This week’s theme: Jazz Singers, American Songbook. Pretty self-explanatory, don’t you think? Featured artists include Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dinah Washington, Quincy Jones, Helen Humes, Helen Merrill, Clifford Brown, Anita O’Day, Billie Holiday, Ben Webster, Chet Baker, Beverly Kenney, Johnny Smith, Lous Armstrong, Diana Krall, Stacey Kent, John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman, Joe Williams, Count Basie, Rosemary Clooney.

This week’s theme. Various jazz vocals on vinyl. Artists include Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Quincy Jones, Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Ben Webster, Helen Humes, Carmen McRae, Duke Ellington, Annie Ross, Gerry Mulligan, Billie Holiday, Rosemary Clooney, Maxine Sullivan, Cannonball Adderley, Helen Merrill, Clifford Brown.

Here’s a real original, Red Garland Quintet, All Mornin’ Long, Prestige 7130. This one features John Coltrane in one of his earlier recordings. This copy had the original cover, the New York yellow label and “Not For Sale” stamp. The record and cover were both listed in M- condition. The final price was $510. And another Prestige original: Jackie McLean, Lights Out!, Prestige 7035. This was also a New York yellow label, listed in VG condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $482.70. And, while we’re still in the land of Prestige: Lem Winchester and Benny Golson, Winchester Special, New Jazz 8223. This was an original deep groove purple label pressing, listed in VG+ for both the cover and the record. The final price was $222.50.

Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This is an original pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The price is $1,000.

I thought this one my be reasonable, until I looked more closely at the listing: Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. The seller has it listed as a “first edition” in Ex+ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. We’ve seen this record in the $1,000 bin many times, so the $599 price seemed all right. But the back cover does not have the blue writing, so it is not a first press.

And here’s a beauty that I can’t imagine will sell at the asking price:

Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This is an original pressing, probably in VG++ or maybe M-  condition for both the record and the cover. The price is $2,999.99. At least there’s free shipping.

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:

Miles Davis, Someday My Prince Will Come, Columbia 1656. This was an original mono 6-eye pressing in M- condition for the record and cover. This one had the advantage of having a plastic inner sleeve that was still closed, so it was quite likely never played. It sold for $156.50.

So when did Ike Quebec become an artist whose records would approach the $1,000 bin? How about this one: Ike Quebec, It Might As Well Be Spring, Blue Note 4105. This was an original New York USA pressing that was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for, get ready, $887.

This one broke into the $1,000 bin, but not as a surprise: Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. This was an original pressing, with Clifford Brown on trumpet and the blue writing on the back label. Despite some mentions of surface noise, the seller listed the record as M- for both the record and the cover. I suppose a record can have a couple of pops or a drop of surface noise and still be M-, right? I mean, few of these records from the ’50s are absolutely perfect. Anyway, this one sold for $1,035. Then again, for $1,035 maybe there’s shouldn’t be any pops or clicks when you listen.

This one had five or six clicks on a feelable scratch and the cover had a cut-out hole, which I kind of hate and rarely have ever seen on original Blue Notes: Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This one was rated in VG+ or VG++ condition (based on the description, VG+ sounds more accurate) and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $643.80. All things considered, I think that’s a pretty hefty price.

I think we predicted these two would sell for more than $2,000 and they did: Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $2,350. From the same seller was Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was also in M- condition for the record and the cover. The price: $2,075.

How about this one? Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago, Mercury 60134. This was an original stereo pressing and it’s the one that features John Coltrane. What does it normally sell for, maybe $30? This one, however, offered by Euclid Records, happened to have been autographed by both Cannonball and Coltrane. What does that make it worth? How about $1,037. Don Lucky, where were you on this one? I know many of you are blase about autographs and actually prefer records that don’t have autographs, but to me, having a record signed by two of my heroes, that’s just priceless. Well, perhaps not priceless, but $1,037 seems a reasonable price.

This one has really gone up in value since we’ve been doing the Jazz Collector site: Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. This was an original pressing that looked to be in about VG++ condition for the record and the cover, which, of course, had the blue writing on the back. This copy sold for $1,325. Another copy of the same record, in similar VG++ condition, sold at around the same time for $1,225.

Here’s quite an interesting one: Donald Byrd in Paris and Parisian Throughfare, Volumes 1 and 2, Brunswick 903 and 904. This was an auction of two rare records, released in France , and listed in M- condition for both records and both covers. The seller described them as like new. I’m familiar with the U.S.  Signature release of these records and, in fact, I own Volume 1. I’m not sure how and when these were released in France and the U.S., but I imagine someone out there will have that information to share. These records, quite attractive and enticing, fetched $2,400 as a pair.

Horace Parlan, Us Three, Blue Note 4037. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,675. I actually owned a copy of this record is nearly the same condition, maybe slightly less, and sold it for $1,500 last year to a Jazz Collector reader. We were both pleased, and I’m pleased to see the price is holding steady, if not increasing.

Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. This looked to be an original pressing with the drummer logo and the blue writing on the back, although it would have been nice to have seen a picture of the back cover. Nevertheless, this one was in VG++ condition for the record and the cover and it sold for $1,545

Sonny Clark Trio, Time 70010. This was an original pressing that was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,290, which is the highest price we’ve seen for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original pressing. The record was M- and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,300: A similar copy in a little bit worse condition sold last week for $1,815.

Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for both the record and cover and, as noted, it had the promo stamp. It sold for $1,525. Probably would have gotten more without the promo stamp.

Dexter Gordon, Dexter Blows Hot and Cool, Dootone 207. This was an original pressing with the red vinyl. The record was VG+ and the cover was listed in VG+, although there was a full split on the bottom and a partial split on the top. There was some question whether this would prevent it from breaking the $1,000 barrier, but it did not: This one sold for $1,136.

This one had it all going for it: Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. It was an original pressing, with the blue writing on the back cover, the seller was Euclid Records and the pictures accompanying the listing were quite clear and bright. The price was $1,568.

This one didn’t quite make the $1,000 bin, but it came close enough to include here: Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the record. It sold for $931.

Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This is an original pressing with the deep grooves and purple label and it is a promo copy as well. The seller has it listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and the bidding is already more than $700 with five days to go. This will end up in the $2,000 bin, won’t it?

This one may end up there as well: Dexter Gordon, Dexter Blows Hot and Cool, Dootone 207. This is an original pressing with the red vinyl. The record is VG+ and the cover is VG++. This one is around $200 and there are still five days of bidding.

This is a nice one from Euclid Records: Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. This is an original pressing with the drummer logo and the blue writing on the back. The record is listed as VG++ and the cover is M-. The top bid is nearly $700 with almost a day left.

Finally, there is another KD record: Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This is an original Lexington Avenue, deep groove, flat edge pressing. It is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is at $565, but the sky is the limit for this record in this condition.