Tag: Duke Jordan

Top Dollar (or Euro) For European Pressings

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Mobley's Message Jazz VinylCatching up on some loose ends, Terry sent me a link to the following record: Duke Jordan Trio, Vogue Swing M33 323. This was the original French pressing of this 10-inch LP, which was listed in M- condition for the record and Ex for the cover. It sold for $2,939.99. As Terry said in his email to me, the prices of the French Swing records are getting top dollar and this would certainly support that, unless anyone thinks nearly $3,000 is a bargain for a Duke Jordan record.

While we’re in Europe: Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Esquire 32-029. This is the original British pressing of the Prestige record. It was listed in Ex condition for the record and only VG for the cover. It sold for $337.44. I’ve been watching a lot of these U.K. pressings and they seem to be going up in value, particularly the early Prestiges. I can see why: The covers are cool and the pressings sound great. If I didn’t have an original Prestige — and in some case, even if I do — I’d be very happy to have one of these original Esquires.

Here’s another one:

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Today’s Blues: Blue Mitchell, and Blue Notes

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Blue Mitchell copyCatching up on my jazz vinyl watch list on eBay. Here are some of the items I missed, starting with Blue Mitchell, Blue’s Moods, Riverside 336. This was an original pressing with the blue labels, reels and microphone logo, etc. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $540. I know that this record has always been prized among collectors and has gone for pretty high prices, as seen here — higher than most of the Riverside catalogue, except for perhaps Waltz for Debby and maybe one or two others. What I’ve never understood is “WHY?” I know it’s a nice record, but what is it about this particular record that has driven up its value over the years?

This is a Blue Note that’s also seemed to rise in value compared to other records released around the same time:

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A Rare Trio: Fats Sadi, Yusef Lateef, Duke Jordan

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Fats Sadi copyForgive me for my lack of familiarity with this record and this artist: Fats Sadi, The Swinging Fats Sadi Combo, Blue Note 5061. I guess I must have seen this record somewhere on a discography or on The Blue Note Story, but, honestly, seeing this record on eBay, I thought it was a mistake. Then I did a Google search and Fats Sadi was a Belgian vibist who played with a wide range of artists, including Django Reinhardt, Don Byas and, later on, the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band. I don’t know anything about this 10-inch record or how it came about that Fats Sadi recorded for Blue Note in the early 1950s. I do know that this copy of the record is listed in VG+ condition for the record and Ex for the cover and has a start price of about $80. With more two days left on the auction there are no bidders.

This one went for a pretty steep price:

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Three For the Jazz Collector Want List

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Lou Donaldson Jazz Vinyl copyIf I had a want list, this record would be at or near the top of it: Lou Donaldson, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Blue Note 1537. This copy was an original pressing with the Lexington Avenue address that looked to be in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. A very nice copy, indeed. When I first put the record in my eBay watch list, the price was less than $400 and I very briefly considered a snipe. But I knew that my highest bid wouldn’t even put me close. And I was right. The record sold for $1,437. So I will save $1,437-plus and also have my Japanese pressing for listening pleasure, so I have no complaints.

I’m surprised this one isn’t getting any more action with just one day left on the auction:

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A Trip To a Record Store

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I had the opportunity to be in Princeton, NJ. yesterday. My son was involved as associate director of a production of “Into the Woods” (check out the New York Times review), and I was there to see the play. Naturally, I made it my business to arrive early and pay a visit to the Princeton Record Exchange. Now, I must admit, despite my relatively close geographic proximity to Princeton, I hadn’t been to the Princeton Record Exchange in years. A couple of reasons: I had found that they were a bit high priced when they had major collectibles and, more relevantly, they had always had this nasty habit of placing really sticky, hard-to-remove labels directly on the covers of records. I can often go through the records in my collection and know by the label tears which ones I purchased at the Princeton Record Exchange. At some point, I decided it wasn’t worth buying records and then getting upset because I was ruining the covers because my fingernails weren’t long enough to really get under their stupid labels. We collectors have our own idiosyncrasies, don’t we? Wonder if anyone else has had the same issue with Princeton Record Exchange? In any case, I arrived there yesterday afternoon at Read more

A Picture is Worth a Few Hundred Bucks

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Let’s look at a few more jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay. Here’s why it’s good to show a full range of pictures with the listing: Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. This one had the drummer logo, deep grooves, etc., and I am pretty sure the seller thought it was an original pressing, even using the djukikian term “megarare.” The record was probably in VG+ condition for the record and the cover. The thing is, it did not have the blue writing on the back cover, so the bidding topped out, reasonably I would say, at $335. It did not sell, however, because it failed to meet the seller’s reserve price. Without the picture, my bet is that someone takes a chance and bids several hundred dollars higher, perhaps reaching the reserve price.

There was no confusion about this one: Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original pressing with the ear, deep grooves, and West, 63rd Street address. It was in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $565.55.

I guess some of the Miles Davis Columbia records are becoming more valued by collectors:

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Tracking Some Jazz Vinyl Favorites

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Here’s some more jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition. It sold for $550. I recently purchased a copy of this record for $300 in condition that was perhaps a little bit less than VG++. It’s more than I have traditionally paid for records, but I’ve always liked this one. And $300 seemed like somewhere between a fair price and a bargain.

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This was sold by one of our regular readers. It was an original New York pressing.The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was M-. Frankly, I thought it would fetch a higher price. For some reason, I’ve been thinking about my Rollins records and I have come to the conclusion that, all things considered, this is my favorite. I love all the quartet tracks and then, of course, you have Sonny and Trane in their primes playing with great passion and respect for one another. And Paul’s Pal to open Side 2 — does it get any better than that? I don’t think so.

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Jazz Vinyl Today: Signal, Norgran, New Jazz

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Here’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay that is not Blue Note, starting with: Duke Jordan, Jazz Laboratory Series, Signal 101. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. You don’t see these too often. This one is priced at about $130 with a couple of days to go.

Here are a couple of nice Norgrans: Lester Young, Lester’s Here, Norgran 1071. This is an original yellow label pressing and it is listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The current price is about $180. Then there’s this gorgeous one with the David Stone Martin cover: Lester Young, Norgran 1022. This one is also an original yellow label pressing and is in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The price is about $160. I do have one small nit-pick for the seller, who I believe is Looney Tunes up in Boston, where I have spent many an idle afternoon and many a dollar. I wish they would use the whole picture of the cover, back and front, on their listings. I get the sense the use a scanner, which doesn’t show the whole image. I’d prefer seeing the whole thing as a potential bidder and also, as Jazz Collector, I’d like

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Blue Noting on eBay

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I tentatively put all my original Blue Note together on two shelves, in catalogue order, and I must say it is a nice way to organize them. It does make me notice some of the holes in the collection, but it also makes me appreciate how many I have. Here are a few I’ve been watching on eBay that could fill holes in my collection, but the prices . . .

Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It sold for $755. I do own this record, a Japanese pressing, which is not on the shelf with the originals.

This one I have, but could use a condition upgrade, one of my favorites: Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This one was in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $833. It’s interesting how the market has changed since I started doing Jazz Collector nearly 10 years ago and began recording prices. When I started, this record routinely sold in the $300 to $400 range in this condition. Now, it rarely goes for less than $600 in this condition and has already passed $1,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. That seems fairly typical of the collectible Blue Notes — prices doubling over the past few years.

How To Organize Your Jazz Vinyl . . . Who Knows!!??!!?

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I’m thinking of reorganizing my records (again). I’d love to have all my Blue Notes in one place and all my Prestiges. Not necessarily in number order — then I’d feel compelled to fill in every number — but at least by artist, by label. It works for Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside, Verve, but what about the off labels — the RCAs and Columbias and Atlantics, and the smaller ones like Bethlehem and Transition. Do you want them all categorized by label in your collection? And can you ever find anything? It’s an endless conundrum, right? Once I had them organized by label and I didn’t like it. Now I have them alphabetically, but not all in the same place. It’s complicated, but I segregate original pressings from before 1970 from any non-original pressings and all pressings after 1970. It may be wacky, but that part works for me. Anyway, I’m thinking about this because I have a few new Blue Notes to incorporate into my collection and because when I watch on eBay my eyes often go straight to the Blue Notes, and I would like to capture that same feeling in my collection. For instance, here are some of the records I’m watching now:

Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. Great record, right? This one is more than $500 already with a few days to go.

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