Ike Quebec | jazzcollector.com

Jazz Vinyl Miscellany and Mail

Al — Thu, 04 May 2023 16:52:07 +0000

Before getting back to writing about my own experiences doing the recent auction with Carolina Soul Records, let’s return to our normal activity of watching other peoples’ rare jazz vinyl in eBay and taking a peak in the old Jazz Collector inbox. Let’s start with Sonny Clark Trio, Blue Note 1579. This looks to be an original West 63^rd Street pressing. The record is listed in VG+ condition. The cover is also listed as VG+, but the pictures show it to be no better than VG. It’s from a seller in Thailand who has one feedback. The start price is $1,250 with less than a day left on the auction. We’ll see if anyone is desperate enough to take that kind of risk. Meanwhile, I have a beautiful VG++ copy that may make it to the next round of auctions. Or, maybe not.

Here’s one I can’t figure out: Hank Mobley, Roll Call, Blue Note 84058. This is a West 63^rd Street pressing with the ear, Van Gelder and deep grooves. But it’s also a stereo pressing. Was Blue Note issuing stereo copies of this record when it was first released in 1961? I recall seeing stereo copies of Blue Train and Art Blakey Blue Note 4003, but they had a Stereo stamp on them, and not the number 8 in front. I’m sure someone will have the answer. In the meantime, this copy is listed as M- for the record and Excellent (and Amazing) for the cover. The bidding is at $325 with about three days left on the auction.

Billy Taylor Trio at Town Hall, Prestige 7093. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. The record is listed as M- and the cover is EX. The start price is around $500 and the auction closes in a day and a half from this posting. I realize, of course, that this is an original yellow label Prestige and those are quite desirable. And I’m also a fan of Billy Taylor, not just as a musician – he was great, popular and underrated all at the same time – but as an advocate and voice for the music. But I never got the sense any of his records were valued that highly by jazz collectors. So, let’s pause for a moment and work our way over to Popsike . . . I guess I was wrong. There have been several instances of Billy Taylor original Prestige records selling for more than $300, with a top of $405 for A Touch of Taylor, Prestige 7001. If the seller were to get his asking price for this Town Hall record, it would be a new high for Taylor. As for this particular record, the highest previous price was about $167.

This one is from Clifford: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. The note said: “$3K for a True Blue with a nasty scratch on tracks one and two, side B. I would not call that EX+!” So, yes, the record was graded EX+ and the cover was M- and the price was $3,055. With records like this, is it possible buyers have no intention of listening, and just want to have a copy, especially one with a nice cover, in their collection? Or is it just that these records are so hard to find, that even what Clifford describes as a “nasty scratch” isn’t a deterrent from someone paying more than $3,000?

Here’s an inquiry from a reader in London: “Hi. I have to travel to Houston for work from London soon. Do you know of any good record shops that I should visit for jazz?” Personally, I don’t, but perhaps someone here does.

Jim sent me a note about a record store that bought a collection a few years ago and is just getting around now to putting them on the shelves, including some original Blue Notes. Jim mentioned Lee Morgan City Lights, Horace Silver Cape Verdean Blues, and an Ike Quebec. No mention of price or condition. A few years ago, I would have jumped into the car immediately and started the three-hour journey. But, I now seem to be more in the subtracting mode than adding mode, so I’m passing the information on to Jazz Collector readers. The name of the store is Bull Moose and it is in Scarborough, ME. They also have other stores in the area, so perhaps these records are making their way across various locations in Maine and New Hampshire.

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Jazz Collector In Box: Time Traveling in Jazz

Al — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 13:18:40 +0000

Time to catch up with the old Jazz Collector in box. My friend Dan sends me cool pictures that he finds somewhere on the internet. This one came in the other day from March 20, 1963, the opportunity to see John Coltrane in New Orleans for an admission charge of $2. Ah, if we could go back in time. What would be your first choice? Bird on 52^nd Street; Sonny, Max and Clifford; Blakey with Horace Silver and Clifford Brown; Blakey with Wayne Shorter and Freddie Hubbard; Lester with Basie; Billie Holiday; Miles with Trane, Bill Evans and Cannonball; Evans and LaFaro; Monk with Newk or Trane? Those would be some of my choices, off the top of my head, and certainly Coltrane with McCoy, Garrison and Elvin in 1963 would be somewhere near the top of the list. If I had to choose one, it would be easy: Bird.

Our friend Maarten Kools, who recently wrote a guest column for Jazz Collector (New Newk, New Guest Columnist) stays in touch on a regular basis, for which we are extremely grateful. He always offers insight and good energy. Here are excerpts from some recent correspondence.

“Hello Al. Hope you and the Mrs. are fine! After some time of lockdown in Amsterdam, stores are open again to visit with an appointment , so I went to buy some records today. Ihave a small budget, so i had me a couple of Liberty, UA and Japanese pressings: Jackie McLean, One Step Beyond; Louis Smith, Here Comes; Jmmy Smith, The Sermon, and a nice original of Hank Mobley’s The Flip). One original: Horace Silver, Blowing the Blues Away……VG+ but as always, plays great…

“Liberty’s and UA (mono) re-issues are gettin’ pretty costly nowadays in Amsterdam.. 50-100 dollars and up. I also bought a copy of Easy Living by Ike Quebec, an album never issued until the 1980’s. Great music, cheap price. Inside there was an ‘open letter’ from 1987 from blue note/capitol. I had never seen it before, although I have some more re-issues from the eighties.

“It’s quite an emotional/ pathetic letter to jazz fans who are copping music on cassette tapes… with all that has happened since, it has a nice outdated touch. Well, in the end they were right, with the closing of so many small record shops (now because of internet).just wanted to share. Wishing you and family good health!, Maarten Kools”

Note: Maarten added a copy of the letter and I’ve reprinted it below. I hope you are not all reading this on smart phones and can read the contents. I searched the internet to provide a link, but couldn’t find a copy. We can always type it in and reproduce it at some point. This way, if someone does want to do a search on the internet, it will be there, forever.

I asked Maarten if I could publish his note. Here is his reply:

“Hi Al, please, use freely. by the way,.. the cassette tape was great ? you could make a tape with all your favorite songs on it, and give it to the girl you liked so much. nothing’s changed…my neice , fifteen years old, makes a playlist on spotify, and sends it to the boy she likes….the format/medium changes, the essence is still the same…. and about nostalgia…some bands nowadays sell cassette tapes. Ha!”

A couple of months ago we did a piece on an autograph collector named Bill based on the sale of an autographed copy of John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse A-32 (Autographs, Autographs, Autographs). After that post appeared, we got this interesting note from Bill: “our recent correspondences have motivated me to organize my collection. I came across one that you might find interesting. It is a rather paltry royalty check to Sonny Clark for just over $3. If he only knew what people were paying for his Blue Note albums!”

This came in unsolicited from a reader:

“I’ve been working on a website (https://www.thelinernotesproject.com) for musicians, students, and fans to explore all of the credits to their favorite albums. No login or $$$ required – just looking to send it around and gather some feedback. Check out the help / slide show on the home page, search for artist / musician / writer / producer / album / record label, click on any name you see to explore, and enjoy. Feel free to share the link, and let me know if you have any feedback / suggestions. Thanks.”

This also came in, quite timely:

“Hi Al. I thought you and your readers might be interested in this jazz record auction I saw on estatesales.NET. If you type “jazz” into their search box you’ll find it no problem. (Btw…I have no skin in this game at all…I just thought it was intriguing). The collection looks to be about 1,000 records, of which about 250 are shown. Lots of ho-hum stuff to be sure, but also plenty of Blue Note, Prestige, Verve, EmArcy etc. The sellers are looking someone to buy the entire collection. The location is Hendersonville, TN with the auction taking place April 1, 2, 3. Alas, I live in Portland, Maine so won’t have a chance to check it out…Don”

Finally, we mourn the passing of Freddie Redd. After all of my years obsessing about Shades of Redd, I put it on the turntable the other night in a moment of solemn reflection. It’s still an amazing piece of work after all of this years. Rest in peace.

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Heavy Hitters, Day Two

Al — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 14:48:52 +0000

Let’s get right to it: The Hank Mobley Blue Note 1568 from the Jazz Record Center sold for $7,600. Is that a record for a jazz vinyl record? I think it is. There was an earlier copy of Blue Note 1568 that sold for $11,000, but we later ascertained that was a bogus bid and the sale didn’t actually go through as described. Unless I get better information from someone in the Jazz Collector universe, I’ll assume this is now our apex. Not a surprise, although I had the record pegged more in the $6,000 range. I actually placed a rare bid on the auction, not for the Mobley record, since I knew that would be WAY out of my price range, and it was. No, after seeing Joe L’s comment on the previous post I became somewhat enamored with the idea of owning that test pressing of Horace Silver, Finger Poppin’, Blue Note 4008. Test pressings have never been my thing, but

the provenance of this one was extremely appealing. It had the note from Alfred Lion to Leonard Feather, asking him to write the liner notes. Talk about a one-of-a-kind item. Plus it had the stamped Blue Note address, the big Plastylite label and the strange letterhead from Alfred Lion that for some reason says: “Alfred W. Lyons.” What is that? Just writing about it now fills me with regret at not having won it, although I am sure I will survive I did have the dubious honor of placing second in the auction. I bid $621.11 and it sold for $631.11. There’s no knowing just how how high the other bidder would have gone, so I’ll never know how close I came, unless the winner is a Jazz Collector reader and chooses to come forward.

Between the Jazz Record Center auction and a couple of others I was watching, it was, indeed, a day for heavy hitters on eBay. Here are some of the other results for those of you keeping score at home.

From JRC:

Louis Smith, Smithville, Blue Note 1594: $2,000

Ike Quebec, Test Pressing of Easy Living, which wasn’t actually released until 1987: $2,025

John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573: $1,749.74

Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024: $898

Don Cherry, Complete Communion, Blue Note 4226: $465

James Moody With Strings, Blue Note 5005: $177.50

Non-JRC:

Donald Byrd, Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill, Transition 17: $2,449

Donald Byrd, Byrd-Jazz, Transition 5: $1,875.55

Jazz By Sun Ra, Transition 10: $2,800

And the final tally is: WOW!

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And Another Rare Jazz Vinyl Quartet

Al — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 22:34:42 +0000

Anyway. Here are some of the rare jazz records we are watching on eBay, starting with Tadd Dameron, Fontainebleau, Prestige 7037. This is an original yellow label pressing with the New York address. The record is listed in M- condition for the vinyl and Ex for the cover, with a promo stamp and some damage on the back. The bidding is in the $225 range with more than four days left. Although this is a nice record from the early Prestige 12-inch catalogue, it’s never been one that has been overly attractive to collectors, although it looks pretty good to me. Here’s another Prestige from the same seller that most collectors will find to be quite a bit more enticing: Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This is also an original New York yellow label. The record is in M- condition and the cover is listed as M-, although I may slightly quibble and push it down to VG++ based on the picture. The price is in the $560 range, also with four days left on the auction.

Man, Ike Quebec is more popular now than he ever was when he was alive: Ike Quebec, Blue & Sentimental, Blue Note 4098. This is an original New York USA pressing with the ear, RVG and what looks to be deep grooves. The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG++. The bidding has already surpassed $500 with nearly four days left on the auction. What do we make of the spike in prices for Ike Quebec Blue Notes? Is it because they are Blue Notes, or is Ike getting some love all on his own?

Finally, here is a favorite of mine and, after all these years, one in which I don’t own an original pressing: Jackie McLean, A Long Drink of the Blues, New Jazz 8253. This looks to be an original mono pressing with the purple labels and the deep grooves. The record is VG++ or M- and the cover is VG++. The bidding is in the $425 range, also with nearly four days left on the auction.

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A Matter of Prestige?

Al — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 15:19:00 +0000

Are we finally starting to see the Prestige records follow the same path as the Blue Notes? I’ve been quite surprised at the price of several Prestiges recently, including the Sonny Stitt record I mentioned last week and this one that sold yesterday on eBay: Bennie Green With Art Farmer, Prestige 7041. This was an original New York yellow label pressing. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was excellent. Great pictures from the seller are always helpful in achieving high prices. Still, I wouldn’t have pegged this record to sell for $860, which was the final price. Careful readers may recall that I purchased an original copy of this record for 25 cents. It was sitting in the bargain bin at Mr. Cheapo’s record store in Mineola on Long Island. I typically never looked in the 25-cent bin because it was always junk. But this day I was looking to kill time and not go back to work and, voila, there was Bennie Green With Art Farmer. Now the condition was just VG for the record and VG for the cover. But it was literally a quarter, the same as the parking meter outside the store. Still have it. The record, not the quarter.

Here’s another Prestige that went for a high price, although this one may be skewed because the real collectible value is probably more in the Andy Warhol cover than in the actual contents of the music or the musicians: The Story of Moondog, Prestige 7099. This was an original New York pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $698.01. I sold my copy on eBay a few years ago. If I recall, it was about $300. There was a time where I thought I would be a Prestige completist, at least for the yellow labels, but I gave up that idea and when I listened to the Moondog record there was nothing on it that would ever convince me to listen to it again, so I decided to sell it, without regard to the label or even the cover art. I don’t think I regret it. Certainly not like I regretted selling Lee Morgan Candy or Jackie’s Pal 25 years ago to buy a frickin’ boat that sank.

I also realized I never officially closed the books on that copy of Ike Quebec Soul Samba, Blue Note 4114, which I was watching last week. It sold for $860.

Yes.

It sold for $860.

Nothing Aberrant in These Prices

Al — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:18:49 +0000

I’d like to get back to some of the records we were watching, starting with Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing that was in VG+ or better condition for the record, and probably around VG++ for the cover. When we looked at it the bidding was in the $300 range and we were surprised it was that low, expecting it to eventually end up at or near the $1,000 bin. It did, selling for $960. So what may have seemed like an aberration, was just a product of later bidding, which has been de rigueur on eBay for many years, so no surprises. Same with this one: Doug Watkins at Large, Transition 20. This was an original pressing with the booklet. The record, cover and booklet were all in about VG+ condition. The bidding came in late, but about as expected, with the record selling for $809.

That item with the supposed Charlie Parker autograph, 7 Early Miles Davis on Dial, 1 signed by Charle Parker, wound up selling for $406.50. After reading all of the comments on that Jazz Collector post, I tend side more with lennib and think that it was more probably than not an original autograph (sorry Don-Lucky), but the lack of any kind of historical record to prove or disprove would probably have prevented me from bidding. Truth is, I wasn’t on eBay, didn’t think to place a snipe bid and forgot all about the auction. I’m also always hesitant to buy 78s on eBay because of the strong potential for breakage during shipping. All things being equal, though, the lot went for $406.50, which is a price that I would have been happy to pay just for the possibility of having a Bird autograph.

One more for today: Ike Quebec, Bossa Nova Soul Samba, Blue Note 4114. This is an original pressing with the New York USA labels. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. The bidding is in the $300 range with about three days left on the auction. There was a time, perhaps when I first started collecting, that the Ike Quebec Blue Notes did not seem to be as coveted by collectors as some of the other Blue Notes of that period. That time has certainly passed and, as we noted a few weeks ago, the Quebecs have moved up in value quite nicely and have surpassed many of the other Blue Notes of the era. Why? You tell me.

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Trane, Pepper, Hank and Ike: Another Day on eBay

Al — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:57:24 +0000

These are some of the rare jazz records we are watching on eBay now, starting with John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Impulse A-77. This is an original orange label pressing listed as “close to NM” for the record and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover. The bidding is in the range of $325 and closes in more than two days. Following our popular Blue Note tracks list last week, we may follow up with other labels. Perhaps this whole album will appear on the Impulse list. The same seller has some other nice items as well, including Ike Quebec, Soul Samba, Blue Note 4114. This is an original New York USA pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is already over $400 with more than two days left on the auction. I’m somewhat surprised that the market for Ike Quebec Blue Notes has spiked so much over the past few years, but, then again, nothing in the world of Blue Note should surprise any of us anymore.

Speaking of which, we’ll see if this one sells: Hank Mobley Sextet, Blue Note 1560. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in G+ condition for the record and the cover. From the seller’s description the record sounds as if it is in better condition, but I would tend to go with the official grading if I were interested (which I’m not). This one has a start price of $750 and so far there are no bidders. The auction closes later today.

This one also is lacking in bids, but I have a strong feeling it will sell: The Return of Art Pepper, Jazz West JWLP 10. This is an original pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is about $500. The auction closes in more than two days.

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New Jazz, Prestige, Blue Note: Covering Some Bases

Al — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 13:12:03 +0000

Let’s take a break from label picking today and go back to watching some rare jazz vinyl on eBay.

Speaking of New Jazz, this one sold recently in eBay: Roy Haynes, Phineas Newborn and Paul Chambers, We Three, New Jazz 8210. This looked to be an original purple label pressing with the deep grooves. It was listed in VG condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The seller was very stingy with information and there was only one bid, which always makes me suspicious. The price was $299.99.

Maybe I should have bid. I was watching that copy of Jackie McLean, Jackie’s Pal, Prestige 7068. This one was in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and looked quite nice. I figured it would sell for more thna $1,000. It didn’t. It sold for $535. Worth it? Just look at the cover.

I also had my eye on this one but, considering the condition, the price was too high:

Sonny Red, Out of the Blue, Blue Note 4032. This was an original pressing but it was only in VG- condition for the record and paying $300 for a record that may not be playable isn’t where I like to spend my money. Others seem to agree, at least in this case, because there were no bidders. The record has been relisted with a start price of around $200 and it will sell this time because there is a bid already in place.

This one got a nice price for the seller: Ike Quebec, Blue and Sentimental, Blue Note 4098. This was an original pressing, I guess, although the seller called it a deep groove. The picture doesn’t look deep groove and the record should not be a deep groove, so it probably isn’t a deep groove. Seller also said it is in excellent condition with minor surface noise. The cover was just VG+. The record sold for $548. Wow. Is the appeal Ike Quebec or Grant Green?

The post New Jazz, Prestige, Blue Note: Covering Some Bases first appeared on jazzcollector.com.

Somebody Really Likes Ike

Al — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:46:33 +0000

Sorry we haven’t posted in a few days. Been busy reorganizing my records. Again. Here are some items we missed on eBay:

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.

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Watching Blue Notes, 12-Inch and 10-Inch

Al — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:16:07 +0000

As always, we have our eyes on some rare jazz vinyl on eBay, such as:

Horace Silver, The Tokyo Blues, Blue Note 84110. This looks to be an original stereo pressing with the New York USA labels and the Van Gelder stamp in the deadwax. The record and cover are rated as M- condition and the price is up around $120 with another day to go. Seems like some of the Blue Note stereos are starting to command higher prices than they did even a couple of years ago, no?

Here’s another Blue Note from the same time frame: Ike Quebec, It Might As Well Be Spring, Blue Note 4105. This is an original mono pressing and it is also in M- condition for both the record and the cover. This one is in the $135 range now but still has four days to go.

If you’re looking to fill in some 10-inch Blue Notes, check out the listings from this seller, including:

The Amazing Bud Powell, Blue Note 5003. This is an original 10-inch pressing that looks to be in VG+ or VG++ condition for the record and probably about VG+ for the cover. The start price is about $100 and there are six days to go. Also, Clifford Brown Quartet, Blue Note 5047. This one looks to be M- for the vinyl and probably VG++ for the cover. The price is around $100, there is a bidder, and there are also six days before the auction closes.

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