Podcast: More Jazz Explorations of the American Songbook

This week’s theme: More jazz vocals and instrumentals from the Great American Songbook. Artists include Lous Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Eddie Costa, Vinnie Burke, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison, Sarah Vaughan, Roy Haynes, Thad Jones, Ronnell Bright, Richard Davis, Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Zoot Sims, Rosemary Clooney, Scott Hamilton, Dave McKenna, Warren Vache, and many more.

Another Visit to A Record Store, Pandemic Edition

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

Jazz Vinyl on eBay: KD for the $1,000 Bin & 2 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:

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On eBay Now: Webster Young, Pres, Jutta, KD

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.

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