Tag: Herbie Hancock

How Much is Shrink Wrap Worth? Plenty, It Seems

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Herbie Hancock Jazz VinylI’m still here, haven’t left yet. Thanks to Clifford for filling in, but while I’m here I’ll strive to do at least a couple more posts. Here are a couple of items that came in from readers, starting with our friend CeeDee under the subject: “prices going up, up, up . . . Liberty!” with a link to Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Islands, Blue Note 4175. This was a clear Liberty pressing, no doubts. It was in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover, and the cover was also in shrink wrap (big deal, right?). The record sold for $300 and there were at least four bidders in on the action at the end. Is this a trend, Liberty Blue Notes selling for collectible prices?

This one came in from another reader, and I’m not quite sure why, but I’ll post it here anyway:

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What an Auction! (One More Time)

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Maiden Voyage VinylPlease allow me to dwell one more day on that Jazz Record Revival auction because there are a few more things to point out, as many readers have already done, particularly with that copy of Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage, Blue Note 4195 selling for a quite amazing $1,580.

How about this one, with the second cover: Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2,Blue Note 1522. This was an odd one in that it had a Lexington Avenue address on one side and a West 63rd Street address on the other. It was clearly not a first pressing, particularly with that cover. But it sold for $236.50.

Someone on the previous post also mentioned this one:

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An Evening With Herbie Hancock

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hancock copySo yesterday afternoon I was walking my dog Marty, the one who has accompanied me on my recent record scores, and we passed Barnes & Noble two blocks away and there in the window was a notice that Herbie Hancock would be appearing in the evening at 7 p.m. to discuss his new biography in conversation with Larry Blumenfeld who, I subsequently found out, is a jazz writer for, among others, The Wall Street Journal. Of course, this was of great interest to me so I left my house at 6:40 or so to venture the two blocks to Barnes & Noble and I took the escalator to the area where the discussion would be and, to my great surprise, the room was completely filled and overflowing, to the point where I actually had to stand outside the main area to hear and see the discussion. There must have been between 200 and 300 people in attendance. I don’t know why, but I expected a much smaller crowd. I never entertained the idea of leaving, because I wanted to hear what Herbie had to say and because I had also brought two of my rare Blue Notes for him to sign, which, as you can see in the picture, was a successful outcome. I was pleased that a good portion of the conversation was around Hancock’s time with Miles and, especially, his time with Blue Note. I will share one of the interesting Blue Note stories he told.

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Inventions, Dimensions and High Prices

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herbie hancock jazz vinylReaders are sending me results of auctions and posting them on the site. Here are a few to share:

From CeeDee, this comes out of his “priced out again” department: Herbie Hancock, Inventions and Dimensions, Blue Note 4147. This looked to be an original New York USA pressing in VG++ condition for the record and just VG for the cover. There were more than 20 bids and the price ended up at $449.

Another reader sent this link: Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4194. His object was that this was described as an original pressing, and sold as if it was an original pressing — yet, despite the presence of the New York USA labels and the Van Gelder, there were no Plastylite ears. This one was in probably VG++ condition for the record, with no discernible description of the cover. It sold for about 323 euros, or nearly $450.

This one is linked an an earlier post:

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Some Surprises in the Bidding?

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hankLet’s catch up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Hank Mobley, Mobley’s 2nd Message, Prestige 7082. This was an original pressing with the deep grooves and the New York address. It had a promo label stamp and perhaps a small cutout hole, which the seller described as a “worm ” hole, a term new to us in this context. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $1,075.

A lot of people have commented with appropriate surprise at some of the relatively low prices on the auctions we were watching from the Jazz Record Center, including: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This was not listed as a first pressing, but it seemed to clearly be an early pressing, with one side having the original New York 23 label and the other having a West 63rd label. The record and cover both looked to be in M- condition. The price was $373. I’d have paid more if I was paying attention.

On the other hand, this one sold for a higher price that I would have perhaps expected although, to be fair, the prices on these 4100-series Blue Notes have been skyrocketing: Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles, Blue Note 4175. This was an original pressing that looked to be in immaculate M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $583.56.

 

 

Priced In and Out of the Market

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hancockCeeDee sends me occasional links to auctions, accompanied by somewhat cryptic messages. This one was titled “boo hoo” with the additional note “I am slowly being priced out of the market, for the moment.” The LP in question: Herbie Hancock, Inventions and Dimensions, Blue Note 4147. This was probably an original pressing, with deep grooves, which I guess is acceptable for this record, based on the Fred Cohen guide. The record was in M- condition and the cover was probably VG++, with the signature of a previous owner very prominent in black marker on the back. I, for one, would not pay $605 for this record under most circumstances, and certainly not with someone else’s name etched forever on the cover in black marker. Neither, I assume, would CeeDee. But somebody would and, indeed, somebody did.

Here’s one I would have purchased for $605, and probably been quite pleased, although that would be more than I’ve ever spent on one record: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing in what was described as VG++ to M- condition. My guess is it was probably M- and the seller was trying to be conservative. My $605 wouldn’t haven won the record, of course. Neither did the top bid of $1,025, which failed to meet the seller’s reserve price.

 

 

A Newk 10-Inch LP, Prized Stereo Blue Notes

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sonnyI should watch this record on Jazz Collector each time it appears on eBay, just so I can put the picture of the cover on the site: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This is an original 10-inch LP in Ex+ condition for the vinyl and VG for the cover. I would think the record plays really well to be graded Ex+. As you may tell from the longing in my first sentence I do not own a copy of this record. But I would love to. This one is in the $110 range with less than a day to go, although it hasn’t yet reached the seller’s reserve price.

Herbie Hancock, Takin’ Off, Blue Note 84109. This looks to be an original stereo pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Not sure how the stereo compares with the mono, either in sound or in collectibility, but, for me, I’m quite content to have the original mono pressing. This one closes sometime today and is in the range of about $105 with eight bids.

Eric Dolphy, Out To Lunch, Blue Note 84163. The seller does a nice job of presenting/packing this one, with the nice picture and the original inner sleeve. Makes it look attractive, wouldn’t you say? This is a stereo pressing, looks like an original, with the ear, Van Gelder and New York USA label.  Bidding closes tomorrow and is already over more than $200. So, IMHO, the nice packaging seems to help.

 

 

More Rare Jazz Vinyl, More High Prices

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Here’s an update on some jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with: J.R. Monterose in Action, Studio 4 SS 100. This looked to be an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. This auction is saying that there were 250 copies of this record printed, although for some reason I recall an earlier posting with a 500 number. Regardless of 250 copies or 500 copies, there aren’t that many to be had, so this record often winds up in the $2,000 bin these days, as has this copy, logging in at a cool $2,215.

This is one I missed from the bobdjukic auction: Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage, Blue Note 4195. This looked to be an original pressing with the ear, NY USA address and RVG stamp. It was described as “monstrously” rare because it was a mono pressing. Anyway, I’m pointing it out because of the price, which was $821.21, way more than we’ve ever seen for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. In fact, more than double the previous high. And you seem to want me to include these aberrations in the Price Guide? I guess I will, even though I don’t necessarily agree.

Catching on On Some Interesting Jazz Vinyl

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When I last left eBay, about a week ago, here were some of the items I was watching:

Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners, Riverside 226. This was an original pressing with the white labels. It was listed in VG+ condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover and I recall the seller as being very reputable from previous dealings, as buyer and seller. As I was packing my records to move, I noticed that my copy of Brilliant Corners was a blue-label pressing and it was in maybe VG+ condition. I put this one on my watch list to potentially bid on it, not just as potential fodder for Jazz Collector. I think I would have gone to at least $180 for an original pressing. This one sold for $100, so I missed out.

I also had my eye on this for my own collection, but I knew the price would go way beyond my comfort zone — and it did: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing and the vinyl was in M- condition. The cover was VG+. It sold for $1,475. One of these days I’ll find a reasonable copy for the right price. Right?

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More Blue Note Favorites, Courtesy of Downbeat

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I did that post earlier today and mentioned that Downbeat had done a whole feature asking various artists about their favorite Blue Note records. I was able to dig up my copy of the magazine — I don’t have a subscription anymore, but I had purchased this one on the newsstand because of the cover. It was from March of 2009. The cover, as you can see, has Joe Lovano with his favorite Blue Note: Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Free For All, Blue Note 4170. It’s quite gratifying to see his picture with a vinyl pressing, and a mono vinyl pressing at that and perhaps even an original mono pressing. Inside, the magazine asked a variety of other jazz artists to name their favorite Blue Notes as well. Here are their replies:

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