This week’s theme: Songs from the Ellington Songbook, vocal and instrumental versions. Songs include Cottontail, Lush Life, In a Sentimental Mood, In a Mellowtone, Come Sunday, Take the A Train, Just Squeeze Me, and more. Artists include John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O-Day, Johnny Hartman, Mahalia Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Wes Montgomery, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Coleman Hawkins, Clark Terry and more.
This week’s theme: More jazz vocals and instrumentals from the Great American Songbook. Artists include Lous Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Eddie Costa, Vinnie Burke, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison, Sarah Vaughan, Roy Haynes, Thad Jones, Ronnell Bright, Richard Davis, Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Zoot Sims, Rosemary Clooney, Scott Hamilton, Dave McKenna, Warren Vache, and many more.
Hey, it’s my birthday and I celebrated by opening some presents on the air. Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Evans, Monica Zetterlund, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, Elvin Jones, Butch Warren, Pete La Roca, Richard Davis, and many more
This week’s theme: A collection of jazz waltzes. Featured artists include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Paul Desmond, Hank Mobley, Jim Hall, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Gary Peacock, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham, George Morrow, Harold Land, Wes Montgomery, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, Joe Morello, and more.
I said I would continue perusing the recent auctions from The Jazz Record Center, so here is Part II, starting with Elvin Jones and Richard Davis, Heavy Sounds, Impulse AS-9160. This was ana original white label stereo promo copy with the white label. The record was in M- condition and the cover seemed to be probably VG++. This is not a record you see very often, particularly a promo copy. One of the interesting things about this album is a track called Elvin’s Guitar Blues, featuring Elvin Jones’ first recording on a new instrument, the acoustic guitar. I happen to have an original pressing of this record, so I’m putting Elvin’s Guitar Blues on the turntable now. The verdict: Well, I’m sure it was fun for Elvin to record a track on guitar, but he’s a little bit better as a drummer. Frank Foster takes a nice, short blues solo on the track. The record sold for $339. Read more
This week’s theme: John Coltrane, Impulse
As promised, here is the digitalized version of the article I wrote on Chick Corea for the Syracuse New Times in 1973. My first published article. I see some flaws but, overall, not bad.
Smiling, Urging, Playing as He Comes, Chick Corea Rides the 7th Galaxy on His Return to Forever
Syracuse New Times, October 21, 1973
By Alan Perlman
Sitting down and talking with Chick Corea is like watching him perform on stage. For Corea, communicating, especially communicating happiness, is a major force, influencing everything he says and does.
When he talks about his music he exhibits the same assurance that marks everything he plays. His eyes stare straight and deep and the pixyish smile disappears—yet he glows.
“The audience may applaud a lot or a little, but when the vibes are there I know,” he said after a particularly inspired set.
At 32, Corea has ascended the musical ranks, earning his stripes with Elvin Jones, Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Herbie Mann, Blue Mitchell, Stan Getz and, most importantly, Miles Davis, the George Patton of jazz. Now he is leading his own band and playing the music he wants to play. Read more
Let’s look at various items sitting in my watch list for various reasons, starting with The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume One, Blue Note 1505. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was probably in VG+ condition and the cover was probably VG+ as well, based on the pictures. The final price was $610. I flagged this one because my recollection was that this record wasn’t among the Blue Notes you would expect to see in the $1,000 bin, being a pre Van Gelder Blue Note that was a compilation of music originally issued on 78-RPM or on 10-inch vinyl. I wasn’t surprised to see the $600 price tag because nothing would surprise me these days and because, hey, it’s an original Lexington Avenue Blue Note, and just holding one of these in your hands is a thrill. Not to mention the presence of Clifford Brown and Charles Mingus, among others, on the record. I did check in with Popsike and discovered that The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume One has, indeed, had a presence in the $1,000 bin, selling for more than $1,500 back in 2010, well before the most recent market spike. Read more
A reader sent me a link to this auction: John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse A-32. This was an original mono pressing, I think. It doesn’t actually state the condition of the record, but that’s not what makes this copy particularly interesting, and valuable. It is signed in ink by all four members of the quartet: Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones. The record is described as coming from the personal collection of Jimmy Fox, founder of the James Gang. The final price was $5,001.25. Here’s my response to the reader: Read more
Back in action after some minor surgery last week. Feeling good and ready to roll with some jazz vinyl on ebay, starting with a couple of Blue Notes from the Jazz Collector Want List that both broke into the $1,000 bin: Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This was an original pressing that looked to be probably M- for the record and VG++ or VG+ for the cover. There were 15 bidders and the final price was $1,125. Then there was Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was also an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record was listed as M- and the cover was VG++. There were 14 bidders for this one and the final price came in at $1,304. Our friend CeeDee sent us a note about this one, but we were already watching it:
