Here’s an interesting copy of John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This is a not-quite-original pressing with the West 63^rd Street labels, but no New York 23 label. This is another one in which the seller feels compelled to use the word ‘grail,’ although not a holy one, just a regular old grail. The record and cover look to be in very nice VG+ condition. The bidding is in the $210 range with about four days to go. To me, this would be a lovely, acceptable copy to own. I can’t imagine that it sounds one whit different than the version with the New York 23 label. I have a nice original pressing of this record, as well as a duplicate that has the West 63^rd labels, the ear, the RVG signature and only one side deep groove. What do you think the provenance of that pressing is, and what do you think it would be worth in VG++/VG+ condition? I’m curious because I did offer it for a price to one of our loyal readers.

This one looks like a prize: Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This is an original mono pressing with the white labels and it seems to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. The start price is $150 and so far there are no bidders with about five days left on the auction. There is also a promo stamp on the back.

Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 84140. This looks to be an original stereo pressing with the New York USA labels. The record is listed in Ex condition and the cover VG+. The start price is around $300 and so far there are no bidders with more than three days to do. My preference on these Blue Notes is always for the mono pressing, although I can’t exactly tell you the reason. Maybe someone can explain it to me.

The Jazz Record Center has an auction going now, but it’s not one of their usual high-end collections, although this is a nice item: Ray Bryant Trio, New Jazz 8227. This is an original deep groove pressing with the purple labels. This looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $100 and so far there are no bidders with about five days left on the auction.

I tried a similar tactic with this record, also to no avail:

Ernie Henry, Last Chorus, Riverside 266. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. I also own a copy of this record, but I am not enamored with the condition of the vinyl or the cover. This was sitting below the $100 range with no bidders and I though I might be able to steal this for a bargain price as well, with, of course, the term “bargain price” clearly a subjective   concept, particularly as it comes to rare jazz vinyl on eBay in today’s marketplace. I put in a snipe for about $120 on this, but it sold for $135.50, so I was not really a contender. Again, it will stay on the wish list.

I’m not sure if there’s anything on my current watch list I’m ready to try for, but this one is always tempting, since I STILL don’t own an original pressing: Lou Donaldson, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Blue Note 1537. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and Ex for the cover. The start price is about $500 and I would almost certainly pay that amount for this copy. But that almost certainly will not be enough to acquire it. My guess is that this one gets close to the $1,000 bin, if not edging into it. It was just listed and there are still six days left.

Here’s one from the U.K. destined for the $1,000 bin: Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet, Dusk Fire, Columbia SX 6064. This is an original British mono pressing. The record is listed in Ex condition and the cover is Ex+. The bidding is close to $1,100 with a full day left before the auction closes. From the same band and the same seller: Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet, Phase III, Columbia SX 6214. This one is in Ex condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is in the $500 range. One more from the same seller: Lee Morgan, Indeed!, Blue Note 1538. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The seller lists it in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Curious why he uses Ex for the U.K. records and VG for the American records. This VG+ is described as having numerous faint surface marks, scratches, hairlines, etc., “but it plays far better than it looks.” I’ll pass, particularly since the bidding is already in the $650 range.

I decided to move forward and Tom started doing his magic. I had thought the work had stopped over the weekend, but apparently it hadn’t. He was busy doing all of the things we had discussed and, voila, I woke up this morning to the new more mobile-friendly, more user-friendly Jazz Collector. It’s actually not all that different than what we had, only easier to read and more modern-looking. It will also travel much better on smart phones and tablets. In addition, we have the NEW!FORUM, which is a real forum for a change. With Tom’s help, I put in several potential topics, but I’m pretty sure anyone can add a topic at any time with my approval. If that’s not the case, I’ll let you know. I didn’t want all of the information in the old forum to disappear, so that’s also available as always as READER FORUM, although at some point I will take that off of the main menu and put it somewhere else on the site so as not to confuse anyone once we actually start getting comments on the NEW!FORUM. Anyway, I hope you are all pleased with the results. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Thanks for you support and for continuing to make this a fun community.

P.S., Tom says there may be a glitch or two in the next few days, so keep me posted if you have any problems.

Now, on to some jazz vinyl:

Our friends at the Jazz Record Center have a new auction this week, with a few signed photographs and some other memorabilia, with a few records thrown in as well, including this favorite of mine: Ernie Henry Quartet, Seven Standards and a Blues, Riverside 248. This is the original deep groove blue label version of the record, in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It’s interesting that this blue label is the original because this has to be right at the transition point when Riverside moved from white labels to blue labels. Anyone know the last of the white label originals? I imagine the answer is somewhere in the old reader forum, but it’s probably too buried to find easily. Hopefully the new forum will alleviate that challenge.

I think I have an original pressing of every Sonny Rollins record, with this one exception: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This looks to be an original pressing of this record listed in M- condition for the record and the cover, although the description of the cover sounds like it may be more like VG++. If I see writing or stickers on a cover I don’t grade it M-. But maybe I’m the exception. There are already 14 bids on this record and the price is more than $400, so I can assure that this will not be the copy that fills the gap in my collection.

Here’s one more from the Jazz Record Center auction: Ernie Henry, Last Chorus, Riverside 266. This is an original pressing with the blue labels and the small logo. This one looks to be in M- condition for the record and the cover and is tagged with a starting price of $150. So far there are no bidders, but I would think that this one will eventually sell, right? Great record, great personnel, original Riverside. Should be worth quite a bit more than $150 in today’s market.

1. Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby, Riverside 399

2. Cannonball Adderley and Bill Evans, Know What I Mean?, Riverside 433

3. Benny Golson, The Modern Touch, Riverside 256

4. Cannonball Adderley, Live at the Lighthouse, Riverside 344

5. Abbey Lincoln, That’s Him, Riverside 251

Just to confirm my picks, I looked over the Riverside discography, and I’m still comfortable with my selections. My honorable mentions are The Unique Thelonious Monk; Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners; Presenting Ernie Henry and Ernie Henry Seven Standards and a Blues; several more by Evans, most particularly Moonbeams; several more by Adderley, most particularly the Quintet in San Francisco; Wes Montgomery and Milt Jackson, Bags Meets Wes; Johnny Griffin, Studio Jazz Party. I think I’ll leave it at that, lest I include the whole catalogue.

A fun exercise. I invite you all to join in.

Think this one will sell? Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This is a blue label pressing so it is not an original, which would have the white label. The record and cover are in VG+ condition. The seller has set an opening bid of about $200 and so far there are no bids at all, with the auction closing later today. My take: If it was in M- condition as a blue-label second press it might sell for $200, but in VG+ condition, I have my doubts.

While we’re not on Blue notes, here’s another:

Charlie Parker, New Sounds in Modern Music as Played By the Creator, Savoy 9011. I always love that phrase “as played by the creator.” Kind of ascribes a God-like quality to Bird, which, of course, many jazz lovers find to be wholly appropriate. This is a 10-inch LP, of course, and the vinyl is in M- condition and the cover is VG+. It’s nice listening to Bird on a 10-inch LP, although it’s nicer, in my opinion, on a 78, but quite nice as well. This one is in the $260 range and closes later today.

Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This was an original white label pressing. The record was in VG++ condition and the cove was similar. The price was $371.18. Those white label Riversides are a nice find, when you can find them.

Eric Dolphy in Europe, Debut 136. This was the original Danish pressing. The record and cover were both in M- condition. The price was $2,311.

And here’s one I’ve never seen before:

Toshiko Mariano and Her Trio, Lullabies for You, CBS 1185-JC. This apparently is a Japanese-only record from 1965. The record and the cover were in M- condition. The price was $365.

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was an original pressing of one of the rarest and most valuable of all jazz records and it was sold by the most reputable of all jazz sellers, the Jazz Record Center in New York. The record was in M- condition and the cover looked like VG++. We’ve seen this record sell for more than $5,000 in the past on the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Not this time. This one sold for a mere $3,362.

Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This was also from the Jazz Record Center and it was an original white label pressing that looked to be in quite lovely condition, M- for both the record and the cover. This one sold for $510. Great cover, isn’t it? Perfection, really, with the great picture and his eyes closed and the scripted typeface with the finger pointing to Ernie. Love it. Great record too.

This seller had a few interesting records from the Prestige New Jazz label, including:

The Music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik, New Jazz 8266. This was an original deep groove pressing with the purple labels. It was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and cover and sold for $447, which seemed quite high to me. I have a Riverside record by Abdul-Malik with Johnny Griffin and I’ve had this record in the past but I have to admit I never listened to either. Perhaps I will change that later this weekend and put the Riverside on the turntable.

From the same seller was: Ken McIntyre, Looking Ahead with Eric Dolphy, New Jazz 8247. This was also an original pressing with the deep grooves and purple labels. It was also in VG+ condition. It sold for $122.50. Funny, I’d have expected the record with Dolphy to fetch a higher price than the Adbul-Malik record, but it wasn’t even close.

What are some of the other items we’re watching from the Jazz Record Center auction. Glad you asked:

J.C. Heard, This is Me, Argo 633. This looks to be quite a find and quite rare. It has the original SPLIT-PAK design, where the record enters from the cover. And it even has the original Argo postcard and EP sampler included. The record and cover are in M- condition. I, for one, have never seen a copy of this record before. The start price is $250 and so far there are no bidders.

Of similar ilk is Johnny Griffin Quartet, Argo 624.  This too has the SPLIT-PAK design cover and an original Argo postcard. The record is in M- condition and the cover is close to that, perhaps M- or VG++.  This also has a start price of $250 and no bidders as of yet.

Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This is an original white label pressing and it looks to be in beautiful condition, M- for the record, probably M- for the cover as well. Again, the start price is $250 and, again, there are no bidders. There will be, I’m quite sure. Perhaps even me if things don’t get started.