This week’s theme. Classic tracks from some of the classic quartets that were mostly together for a time, with a few great random quartet one-offs thrown in for good measure. Featured artists include John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Rouse, Shadow Wilson, Wilbur Ware, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Joe Morello, Eugene Wright, Norman Bates, Jim Hall, Connie Kaye, Percy Heath, John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Art Pepper, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, Art Tatum, Ben Webster, John Ore, Frankie Dunlop, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Henry Grimes, Dave Bailey, Red Callender, Bill Douglas, Larry Bunker, Carson Smith.

This week’s theme: Quintessential Quintets. Highlights from some of the quintessential jazz quintets from the 1950s and 1960s. Think Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Clifford Brown/Max Roach and a few others. Interesting insight during the show related to my father. If you’ve never read it, would recommend the article Song for My Father here at JazzCollector.com. Hard to believe I wrote that nearly 20 years ago. Featured artists on this podcast include Art Blakey, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, George Morrow, Richie Powell, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, Bobby Timmons, Sam Jones, Louis Hayes, Johnny Griffin, Lockjaw Davis, Junior Mance, Larry Gales, Ben Riley, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Horace Silver, Junior Cook, Blue Mitchell, Gene Taylor, Roy Brooks, Lee Morgan, Jymie Merrott, Harold Land, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, Charlie Parker, Duke Jordan, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw

This week’s theme: Jazz versions of songs that celebrate the autumn season, inspired by the beauty of the leaves changing here in lovely Berkshire County, Ma. Featured artists include Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Johnny Hartman, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Anita O’Day, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Phil Woods, Billie Holiday, Flip Phillips, Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessell, Ray Brown, Isaiah J. Thompson, Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Sarah Vaughan, Roy Haynes, Rosemary Clooney, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Lamott, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Clifford Brown, Karrin Allyson, Tal Farlow and many more.

In celebration of John Coltrane’s Centennial birthday, this edition of Jazz Collection Live focuses on Trane’s ballad playing, featuring performances from Prestige, such as I See Your Face Before Me, Violets for Your Furs and more; Blue Note, I’m Old Fashioned; Atlantic, such as Naima and Every Time we Say Goodbye; and Impulse, including Alabama, After the Rain, Lush Life, I Wish I Knew, In a Sentimental Mood, and several more. Featured artists include John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Arthur Taylor, Wynton Kelly, Roy Haynes, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Kenny Drew, Red Garland, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Johnny Hartman, Tootie Heath, Steve Davis, Duke Ellington, Aaron Bell. The sub-title for the Podcast is “Coltrane Plays Pretty.”

This week’s theme: Continuing the celebration of  the third anniversary of Jazz Collector Live and Jazz Collector Radio. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Arthur Taylor,  Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Jacki Byard, George Tucker, Roy Haynes, Dexter Gordon Tommy Flanagan, Larry Ridley, Alan Dawson, David Burns, Stanely Turrentine, Wynton Kelly, Tal Farlow, Eddie Costa, Rosemary Clooney, Sonny Rollins, Jake Hanna, Scott Hamilton, Bill Berry, Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Gerry Mulligan, Coleman Hawkins, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Dorham, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Smith, Karrin Allyson, James Carter, James Williams, John Patitucci, Lewis Nash, and more.

This week’s theme: Happy Third Anniversary to the Jazz Collector Live radio show and podcast, featuring the best of something. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Miles Davis, Hank Mobley, Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Percy Heath, Connie Kay, Stan Getz, Duke Jordan, Jimmy Raney, Zoot Sims, Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Rosemary Clooney, Warren Vache, Scott Hamilton, Cal Collins, Charlie Parker, Joao Gilberto, Maxine Sullivan, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Roland Kirk, Charles Mingus, John Handy, Clifford Brown, Max Roach, Harold Land, Richie Powell, Charlie Parker, LaVern Baker, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton and more.

This week’s theme: Jazz and vocal versions of songs written by Irving Berlin. Featured artists include John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Rollins, Ray Bryant, Max Roach, George Bryant, Charles McPherson, Jackie McLean, Rosemary Clooney, Ed Bickert, Scott Hamilton, John Oddo, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Bill Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Lamott, Duke Jordan, Walter Bishop Jr., Oscar Peterson, Dinah Washington, Lockjaw Davis, Paul Quinichette, Clark Terry, Lou Donaldson, Horace Silver, Arthur Taylor.

This week’s theme: The four albums (plus) recorded for Prestige on May 11 and Oct. 26, 1956. Artists are Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. For Jazz Collector Live, part of the centennial celebration of Miles and Trane.

This week’s theme: Jazz versions of Rodgers and Hart compositions. Featured artists include Miles Davis, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, Art Tatum, Ben Webster, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Sheila Jordan, Chet Baker, Sonny Stitt, Anita O’Day, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman, Lee Wiley.

Of course. The same invitation is open to anyone. Stuart reminded me that it is almost 10 years to the day since we published an earlier article – Adventures in Jazz Collecting, Tokyo Style. Couldn’t help but notice that there were 54 comments on that article. Bravo to Stuart and all of the commenters. Ah, the good old days.

Anyway, the article arrived the other day, along with the title Stuart suggested title, so, without further ado, may we present:

The Records (But Not the Music) Are Over

By Stuart Levine

Well, I did it. I sold my jazz record collection. Now approaching 70, I’m trying to downsize and just not finding the opportunity to listen to my LPs. You see, for years I’ve been living in Japan with my wife and two daughters, while all this time storing my records and audio equipment back on the West Coast. The irony is that I’m in the land (or rather, on the island) whose people love our American art form of Jazz, yet I, myself, can’t listen to my own records. I don’t want to bore anyone with details as to why not, but suffice it to say that living quarters are tight there and sound travels easily.

I’ll miss visiting the record stores – the crate digging and conversations with fellow vinyl enthusiasts. It had all started during my college days with CTI and fusion. But later, I discovered Hard Bop and “watch out” – I was hooked! Good thing I started making some decent money because as you know, those Blue Notes are expensive. So gone are roughly 400 LPs; however, I did keep a few. They are Somethin’ Else, Maiden Voyage and Kind of Blue.  All are first pressings. My copy of Kind of Blue is very early.  Just couldn’t part with these three.

As far as sales went, I did pretty well with my treasured vinyl. A VG++ Cool Struttin’ came in at a cool $4,283. A near mint Wahoo did a whopping $1,725 and even a VG+ Juju sold for $900, netting me $630. Yep, further evidence of Blue Notes’ cachet. On the other hand, Impulse didn’t do so well. My pristine mono copy of Blues and the Abstract Truth disappointed at 75 bucks. Gosh, darn it … wish I could have that one back as well as other gems in my collection such as Saxophone Colossus and A Love Supreme. Oh, stop it, Stuart! You’re done! There are always cds.

But before I close, I’d like to give shout outs to Charles Pearlman of Strictly Headies and Jason Perlmutter of Carolina Soul (thanks to Al for recommending Jason). They did such a professional job of listing my records on their eBay sites. With Charlie, who sold most of my jazz records, I got to visit Portland, Oregon, enjoying the greenery I don’t get in the Las Vegas desert where my parents live. And for the first time, I flew to Durham, North Carolina to meet Jason with a few jazz LPs and a good number of rock records. So, thanks guys … you represented my collection well, and I’m sure my records are spinning right now on worthy turntables. As for me, I think I’ll give a listen to “Stolen Moments” from my laptop computer.