Podcast: Art Tatum — “God is in the House”
Today’s theme: Art Tatum. Artists include Art Tatum, Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, Benny Carter, Louis Bellson.
Today’s theme: Art Tatum. Artists include Art Tatum, Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, Benny Carter, Louis Bellson.
This week’s theme: Ella
One of the things I have missed during the pandemic has been going to record stores. I love going to record stores. It’s a life-long habit, and pleasure, one which I have never wanted to give up, even in the dark days of the recent past when vinyl was an endangered species and brick-and-mortar record stores seemed to be going the way of the 8-track. Even then, I would regularly visit the surviving stores and always buy something, it seemed, because, fundamentally, I like buying records. Anyway, I couldn’t remember the last time I physically walked into a record store, even though there are several decent, recently opened stores in a reasonable driving distance from my home in The Berkshires, where The Lovely Mrs. JC and I have permanently relocated since the pandemic began. I decided this was an itch that just had to be scratched and the other day I grabbed my son’s dog, Gordon, who is visiting for a few weeks, and got in the car and took a ride over to Catskill, New York, a little more than an hour away, to visit my favorite of the record stores in the area, Spike’s Record Rack, of which I have written several times in the past. Spike and I have gotten to be quite friendly during our brief interactions, so I sent him a heads-up in advance that I would be making a visit. Read more
Here’s some more jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:
Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the deep grooves and flat edge. It was in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,727.
Here’s one we’ve never seen before: Freddie Redd, Session in Stockholm, Nixja Records NJL 14. This one looked to be in VG+ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $531. I always find it thrilling that I’ve been collecting jazz records for more than 40 years and I still come across records I’ve never seen nor heard of. I bet this is a great one, too.
We don’t usually track records that sell for $22, but we were watching this one because it’s symbolic of something: A great record, great cover, great label, great condition, but no real interest from a collectible standpoint, at least not anymore:
A lot of the big time sellers are up on eBay this week with some big time records. Here are some of the ones we are watching at Jazz Collector:
Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This one is a personal favorite, very nice record if you’re not familiar with it. This one is being offered by Atomic Records and it looks to be in VG++ condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The current price is about $315 and there are a few hours still to go. The same seller has this item: Lester Young and Buddy Rich Trio, Norgran 1074. This is a black label pressing, which I usually assume is a second press, although I think this may be an original: I’m not sure when it was issued and if Norgran had switched to black labels, but I know the copy in my collection is a black label as well. This one is in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The current price is about $75.