Catching Up: Mobley, Mehegan, Morgan, Trane

Time to follow up on some records we’ve been watching.

Remember that 10-inch Hank Mobley record on Blue Note from yesterday: Hank Mobley Quartet, Blue Note 5066? When we spotted it, the price was around $65 with a couple of hours to go. The record was in VG- condition and the cover was just VG, barely. We figured it may go as high as $100? It sold for $274.

On the other hand, there was this record: John Mehegan, Casual Affair, TJ1. This record features Kenny Dorham and has always been a nice collectible. When we spotted this one it was at $7 with an hour or so to go. We put in a bid of $41.41 and it was topped at $42.41. I assume if the seller had done a better job with the listing, it could have sold for a bit more. We don’t have it listed at this point in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but we’ve seen this record sell for more than $100 in the past.

Also, that copy of John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577:

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Some More Blue Notes, Some More $1,000 LPs

We casually mentioned the Lexington Avenue version of Sonny Rollins Volume One, Blue Note 1542 and there, lo and behold, is a beautiful M- copy that is ready for the $1,000 bin. This one sold for $1,225.

Also entering the $1,000 bin is Dizzy Reece, Blues in Trinity, Blue Note 4006. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing that was in M- condition, both record and cover. It sold for $1,595.

John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This was an original pressing n VG+ condition with a light scratch. The cover was listed as excellent-minus, which is, what, VG+ at best? It too is in the $1,000 bin, fetching

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Today on eBay: Tal, Drew, Kenny Dorham, True Blue

We had a couple of hours to kill last night, so we did something we used to do every day: Scroll through a full 24 hours worth of jazz records listed on eBay. It was good timing, because we found some nice items for our Jazz Collector readers and one item we plan to bid on for ourselves.

Our friends at Euclid Records have a nice batch closing today, including: Kenny Drew Trio, Riverside 224. This is an original white label pressing and is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The current price is $1,256, so, Kenny Drew, welcome again to the $1,000 bin. Also from Euclid is The Tal Farlow Album, Norgran 1047. This is the 12-inch version with the beautiful cover by David Stone Martin. It is in M- condition for both the record and the cover and is currently in the $60 price range. My friend Dan Axelrod, who was Tal’s good friend and protege, swears that the 10-inch version of this record offers far better sound quality than the 12-inch version. I suppose that’s why he has more than a dozen copies of the 10-inch version. Nonetheless, the 12-inch Tal Farlow Album is quite lovely to listen to and quite collectible and is certainly a worthy addition to any collection.

It always pays to read the eBay listings carefully. Here’s an example why:

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For The Price Guide: Riversides, Blue Notes

In addition to the Dinah Washington LP mentioned below, we are adding a few more records to the Jazz Collector Price Guide today. At some point, we surpassed more than 4,000 entries in the price guide. We find it quite valuable to use in buying and selling records, and also to help establish values for insurance and estate-planning purposes. We hope you all find it valuable as well. Here are a few more additions:

Kenny Drew Trio, Riverside 224. This was an original white label pressing. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $898.88.

Here’s another nice Riverside: Zoot Sims, Zoot!, Riverside 228. This was also a white label pressing, in VG+ condition for both the record and cover. It sold for $158.50.

And what would the Price Guide be without Blue Notes. Here are a few new ones:

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A Term New To Us: “Kakubushi Frames”

Every so often I come upon an album or a term that is new to me. Here’s one on an item I’d been watching on eBay. The item was: Kenny Dorham, Round Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. The seller listed the album as having “kakubushi frames” in the cover. I pulled out my copy from my shelf (that’s the one pictured at right) and I still can’t figure out what the term “kakubushi frames” is referring to. I’m hoping someone out there can help. By the way, my copy is a nice original pressing with the flat edge and Lexington Avenue address. It’s only in VG condition, but sounds quite nice. I imagine it also has the “kakubshi frames” since it is an original. The one I was watching on eBay was in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG for the cover. It sold for $695.

One For the $2,000 Bin & One For The $1,000 Bin

We were watching a couple of new items that have crossed the four-figure plateau on eBay. They are:

Jutta Hipp, Blue Note 1530. This is the one featuring Zoot Sims. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The seller did a very good job of presenting it, with nice, clear, close-up pictures. It was listed in VG++ condition, for both the record and the cover. It sold for $2,030.

Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original pressing with the purple label and the deep groove. It looked to be in nice shape: The record was listed as M- and the cover looked like it was VG+, based on the pictures. The price was $1,225.

Is The Market Slowing? Not Based on These Prices

Sometimes, as summer approaches, eBay slows down. Not so far this summer. We’ve seen a lot of rare jazz records setting new highs for prices over the past few weeks, as we’ve been upgrading the Jazz Collector Price Guide. If you look at the prices of some of these records, you’ll get an idea:

Kenny Drew, The Kenny Drew Trio, Riverside 224. This was an original white label pressing. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was listed as VG++. The price was $898.88.

Kenny Dorham, Whistle Stop, Blue Note 4063. This was an original West 63rd Street mono pressing that was listed in M- condition, both record and cover, and it was posted by a reputable seller. It sold for $898.89.

Jackie McLean, 4, 5 & 6, Prestige 7048. This was an original Yellow label pressing with

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This Weekend on eBay: Thad, Jackie, Kenny Dorham

Here are a few items we’re watching on eBay this weekend. As always, it’s a good idea to check the seller’s other items because many sense, such as yours truly, tend to offer decent records in bunches:

Thad Jones, The Magnificent Thad Jones Volume 3, Blue Note 1546. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing. I’m not sure why, but the seller mentions Lexington Avenue pressings selling for more than $2,000, but I’ve never seen or heard of a Lexington Avenue pressing of this LP. Has any of you? Anyway, this one looks like it’s in about VG condition and has a starting bid of around $150 and, as of now, has no bids.

Jackie McLean, 4, 5 and 6, Prestige 7048. This is an original pressing with the New York address and the yellow label. It looks to be in VG+/VG+ condition, although the seller uses different terminology that we do, and is currently priced

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Catching Up on Some Blue Notes

We’d mentioned the other day that we were watching some Blue Notes so today we will catch up on some of the items we’ve been watching.

Wayne Shorter, JuJu, Blue Note 4182. This was an original pressing in M- condition, both record and cover. It was sold by Euclid Records, which generally means it will get top dollar. This one did: It sold for $443.88. We’ve only tracked this record one time previously in the Jazz Collector Price Guide and it sold for $115 in VG++ condition. So this will go into the Price Guide as a new high point for this record. 

Kenny Dorham, Afro Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was VG++ and the cover was pretty beat, listed as G+ or VG-. Despite the poor condition of the cover, the record still sold for $483.

Bennie Green, Back on the Scene, Blue Note 1587. This was an interesting one because the seller

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Lou Really Takes Off

We’ve been watching a bunch of records and we have some items of interest to report.

This is one that fetched a higher price than we’ve seen in the past: Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. This was an original pressing and it seemed to be in either VG++ or M- condition. The seller was Stereo Jack’s in Boston, one of the top dealers on and off the Internet. This one sold for $799. Having a top dealer always helps the sale price, as we’ve seen in the past. 

Here’s another nice Blue Note: Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 5065. This was an original 10-inch LP. The record and cover were both listed in VG++ condition. The price was $688. I was looking through my own 10-inch LPs this evening and took a peak at my copy. I remember buying it on Los Angeles a few years ago during a business trip. I forget the name of the store, but I bought a bunch of nice 10-inch LPs in fair-to-decent condition, for $20-$30 each. I might be putting this one on eBay in the next few weeks, so please stay tuned.

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