copies of this record when it was first released in 1961? I recall seeing stereo copies of Blue Train and Art Blakey Blue Note 4003, but they had a Stereo stamp on them, and not the number 8 in front. I’m sure someone will have the answer. In the meantime, this copy is listed as M- for the record and Excellent (and Amazing) for the cover. The bidding is at $325 with about three days left on the auction.

Billy Taylor Trio at Town Hall, Prestige 7093. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. The record is listed as M- and the cover is EX. The start price is around $500 and the auction closes in a day and a half from this posting. I realize, of course, that this is an original yellow label Prestige and those are quite desirable. And I’m also a fan of Billy Taylor, not just as a musician – he was great, popular and underrated all at the same time – but as an advocate and voice for the music. But I never got the sense any of his records were valued that highly by jazz collectors. So, let’s pause for a moment and work our way over to Popsike . . . I guess I was wrong. There have been several instances of Billy Taylor  original Prestige records selling for more than $300, with a top of $405 for A Touch of Taylor, Prestige 7001. If the seller were to get his asking price for this Town Hall record, it would be a new high for Taylor. As for this particular record, the highest previous price was about $167.

This one is from Clifford: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. The note said: “$3K for a True Blue with a nasty scratch on tracks one and two, side B. I would not call that EX+!” So, yes, the record was graded EX+ and the cover was M- and the price was $3,055. With records like this, is it possible buyers have no intention of listening, and just want to have a copy, especially one with a nice cover, in their collection? Or is it just that these records are so hard to find, that even what Clifford describes as a “nasty scratch” isn’t a deterrent from someone paying more than $3,000?

Here’s an inquiry from a reader in London: “Hi. I have to travel to Houston for work from London soon. Do you know of any good record shops that I should visit for jazz?” Personally, I don’t, but perhaps someone here does.

Jim sent me a note about a record store that bought a collection a few years ago and is just getting around now to putting them on the shelves, including some original Blue Notes. Jim mentioned Lee Morgan City Lights, Horace Silver Cape Verdean Blues, and an Ike Quebec. No mention of price or condition. A few years ago, I would have jumped into the car immediately and started the three-hour journey. But, I now seem to be more in the subtracting mode than adding mode, so I’m passing the information on to Jazz Collector readers. The name of the store is Bull Moose and it is in Scarborough, ME. They also have other stores in the area, so perhaps these records are making their way across various locations in Maine and New Hampshire.

The post Jazz Vinyl Miscellany and Mail first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]> https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/jazz-vinyl-miscellany-and-mail/feed/ 64 9178 https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/a-cross-section-of-collectible-jazz-vinyl/ https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/a-cross-section-of-collectible-jazz-vinyl/#comments Wed, 15 Mar 2017 14:04:16 +0000 http://jazzcollector.com/?p=7492 We’re watching a few auctions from the seller bullsite2000, including Billy Taylor, Cross Section, Prestige 7071. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. [...]

We’re watching a few auctions from the seller bullsite2000, including Billy Taylor, Cross Section, Prestige 7071. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. It looks like the record is in about VG++ condition and the cover is M-. The bidding is in the $90 range and the auction closes later today. Typically, you don’t see any Billy Taylor records selling for high prices. This particular record seems to be somewhat of an exception, selling for more than $200 several times on Popsike. We’ll see what this one goes for. I like the picture on the cover, which is one of the reasons I’m mentioning here at Jazz Collector: It’s not often that I get to use a Billy Taylor Prestige cover with one of my posts, and this one has the old record player, the tube amp and the old records. Wouldn’t you like to own the records on THAT shelf. This is another one with a great cover: Jay Jay Johnson Sextet, Blue Note 5028. This is an original 10-inch Lexington Avenue pressing. The record looks to be in VG+ condition and the cover VG++. It is also closing today. The bidding is in the $250 range.

We were also watching a bunch of auctions from the seller vinyl.unlimited and most of them got fairly decent bids but did not reach the seller’s reserve price. Here are some of the ones that did not sell:

Barney Wilen Quintet, Guilde du Jazz 1239. This was listed in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. The top bid was $810.

Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. This one had a top bid of $404.

Sonny Red, Out of the Blue, Blue Note 4032. This was in VG++ condition for the record and probably VG+ for the cover. The top bid was $755.

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. The top bid for this was $1,325 and it still didn’t meet the reserve price.

Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1680. This one also received a top bid of more than $1,000 — $1,025 to be precise — and did not meet the reserve price.

The post A Cross Section of Collectible Jazz Vinyl first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]>

Billy Taylor Trio Volume 2, Prestige 7016. This one was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and it sold for $74.99, which is about what you’d expect for a Billy Taylor Prestige these days. I do have a question on this: I’ve had this record with two different covers — the one shown here and another one that I recall as having a black and white and gray design with a picture of Billy. Not sure which is original, but both had the New York address on the label and the cover. I’m sure the original had the kakubushi cover, but I am not home now to check it out. Anyone? Rudolf?

Dave Burns, Vanguard 9111. This one was in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ or M- for the cover. The price was $182.50. I own this record and it’s quite good, featuring Herbie Morgan on tenor sax, and I have rarely seen it on eBay, or anywhere else for that matter.

This one didn’t get a single bid, much to my surprise:

The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer, Prestige 7066. This was an original New York yellow-label pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price was $99 and there were no takers. I’d have thought an original Prestige in M- condition from a top artist, featuring some nice guitar work by Jimmy Raney, would have definitely elicited some interest.

We’ve also been watching some second presses that have gone for fairly decent prices, including: The Tal Farlow Album, Verve 8138. This was an MGM pressing and it was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Not only is this a second pressing of the Verve LP, the Verve is actually a reissue of the Norgran, so this is very far from being an original. It sold for $67.57.