Tag: Francis Paudras

The Cats, Bird, Miles and Trane

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I said I’d post a few more from the Jazz Record Center auction last week, so here ’tis:

Tommy Flanagan, The Cats, New Jazz 8217. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and cover. It was also a review copy. It sold for $535. I’ve had this record for a while. I traded it for it years ago: I had a broken leg at the time and was stuck in my friend’s basement with all of his records, Blue Notes, Prestiges, the whole works. I was very good and just looked. In my collection I have this one with my Flanagans, although the temptation is to put it with the Coltranes. I’m often reorganizing, so maybe I’ll move it around some day.

This is one of my favorite jazz collectibles, although it’s not jazz vinyl: To Bird With Love, by Francis Paudras. This is a book from 1981, about the most loving tribute to Bird you could find this side of Irving Kalus’ Ornithology. As noted by Fred in his listing, which you should take a look at, the book was printed once with no more than 1,000 copies, probably 500. I bought this when it first came out, from Fred, and I’ve treasured it ever since. It now has a prominent shelf on my new shelves in The Berkshires.  This one sold for $887.79.

The Miles Davis Columbia records with Coltrane, and even the next generation, are becoming more collectible it seems. The music is certainly uniformly great. Here are a few from the Jazz Record Center auction:

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Updates From The Jazz Record Center Auction, Part 1

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So the auction from the Jazz Record Center ended the other day and here are some of the results of items we were watching:

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This was an original pressing with the yellow label and New York address. It was listed in mint condition, not mint minus but mint, and the cover was probably M-. This one sold for $1,080. As loyal readers will know, this is one of my favorite records — really, with Coltrane and Rollins together for the only time, how could it not be a favorite — and it is a record of which I own two copies, a New York pressing in VG+ condition and a pristine New Jersey pressing. When I listen I always put on the New York pressing in VG+ condition. Why? Because it’s the original and the occasional pops and clicks are part of the charm and the passion, of course.

I always keep an eye out for this because it’s one of my favorite jazz collectibles, non-vinyl category: To Bird With Love. This is a book published in France by Chan Parker and Francis Paudras. It is a gorgeous book and it so obviously lives up to it’s title, as it is a loving tribute to Bird, with photos, letters, contracts and just about everything you could ever imagine. I bought a copy when it first came out and it’s something I’ve always treasured and often go back to, just to look through it and re-capture the magic of Bird: Especially with one of the Dials or Savoys on the turntable. This copy of the book was in mint condition and sold for $266.66. Someone will be quite thrilled, I’m sure.