This week I indulge myself with a show for my very own birthday. In the past I’ve played tracks recorded on Feb. 4, including Miles Davis Milestones. But two years in, I’ve dipped into that well too often. So this year, the focus is on the year I was born, 1953. As I say on the Podcast, it was a very good year for jazz and boys from Queens. Also a great chance to focus on 10-inch records from the collection. Featured artists include Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Percy Heath, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Curley Russell, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Shavers, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Joe Dodge, Ron Crotty, Jay Jay Johnson, Jimmy Heath, Gil Coggins, Tadd Dameron, Clifford Brown, Lou Donaldson, Gigi Gryce, Charlie Parker, Red Garland, Roy Haynes, Chet Baker, Russ Freeman, Carson Smith, Larry Bunker, Shelly Manne, Art Pepper, Bob Cooper, Jummy Giuffre, Bob Enevoldsen, Marty Paich, Curtis Counce, Phil Woods, Jon Eardley, George Syran, Teddy Kotick, Nick Stabulas.

This week’s theme: Celebrating the New Year with jazz vinyl featuring the number 26 in the catalog number. Featured artists include Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Jack Sheldon, Herb Geller, Loraine Geller, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Tommy Flanagan, George Morrow, Clifford Brown, Gigi Gryce, Art Blakey, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Joe Morello, Eugene Wright, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Nelson Riddle, Sonny Stitt, Kenny Drew, Lawrence Marable, Curtis Counce, Harold Land, Jack Sheldon, Billie Holiday, Benny Carter, Sweets Edison, Count Basie, Buddy DeFranco, and more.

This week’s theme: Clifford Brown, alternate takes and other discoveries. Artists include Clifford Brown, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Harold Land, George Morrow, Richie Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, Manhattan Transfer, Herb Geller, Joe Maini, Walter Benton, Kenny Drew, Curtis Counce.

Then again, perhaps there are some bargains left on eBay, if you consider something like this to be a bargain (I do): Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet, Riverside 229. This was not a first pressing, which would have had a white label. But it was an early pressing with the blue labels, reels and mic logo and deep groove. The record was listed in VG condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $34.33. If this same record, in this, was a second pressing on Blue Note, the final price would have been quite a bit higher than $34.33 don’t you think?

Finally, I always get a kick out of seeing records I’ve never seen before. I’ve been going to record stores looking for jazz records for more than 50 years, plus I’ve been watching eBay closely for 20, so it doesn’t happen very often, but I’ve never seen this record: Curtis Counce Quintet, Exploring the Future, Dooto, 247. I assume this is an original pressing. The cover is pretty trashed and the record is graded VG. The start price is $320, the auction closes later today and so far there are no bidders. Interesting sidemen with Harold Land and Elmo Hope. Per Popsike, the top price for this record was $471, and that was for a copy still in its original loose seal. That one sold in 2021. Do you think the buyer broke the seal and listened to the record, or preserved it in its original packaging? Knowing what I know about collectors, my educated guess is that the record has never been opened or played.

The Curtis Counce Group, Contemporary 3526. This was an original deep groove pressing that looked to be in VG+ condition for the record and the cover. The original asking price was $300. I’m not seeing it relisted, so perhaps someone bought for a best offer.

Duke Pearson Profile, Blue Note 4022. This was an original pressing with what the seller described as an audible scratch. The cover was listed as VG, but it wasn’t if you looked at the pictures. It was maybe G-plus.  The asking price was $275. Given the way things have been going in the market with original Blue Notes lately, I was curious to see if this would sell. IMHO, the condition of the back cover was the bigger factor in its failure to sell versus the scratch. Hard to trust a seller who would list that cover as VG.

Somewhat similar situation with this one: Dexter Gordon, Our Man in Paris, Blue Note 4146. The record was listed in VG+ condition, but the cover was trashed and listed as G-plus, which was probably an accurate grade. Again, the way Blue Notes in any condition have been selling lately, I was curious to see if this would sell. It didn’t, at least not for the original $300 asking price. Thus one is back on eBay for the same price as a buy-it-now or best offer. So far there are no takers.

Another Dex with a cover issue: Dexter Gordon, Gettin’ Around, Blue Note 84204. This looked to be an original New York USA stereo pressing, listed in M- condition for the record and G plus or VG for the cover. The original asking price was $190. The seller relisted it at $185 or best offer, and accepted the best offer, so it is no longer available.

Sonny Clark, Dial S for Sonny, Blue Note 1570. This looked to be an original West 63^rd Street pressing, The record and cover were listed in conditions described as between EX and VG+. The seller described light scratches for both the record and cover. The asking price was about $3,000. It is back on eBay for an asking price of about $2,500 with no takers so far.

So far, my excursion deeper into the depths of my collection has only yielded positive results. It has convinced me that I could probably pull out virtually any record from my collection and be at the very least satisfied with the quality of the music. Which is saying something, because there are more than 7,000 vinyl records sitting on these shelves. I’m sure there are probably a few records that won’t make my personal grade – I am not partial to the organ, for example – but I have been aggressive about pulling those records out of the collection and moving them off the shelves. What I am going to do with those records is something to be decided, but sometime in the future you might see them in some kind of offering here at Jazz Collector or on eBay. Stay tuned.

l give you a couple of other records that ended up the turntable. The other day my friend Dan sent me a link to the Miles Davis record Blue Moods, Debut 120. He had never heard the record, nor had never heard of it. Fortunately, I had a very nice clean copy sitting right behind me on the shelves so I put it on. Interesting record with very interesting instrumentation, Miles with Britt Woodman on Trombone, Teddy Charles on Vibes, Charles Mingus on Bass and Elvin Jones on drummers. Music is terrific, but the quality of my pressing leaves a lot to be desired. It looks pristine, perhaps played once, but there is some surface noise that seems to be in the pressing, which wouldn’t be surprising, perhaps, as Debut did not have strong financial backing and the recording was back in 1955. Another great thing about these original records are the liner notes. In here, we have stories of Mingus giving Elvin a hard time. Of course, Mingus had a financial stake in Debut and thus would be concerned about the quality of the playing. And, also, he was Mingus, so he didn’t particularly need a reason to be obstreperous. And Elvin was still pretty young and just making his mark. If any of you has this record and wants to take the time to give it a listen, I’d be curious if your copy also has pressing-related surface noise, or if it’s just me.

I have all of the Curtis Counce records on Contemporary, but can’t recall ever listening to one, until last week when I put on The Curtis Counce Group, Contemporary C3526 from 1957. The personnel is Counce on bass with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Harold Land on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano and Frank Butler on drums. Another winner. Sheldon and Land are both inspired and in their primes.

The final record in this series was a guitar record, Dick Garcia, A Message From Garcia, Dawn 1106. This one looks to be from 1956 and features a young Bill Evans on several tracks. The record is surprisingly well recorded and features some nice playing from Gene Quill on alto. Garcia plays well in the Tal Farlow mode, but not quite as creative or dexterous as Tal, but, then again, no one else was either. Anyway, I recommend all of these records and I recommend going through a similar process if you have listening time, rather than putting on one of your tried and true go-to records. Like me, I imagine you will be pleasantly surprised and perhaps find some inspiration.