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Podcast: John Coltrane, Atlantic

Al — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:00:21 +0000

This week’s theme: Pretty simple, John Coltrane on the Atlantic label. Featured artists include John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Eric Dolphy, Don Cherry, Freddie Hubbard, Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, Arthur Taylor, Steve Davis, Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Connie Kay, Reggie Workman, Charles Haden.

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Heavy Hitters, Day Two

Al — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 14:48:52 +0000

Let’s get right to it: The Hank Mobley Blue Note 1568 from the Jazz Record Center sold for $7,600. Is that a record for a jazz vinyl record? I think it is. There was an earlier copy of Blue Note 1568 that sold for $11,000, but we later ascertained that was a bogus bid and the sale didn’t actually go through as described. Unless I get better information from someone in the Jazz Collector universe, I’ll assume this is now our apex. Not a surprise, although I had the record pegged more in the $6,000 range. I actually placed a rare bid on the auction, not for the Mobley record, since I knew that would be WAY out of my price range, and it was. No, after seeing Joe L’s comment on the previous post I became somewhat enamored with the idea of owning that test pressing of Horace Silver, Finger Poppin’, Blue Note 4008. Test pressings have never been my thing, but

the provenance of this one was extremely appealing. It had the note from Alfred Lion to Leonard Feather, asking him to write the liner notes. Talk about a one-of-a-kind item. Plus it had the stamped Blue Note address, the big Plastylite label and the strange letterhead from Alfred Lion that for some reason says: “Alfred W. Lyons.” What is that? Just writing about it now fills me with regret at not having won it, although I am sure I will survive I did have the dubious honor of placing second in the auction. I bid $621.11 and it sold for $631.11. There’s no knowing just how how high the other bidder would have gone, so I’ll never know how close I came, unless the winner is a Jazz Collector reader and chooses to come forward.

Between the Jazz Record Center auction and a couple of others I was watching, it was, indeed, a day for heavy hitters on eBay. Here are some of the other results for those of you keeping score at home.

From JRC:

Louis Smith, Smithville, Blue Note 1594: $2,000

Ike Quebec, Test Pressing of Easy Living, which wasn’t actually released until 1987: $2,025

John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573: $1,749.74

Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024: $898

Don Cherry, Complete Communion, Blue Note 4226: $465

James Moody With Strings, Blue Note 5005: $177.50

Non-JRC:

Donald Byrd, Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill, Transition 17: $2,449

Donald Byrd, Byrd-Jazz, Transition 5: $1,875.55

Jazz By Sun Ra, Transition 10: $2,800

And the final tally is: WOW!

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Tracking Later Blue Note Pressings From the ’60s

Al — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 14:45:11 +0000

As noted in the comments on the previous post, the seller of the questionable Duke Pearson LP has a large number of jazz vinyl listings closing this weekend. In watching the auctions, I’m noting a surging interest in a lot of later Blue Notes, such as these:

Bobby Hutcherson, Components, Blue Note 4213. This looks to be an original mono pressing with the NY USA label. It looks to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The price is in the $150 range with more than a day left before the auction closes.

Andrew Hill, Compulsion, Blue Note 4217. This also looks to be an original mono pressing in similar condition as the Hutcherson LP, M- for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. The bidding on this one is also in the $150 range.

Sam Rivers, A New Conception, Blue Note 4249. This is an original Liberty pressing. It is in VG++ condition. The price is more than $100.

Here are a few more that may surprise you:

Don Cherry, Complete Communion, Blue Note 4226. This is a mono New York USA pressing, one of the last before the shift to Liberty, and is in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. The price is more than $80.

Larry Young, Of Love and Peace, Blue Note 4242. This one has the New York labels and the Liberty cover. It also seems to be in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. The price is $90.

Duke Pearson, Wahoo, Blue Note 4191. This is an original mono New York USA pressing that is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price is already more than $100.

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