Sonny Clark, Dex, Brubeck, Bird, All For A Price

Here’s an update on some items we’ve been watching:

We had pointed out the other day that there was a copy of Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588 that could be had for a buy-it-now price of $3,750. Shortly after that post, someone bought it for that price. We never realized we had such power. 

Here’s an interesting item that raises a question: Dexter Gordon, Daddy Plays the Horn, Bethlehem 36. This was a promo copy with the record in M- condition and the cover VG. It sold for $291.56. What’s interesting is that the seller notes that many of the available copies of this record have the promo stamp. Sure enough, I looked at my copy and there it was. Does anyone out there have any idea why this would be the case? If you do, please post it as a comment.

I did a post the other day on the market for Dave Brubeck collectibles. Here’s one that went for a higher price than expected: Dave Brubeck, Jazz At Oberlin, Fantasy 3-11. This was an original 10-inch LP with red vinyl in nice condition. Price: $50

Another one we were watching: Charlie Parker, Dial 203. This was an original 10-inch LP in what seemed like VG+ condition. Price: $393.80

We’ll be posting again later today, and we’ll be putting some of our own stuff on eBay this week. Nice stuff, indeed.

Cool Struttin’, For A Price

Interested in a near mint copy of Sonny Clark’s Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588? There’s a copy on eBay now for a buy-it-now price of $3,750. It you want to take a chance and bid on it, the price is already more than $2,200.  Another item I’m watching is this one: Charlie Parker, Dial 203. This is an original 10-inch pressing, and it seems to be in nice condition. I’m a sucker for these 10-inchers. This one is still under $200 for now, although we don’t expect it to stay there.

The Bird and Diz Discovery

Three friends called on Monday to ask if I’d seen the article in Sunday’s New York Times about the discovery of the concert by Bird and Diz at Town Hall in New York from June 22, 1945.  Check it out here: Bird Lives! The Birth of Bebop, Captured on Disc. So I get the calls on Monday, rush home, read the article and then head out to my local Tower Records to pick up the CD. Alas, no CD. Also, no CD at Borders, Barnes & Noble or Best Buy.  So I ordered on Amazon. Still waiting for delivery. Which is a roundabout way of saying that I’m delaying the next newsletter a week, till I get back from vacation and have a chance to listen to this CD so I can share my thoughts with you.  I’ve got plenty of other stuff to write about, plus an updated Price Guide, so stay tuned on August 15. I’ll be offline till then, traveling in Europe. Have fun and happy record hunting.  – Al

Advice to Sellers on Ebay

Jazz Collector Newsletter, July 2005

Welcome to Jazz Collector. We’ve been very good about updating the web site every day, so if you haven’t been visiting, please take a look: There’s been some interesting discussion and we’ve been watching some nice items on eBay. Speaking of eBay, as we often do, we start this newsletter with advice to sellers, which we hope will generate some reader response. We also have our usual assortment of upcoming items, some new LPs in our Price Guides and an all-time favorite music clip.

I was recently talking to a subscriber who is interested in selling his collection on eBay as a retirement business. Here’s the main advice I gave him:

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Original Pressings, Reasonable Prices

Back from the weekend, so it’s time to catch up on eBay. Here are some of the records we were watching.

 Donald Byrd Sextet, Transition 5. This was an original pressing in what seemed to be M-/VG++ condition. The LP had the booklet and sold for $300.

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This was an original pressing with the purple label. The seller listed it in M-/M- condition, although there seemed to be ringwear on the cover, based on the photo. Still the price was $278.99. Read more

Reader Comments: Dinah Washington, Prestige Covers

If it’s Thursday, it must be mail day. Today we have a couple of thank-you notes, plus a request for information about Prestige 10-inch LPs. If anyone out there has the answer to the Prestige question, send a note to us. And please, keep those cards and letters coming.

 

“Just wanted to say thanks for the Dinah Washington Sings Fats Waller LP I won a month or so back. Only got to listen to it last night and, wow, was I impressed. My orbit for jazz vocals has always had Ella at the center, with Sarah Vaughan, a little early Nancy Wilson and not much else. I’d never really heard Dinah before. Oh, what I’d been missing. Read more

Another Day, Another Thousand Records

Another day, another thousand or so records on eBay. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to go through them all and it may as well be me. Here are some of the items we’re watching over the next couple of days: Don Sleet, All Members, Jazzland 45

After you click this item do yourself a favor and click “View Seller’s Other Items.” You will see some great records in great condition that will sell for high prices.

This is another dealer with some good items this week. Art Taylor, Taylor’s Wailers, Prestige 7117

One of these days we will get this record, but not this week. The price tag of $450 is already a little too steep. Read more

Tubby Hayes, Art Taylor, Shades of Red

Back from the weekend and finally caught up on eBay. Here are some of the records we’re looking at over the next day or two:

 The dealer JBLD44000 out of Seattle has still more highly collectible records in nice condition at high prices. He has a few closing today, including:

 Tubby Hayes Quintet, Down in the Village, Fontana 680-998, with a price of $750 as we posted this.

 This dealer has many more high-priced, interesting items over the next two days, including:

 Art Taylor, Taylor’s Wailers, Prestige 7117 in M- condition.

The price on this is already $450. We missed out last week on a copy in VG++ condition that sold for $307.

Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045 in nice condition, but not mint. This is priced at $295. I’m watching this because it is a favorite of mine – I think the music is terrific, with Jackie McLean and Tina Brooks – and the only copy I have is a Japanese pressing. My copy sounds great, but it’s not like having the original. Read more

Hot Records, High Prices

Back home after a weekend away. Let’s see what happened on eBay the past few days.

 The seller JBLD44000 out of Seattle, who has been selling some nice records the past few weeks, had a bunch of items up this weekend, with mixed results. A few of the records sold for high prices, including:

Hank Mobley, Soul Station, Blue Note 4031, for $1,337.28

Kenny Drew, Walkin’ and Talkin’, Jazz West 4, for $532

This dealer also had several high-ticket items that didn’t get bids at all. Based on our previous experience watching his auctions, we anticipate that these records will be back on eBay in the near future with somewhat lower start prices and, perhaps, Buy-It-Now prices. Among those records are: Read more

“Charlie Yardbirdaronee”

 

My friend Dan called the other day. He’d just bought a copy of “Slim’s Jam”, the original 78 on the Bel-Tone label, featuring one of Charlie Parker’s early recorded solos recorded in December 1945 when he was in Los Angeles. Dan paid 40 bucks on eBay for the 78. I don’t have a copy of the 78, but I do have the cut on the original Savoy 12-inch LP, The Genius of Charlie Parker, Savoy MG-12014, so I put it on. This is a classic, of course, featuring Slim Gaillard introducing each of the musicians in his own inimitable style: “Here comes Zutty in the door with his brushes . . . This is a fun, Jack McVouty and his tenor.” And, inevitably, “Charlie Yardbirdaroonee,” who, as we soon learn, was “ havin’ a little reed trouble.”

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