Donald Byrd, Off To The Races, Blue Note 4007. This looks to be an original pressing. The picture shows a West 63rd Street address on the label, but it shows only one side. Also, the seller doesn’t actually grade the condition of the record, but, based on his description, it looks to be at least VG+, perhaps better. So maybe this will be a bargain for someone. It is now priced at $33.76.  In the Jazz Collector Price Guide, we’ve monitored this record at around $125 in this condition and as high as $344 in M- condition. 

We’ve always like the cover of this next one, with a caveat:

Lester Young and Paul Quinichette, Pres Meets Vice-Pres, Emarcy 26021. This is a 10-inch LP. The caveat I have is that it is quite misleading — Pres and Quinichette don’t actually play together. The LP is just a compilation of 78s, with Pres on one side and Quinichette on the other. It would have been great to have a recording of them actually playing together, but I don’t think that exists. Anyway, this record is marginal as a collectible. This one seems to be in nice condition and is priced now at $17.

Another potential bargain is: Babs Gonzales, Tales of Manhattan, Jaro JAM 5000. This looks to be an original pressing in VG+ condition, both cover and vinyl. The current price is $10.49. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide, we’ve seen this sell for anywhere between $75 and $150.

You don’t see too many Japanese pressings selling for more than $100, but this one did: Jackie McLean, Street Singer, Blue Note GXK 8161. Price: $117.50. The music is made up of a session that took place on Sept. 1, 1960, under the leadership of McLean and Tina Brooks. McLean led four of the tracks, three of which were issued on Jackie’s Bag while the fourth was issued on this LP for the first time. Brooks was the leader on the other two tracks, including the title cut, which were issued for the first time on this LP.  I don’t know exactly when this LP was issued, but I think I recall purchasing my copy in the early 1980s.

 You also don’t see too many Commodore LPs selling for more than $100. Here’s one: Billie Holiday, Commodore 30,008. Price: $102.50. This one has a real nice cover, which was used as a blow-up by Billy Crystal in his recent one-man show on Broadway.  Crystal’s uncle, Milt Gabler, was the founder of Commodore.

Finally, here’s one from a friend on Long Island: J. R. Monterose, The Message, Jaro 8004. This was an original pressing in very nice condition. Price: $565

I can’t believe it’s July 1 already. I’m definitely in summer mode. I took two days off and haven’t posted since Monday. I think that will happen fairly routinely this summer so keep checking the site to see if we’re up that day and what gems we might find for you on eBay. We’re following the market just as closely and we’ll make sure to keep the Price Guide and Latest Prices up to date regardless of whether we post new entries on the site each day. I hope this makes sense on at least some level.

In any case, we’re up on the web today and here are some of the items we’ve been watching on eBay.  We start off with a nice collectible from the rare Imperial label:

Sonny Criss, Go Man!,  Imperial 920. This was an original pressing in M- condition. It sold for $650.

Next are a couple of nice rare Blue Note LPs:

Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1580. This was an original pressing in what looked like M-/M- condition. It sold for $449.

Fred Jackson, Hootin’ and Tootin’, Blue Note 4094. This was an original pressing in M- condition. It sold for $260.55. A couple of months ago a copy in worse condition sold for $346.

Here’s a nice item that failed to meet its reserve price:

JR Monterose, The Message, Jaro 8004. This was an original stereo pressing in nice condition. Its high bid was $394.

Normally we don’t see big prices attached to LPs from the Verve label, at least not as big as the Blue Notes and Prestiges. Here’s one exception: Ben Webster and Art Tatum Verve 8220. This was an original mono pressing with the trumpeter logo. It was in nice condition and sold for $343. A second copy sold the same day for $242.50.

Here’s an update on some items we were watching from the seller JBLD44000:

George Wallington, Jazz for the Carriage Trade, Prestige 7032. This was an original pressing in M- condition. It sold for $305.

Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes, The Jazz Couriers, Tempo 15. This was an original pressing in what looked like M-/VG+ condition. It sold for $595.

Freddie Hubbard, Ready for Freddie, Blue Note 4085. This was an original pressing in M- condition. It sold for $128.50.

Here are two LPs from JBLD44000 that did not sell for a second time. Expect to see both of these items back soon on eBay for lower start prices:

Freddie Hubbard, Groovy, Fontana 136. Start price was $240.

Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This was an original pressing with the Lexington Avenue address on the label. Condition seems to be M-/VG+. The start price was $675.

Finally, here’s a nice collectible at a reasonable price:

John Lewis, 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West, Pacific Jazz 1217. This was in VG+ condition and sold for $43.99.

We’ve got a busy day tomorrow, so we don’t expect to post, although we might be able to sneak in some items to look for over the weekend. Keep checking if you have time. Otherwise, we’ll be back on Monday with a summary of the weekend’s eBay activity. Till then . . . — Al