This week’s theme is pretty much what it says: Tracks from 10 random Blue Note records, Artists include Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Arthur Taylor, Philly Joe Jones, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Louis Smith, Dizzy Reece, Jackie McLean, Pete LaRoca, Cliff Jordan, Jon Gilmore, Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Sonny Clark, Dexter Gordon.

This week’s theme: Composed by Dizzy. Featured artists include Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Clyde Hart, Remo Palmieri, Slam Stewart, Cozy Cole, Al Haig, Curly Russell, Sid Catlett, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Barretto, Ray Bryant, Tommy Bryant, Charles Persip, Charles McPherson, Cliff Jordan, Barry Harris, George Tucker, Alan Dawson, Junior Mance, Les Spann, Sam Jones, Lex Humphries, Chino Pozo, James Moody, Kenny Barron, Chris White, Rudy Collins, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Donald Byrd, Arthur Taylor, George Joyner, Dexter Gordon, Bud Powell, Pierre Michelot, Kenny Clarke, Double Six of Paris, Supersax.

Clifford Brown Memorial, Prestige 7055. This is an original yellow-label New York pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. The current price is only $200. I say “only” because this looks like the best condition you will ever find this record. Also, does any other artist have two “Memorial” albums? Not just two “Memorial” but on Blue Note and Prestige?

Here are a couple that are not from the Jazz Record Center, starting with Kenny Dorham and the Jazz Prophets, Volume 1, ABC Paramount 122. The record and cover look to be in VG+ condition. Bidding starts at $500 with no bidders yet and the auction closing in about  two days.

Dexter Gordon, Dexter Calling, Blue Note 4083. This is described as an original New York USA pressing listed in M- condition for the record and cover. Start price is about $500 with no bidders yet for an auction that closes in about three days.

To follow up on some of the records we were watching:

Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original West 63^rd Street pressing that looked to be in V++ or so condition for the record and the cover. When we looked at this record, the bidding was in the $860 range. We knew it would break the $1,000 mark, and perhaps the $2,000 mark. It came pretty close, selling for $1,939.08.

From the same seller: Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1580. Again, this was an original pressing in “excellent/superb” condition, with the added benefit of a cover design by Andy Warhol. We anticipated a final price “north of $3,000,” but we were a bit off. The top bid was $2,823.08.

To no surprise, the two Lee Morgan records and the Chet Baker 10-inch record did not sell.

Let’s try to find a few records that will actually be sold. Here’s a great one: Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1580.This is an original West 63^rd Street pressing, famous not just for the music, but also for the cover art by Andy Warhol. The record is listed in Excellent Plus condition and the cover is listed as “brilliant EXCELLENT++.” There are 28 bids, the bidding is in the $1,300 range and there are four days left in the auction. I would suggest a price north of $3,000 is where this record will end up, and I may be underestimating by a lot. We’ll see.

Here’s another gem from the same seller: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This looks to be an original West 63^rd Street pressing. Interesting note on the labels – a previous owner wrote in the times for each track. Going to go back to the Johnny Griffin record and see if the same thing happened there. And the answer is . . . yep, same owner. Lots of Excellents and Plusses in the listing for the condition of the vinyl and the cover. Bidding is in the $860 range and this one will surely end up in the $1,000 bin, unless there’s a separate $2,000 bin, and it may end of there.

All right, one more. Oh, here’s another Warhol cover and a listing from our friends at the Jazz Record Center in New York: Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights, Volume 2, Blue Note 1597. This is listed as a RVG-stamped West 63^rd street pressing, with no deep groove. The record is listed in “excellent” condition and the cover is listed in “new condition – immaculate in every respect.” Bidding is in the $380 range with more than five days left on the auction. If you are interested in perusing other auctions from this listing, just click here for the Jazz Record Center.

Let’s do this in real time. So far, I’m finding a lot of records with really high start prices and zero bids, starting with: Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 1502, original Lexington Avenue pressing. Great looking cover, as you can see. Record and cover are graded in Excellent condition, which the seller describes as “VERY” nice, although not quite mint minus. Start price is close to $1,900 and the buy it now price is close to $2,900.

How about Gil Melle, Gil’s Guests, Prestige 7063? This is an original New York yellow label listed in VG+ condition for the record and what I would call an “iffy” VG cover. How about $900 to start? And here’s a record I once owned but traded away in a very bad deal for me: Sonny Red, Out of the Blue Note 4032. The record and cover are graded VG+, with some surface noise on the vinyl. The start price is about $800.

Doing this in real time, I have completed the first page of 60 listings of jazz records sorted by highest prices on eBay. I kid you not – there is not a single record that has even one bid. Astrud Gilberto, The Shadow of Your Smile, $2,000. No? Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely, $400. No?

To be fair, there are some records that will likely be sold and perhaps well into the $1,000 bin. I’m looking at Freddie Hubbard Hub Cap, Blue Note 4073, and . . . . not much more. Let’s move on to page 2. I’m determined to find a record that has at least one bid.

Nothing yet. Passing Chet Baker, It Could Happen to You, Sonny Rollins, Rollins Plays For Bird, both in the $300 range, passing Freddie Redd, The Connection at $250, Miles Davis, Relaxin’ at $250. OK. Now I’m starting to worry that something is wrong with my internet connection or eBay. Nothing? Let’s keep going.

Ding, ding, ding. Nearly 100 records down, our first record that has any bids, and, I must admit, it’s a good one: Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This looks to be an original pressing with the New York 23 labels. The record is graded M- and the cover is graded EX. There are actually 10 bids and the price is currently at about $230 with less than two days left on the auction.

Well, that was fun. Clearly, my absence from posting, has had a dramatic impact on the market.

Here’s another relister: Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes off, Blue Note 1591. This looks to be an original pressing in VG condition for the record and probably VG+ for the cover. When I first spotted this record the start price was $399 and I was pretty sure it would sell. But it didn’t, and is now back on eBay at $229.

Whilst we’re on records that didn’t sell, there is this: Jim Chapin Ensemble Featuring Phil Woods, Prestige 213. This is an original yellow label 10-inch pressing. The record is listed as EX and the cover is VG. This was up for auction at $150 and there were no bidders. It is now on eBay as a buy-it-now with a price of $224. For those of you who don’t know, Jim Chapin was a drummer and was also the father of Harry Chapin. I knew this because they were Long Islanders and my friend Danny used to do club dates with Jim Chapin. There’s a good documentary about Harry Chapin on Amazon Prime Video, if anyone is interested. I, myself, am a sucker for almost any well done music doc.

Finally, we will let CeeDee weigh in with a couple of his typically barbed, relevant and fully missives. Here’s one note I got from him:

“Check out World’s Experience Orchestra – The Beginning of a New Birth LP – Rare Spiritual on eBay.” In case you don’t want to click the link, this was an original pressing from that Carolina Soul auction. It was in VG- for the record and VG- for the condition. It sold for $2,405. Back to CeeDee: “Not only Sun Ra. This must be a hell of an LP to get that kind of bread (in that condition). Call me a cynic but . . . HELL, NOOO! Is that what happens when states legalize marijuana. Buyer frenzy, all doped up on weed!! Say it ain’t so (Mary) Jane . . .”

Here’s the other note:

“Check out MIKE SELESIA: Flavor US OG ’76 Free Jazz OG Private Vinyl LP Hear on eBay!” The record was VG+, the cover was VG and the final price was $1,005. Back to CeeDee: “Once more once: WTF???? Who? What? And . . . Why? Befuddled I am.”

Anyone else befuddled out there, for this or any other reason?

The post Bewitched, Bothered and Befuddled first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]> https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/bewitched-bothered-and-befuddled/feed/ 6 9090 https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/dorham-mobley-trane-and-the-return-of-moose-the-mooche/ https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/dorham-mobley-trane-and-the-return-of-moose-the-mooche/#comments Fri, 21 Oct 2022 14:19:45 +0000 https://jazzcollector.com/?p=9050 Today we have lots of nice records from some of the more prominent eBay sellers so let’s get right to it, starting with Kenny Dorham, [...]

Today we have lots of nice records from some of the more prominent eBay sellers so let’s get right to it, starting with Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This one is listed in VG or so condition for the record and VG for the cover, with a drill hole through the label. The bidding is in the $425 range with three days left on the auction. The seller, the-big-game-hunter has some other nice records for sale this week, although not necessarily in the best of condition. Here’s another likely to fetch a high price: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is a West 63^rd Street pressing, listed in G+ or VG- condition for the record and a very generous VG for the cover. There’s also a big stain on the one of the labels. Bidding is in the $400 range with three days left.

The seller bearlbebop has a bunch of nice records, including original Blue Notes and Prestiges, such as Hank Mobley with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan, Blue Note 1540. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the frame cover. The record is listed in VG+ or VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. The start price is $700 and so far there are no bidders with two days left in the auction. From the same seller, you can bid on Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This is a West 63^rd Street pressing. The record seems to be in the VG++ range and the cover is graded VG+. Bidding is in the $550 range with more than two days left.

Finally, what would be a week on eBay these days without at least some action from the sellers 1molecularrman and Carolina Soul. From 1molecularrman we have Jackie McLean and Company, Prestige 7087. This looks to be an original New York yellow label, with a cutout hole in the cover. The record and cover are both listed as VG+. The auction closes is more than three days and there is one bid at $300.

From Carolina Soul we bring you some Coltrane, starting with John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original black label pressing, listed in VG+ for the record and VG++ for the cover. Bidding is in the $415 range with more than two days left on the auction. In the Coltrane-as-sideman category, we have Tommy Flanagan, The Cats, New Jazz 8217. This looks to be an original deep-groove purple label listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Bidding is in the $430 range. Every time I see this record, I am reminded of the cover that Maarten Kools created for my dog Moose the Mooche, below:

The post Dorham, Mobley, Trane and the Return of Moose the Mooche first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]>

Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This looks to be an original New York 23 pressing. This is another seller with a deep description. From what he describes, I would say VG++ for the record and maybe VG+ for the cover? Previous owner wrote his name on the Side One label, which is never a good selling point. There are six days left on the auction and there is already a bid at the start price of $500. I think this will join the Monterose in the $1,000 bin.

I can usually tell when I’ve been away too long, because there is usually a “miss Al” note from Japhy and a bunch of emails in the queue from CeeDee. Thanks for caring. 🙂

CeeDee indeed sent me several notes regarding the recent auction of Sun Ra records from the seller Carolina Soul, which were also noticed by Jay in a comment on the last post, to the tune of $30,000 in total. These were the links CeeDee sent:

Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra, Planet Earth, Saturn Records from 1966. This was listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. There were 23 bidders, 53 bids and the final price was $3,437.

Sun Ra and His Outer Space Arkestra, A Fireside Chat With Lucifer, Saturn Records. The record was listed as VG++ and the cover was VG+. This one had 20 bidders, 43 bids and a final price of $1,500.

Sun Ra, Lanquidity, Philly Jazz. This one was in VG+ condition for the recrod and VG for the cover. The final price was $1,350.

Whilst on the subject of Run Ra, I received a note from a reader as follows: “Looking for ‘Live at Slugs’ have exhausted ebay and other channels I know of, even Discogs. Wondering if you had any search ideas or a reader that has a copy they would like to sell for a reasonable price.”

I replied that I don’t have any search ideas, but I would put his inquiry into my next post and see what pops up.

Here’s a note from Bonhams Music Auction, with a link to: A Buescher Alto Saxophone Played by John Coltrane.

“I thought you would be interested to see and share with your readers and incredible piece we have included in our Music auction running online here at Bonhams until October 19 – an alto saxophone played by John Coltrane on a Gene Ammons All Stars recording session for Prestige Records at the Van Gelder studio in NJ in 1958. There is a photograph of Coltrane playing the sax in the studio and the sax has been on exhibition at the Grammy Museum, amongst others. A link to the sax in our auction is below. Of you click through the sale, you will also see we have an incredible collection relating to Billie Holiday.”

The starting bid for the Coltrane Buescher alto is $40,000, with the expected price to be in the $50,000 to $70,000 range. The Billie Holiday ephemera is pretty cool, lots of signed stuff, including contracts and correspondence, more than 20 lots worth of stuff The other thing that caught my eye was this tablecloth, with a sketch by John Lennon and signatures by John as well as the other Beatles. It would definitely be a cool thing to own, but the bidding is already at $65,000 on an item that had been expected to fetch $15,000 to $25,000.  Given the history and provenance of the item, plus the fact that it is a drawing by John, there is no price that would surprise me. We may have to start a million-dollar bin for this one. Here’s an article about the tablecloth from The Washington Post.

One more item: The New Jersey Jazz Records Collectors’ Bash, which had been scheduled for Oct. 27-29, has been cancelled. The note states that there weren’t enough confirmed vendors to make the event financially viable and, to top it off, one of the event organizers fractured his ankle and would have been out of commission. The note expresses the disappointment of the promoters and suggests that the Bash will not go on under their auspices. It ends: “If you, or anyone else you know, is interested in taking over the reins, please let me know.”

Too bad. Although I hadn’t been to a Bash in many years, I always found it enjoyable when I went in the past, and I’m sure many Jazz Collectors and dealers look forward to it. Maybe, someone else will take the reins. Perhaps even someone reading this post, although certainly not the person writing it.

From the same seller there was Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This was an original pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. The final price was $4,412. And one more: Paul Quinichette, On the Sunny Side, Prestige 7103. This was an original New York yellow label listed in VG++ condition for the record and the cover, although the description of the record sounded more like VG+ to me. The final price was $745. That was the second highest price recorded for this record, the highest being $875.

Here are a few more to stick into the $1,000 bin. Geez, what a startling coincidence: They are all Blue Notes, starting with Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original West 63^rd Street pressing listed in VG condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $1,194.

Art Taylor, AT’s Delight, Blue Note 4047. This was also an original West 63^rd Street pressing. The record was listed as VG+ and the cover was Ex. The final price was $1,613.

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This was an original West 63^rd Street pressing with the deep groove Side 2. The record and cover were listed in VG+ condition. The final price was $3,450.

Freddie Hubbard, Hub Cap, Blue Note 4073. This was an original West 63^rd Street pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $1,425.

Whilst we are perusing the $1,000 bin: Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original West 63^rdStreet pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The final price was $1,514.89. This one had a start price of about $5,000 but did not sell: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This was an original pressing. The record was listed as M-, but the cover was VG-. It is back on eBay for the same start price.

When I wrote about this one the first time, the bidding was less than $1,000 with nearly two days left on the auction: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original West 63^rd Street pressing listed in EX/EX+ condition for the record and EX for the cover. The final price was, ta da, $2,670.

The seller, vinyl-house-uk, had a pretty nice haul the week that this one closed. In addition to Shades of Redd, there were original pressings of:

Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582: $1,938, VG+ for the vinyl and EX+ for the cover.

Introducing Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1523: $1,719, EX/EX+ for the record and cover.

Hank Mobley Sextet, Blue Note 1560, $2,753, EX for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover.