Tag: Hank Mobley

Breaking the Bank

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cool struttin'Back to the insanity. There were a lot of comments on this record on the previous post, but let’s just put it in here for the record, slight pun intended: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was the one that had the New York 23 on one side, satisfying the most precise collectors of original pressings. There was definitely debate over the condition, but it seemed like the cover was at least VG++ and the vinyl was probably VG++, although not everyone would agree with that. Where everyone would agree, I presume, is that this one fetched quite a high price: $5,223.45. That’s not the highest price we’ve ever seen for this, or any other record, but it’s right up there in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

As staggering as I find the Mobley, this one, to me, is even more telling of the state of jazz collecting in this era of eBay: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. As I noted previously, Read more

Blue Notes, Real and Surreal

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hank mobleyHere are a couple of jazz vinyl listings sent to us by loyal readers for your perusal.

CeeDee sent this one: Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. It sold for $371. Not bad, right? Except this is a UNITED ARTISTS pressing. I know we’ve commented on some of these before, but this is really surprising, isn’t it? I had the United Artists pressing and the cover was pretty flimsy and the record sounded fine, but nothing special. I think I sold mine for $20, and was happy to get that. Ah well.

Michael send us a heads-up on this one, under the subject “this should be a doozy:” Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is the original original pressing, with the New York 23 on one side and the West 63rd on the other. The record looks to be in VG++ condition, based on the seller’s description, and the cover is probably close to M-. There are more than eight days left on this auction and the bidding is already in the $2,400 range. Certainly one to watch.

Weighing in on Mobley, Catching Up on Newk

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mobleyInteresting comments on the previous post. My first exposure to Hank Mobley was as a sideman on some of the records that my dad owned, most prominently Donald Byrd’s A New Perspective and Miles Davis Someday My Prince Will Come. He always struck me as a solid player, but in the early days of discovering jazz it was the more passionate players and the innovators that got my attention: Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon and Stan Getz on tenor and Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley on alto. I always relegated Mobley to the second tier, which is certainly no insult when compared to the players I just mentioned. When I became more of a “collector” I was surprised to see the Mobley records so highly valued. So I have turned to him again, often, to reassess, but I always come back to my original assessment. If I want to listen to genius I put on Coltrane or Rollins. Otherwise, Mobley will do just fine. And, as a collector, it’s really nice to look at those original Mobley Blue Notes, Prestiges and Savoys on my shelves and occasionally put them on the turntables. They rarely overwhelm, but they never disappoint.

Meanwhile, while all that discussion has been taking place here at Jazz Collector, there have been auctions going on at eBay, including: Read more

A Triple Play of Rare Jazz Vinyl

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Kenny DorhamI went to eBay to peruse the jazz listings and right off the bat saw three of the rarest of the rare jazz vinyl, each of which will probably sell for at least $2,000 this week.

First up is Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This is an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover, and it is being offered by the Jazz Record Center, so there is the added assurance of a top seller. Bidding is already close to $2,200 and the auction is closing later today.

The second one that came up is also from the Jazz Record Center: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This is an original pressing. The record is in M- condition and the cover is probably M- or VG++, depending upon how you feel about a small number written on the back. The bidding for this one is in the $1,700 range.

Finally, there is:

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A Few For the Jazz Collector Price Guide

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hankLet’s catch up on some of the earlier jazz vinyl auctions we were watching on eBay, starting with Hank Mobley All Stars, Blue Note 1544. This was an original pressing with the New York 23 labels and deep grooves. The record was listed in probably VG++ condition and the cover was probably VG++ as well, with a small cut-out hole, which you don’t often see on Blue Notes of this vintage. The record wound up selling for $1,009.

Sonny Clark, Leapin’ and Lopin’, Blue Note 4091. This was an original New York USA mono pressing in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $567, which is the highest price we’ve recorded for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Art Taylor, Taylor’s Tenors, New Jazz 8219. This was an original purple label pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $394. Read more

The Lasting Value of Blue Notes. Or Not

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Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailJazz Collector is on WordPress and, as such, I have access to a bunch of statistics on the site. I mention this because I noticed yesterday that there was a spike in viewership and many of the readers were looking at a trio of articles I wrote in 2010 when my friend Red Carraro passed away. Original articles are here, here and here. Anyway, I dug a little deeper and the new viewers came from this site, Steve Hoffman Music Forums. There’s a whole discussion going on there about Blue Notes and prices and why collectors pay so much for them and whether the market will continue to rise or whether it will eventually plummet and die. Worth taking a look, and perhaps worth continuing over here. For my part, I am of two minds. Read more

Lady in $atin and $tereo

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BillieHere are a few more jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay. This one is from the seller bobdjukic and it is always suprising: Billie Holiday, Lady in Satin, Columbia 8048. This is a six-eye stereo pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It is always surprising in that this seller is somehow able to get collectible prices for this record, where no one else can. This one is already at more than $120. And the explanation is . . . ?

This is from the same seller at, at this point, it is actually priced at less than the Billie Holiday record: John Coltrane (et al), Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. This looks to be an original New York yellow label pressing. The seller lists the record in VG++ condition and the cover as well, but it seems clear from the pictures of the cover that the real condition is VG+. Perhaps why the bidding is relatively low, at about $115 with a few hours left on the auction.

I now have duplicate copies of this great Blue Note and will be figuring out my next step once I get a chance to grade and listen to both copies:

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Rare Insanity

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HankWe will ring in the new year with a few nice jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay, starting with a big one: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is a close-to-original pressing (original in my eyes) in that it has the deep grooves and West 63rd Street addresses on the labels. Some are sticklers and demand that one side have a New York 23 label. This one is in M- condition for the record and Ex for the cover, which is probably VG++ in Jazz Collector parlance. the bidding has already topped $2,500, but it has not yet reached the seller’s reserve price.

The seller bobdjukic as back with another batch of insanely rare records and he brings up an interesting question on this one: John Coltrane, My Favorite Things, Atlantic 1361. He claims this is an original stereo pressing with the blue and green labels and the white fan logo. I’ve actually never know the keys to identifying an original My Favorite Things and I’m certainly not about to trust this guy. Perhaps someone out there can shed some light, mono and stereo? This one is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price is already more than $100. Three are additional interesting items from this seller, which I will be watching for future posts. Stay tuned.

 

A Blue Note Monday

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Candy jazz vinylHere’s some nice jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay now, starting with: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It is a relatively new listing, with more than six days to go, but the price is already in the $800 range with 16 bids as of this writing. Has the makings of a bidding frenzy, perhaps.

Charlie Rouse, Bossa Nova Bacchanal, Blue Note 4119. How often do you get to write the word “bacchanal?” This one is in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It is an original pressing and there are four days left on the auction. Bidding is in the $190 range.

Hank Mobley, Workout, Blue Note 4080. This is an original New York USA pressing listed in Ex condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The auction closes later today and the bidding is in the $350 range.

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Another Adventure in Jazz Collecting, Baltimore Part 5

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jackie3So I was carefully handling the first record in the first box, Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 5022. I had once owned this record in poor condition. It was so poor, in fact, I didn’t even want it in my collection, so I sold it on eBay. This one in my hands, under the light, an original pressing, 767 Lexington Avenue, I don’t think it was ever played. Maybe once, on the day that Uncle Bruce purchased the record, which was August 20, 1954. I know that because Uncle Bruce clearly marked the date in pen “8-20-54” on the back of the record, in the upper left corner. There was also the original price of the record in pencil on the upper right corner in the back: 3.75.  Otherwise, the cover was quite clean, a little bit of splitting at one seam, a little wear on the front. For eBay I would grade it as VG++. For me, as a collector, I would grade it as very sweet.

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