This week’s theme: Early Charlie Parker, circa 1940 to 1945. Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Jay McShann, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, Argonne Thornton, Miles Davis, Red Norvo, Teddy Wilson, Slam Stewart, Specs Powell, and many others.
My watch list runneth over. Let’s look at some new items and then catch up on some of the gems I had been watching. Let’s start with Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 5022. This is an original 10-inch Lexington Avenue pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Bidding starts at about $320 and so far there are no bidders with the auction closing in about four days. One of the things that caught my eye about this listing is the presence of an inserted booklet called “the blue note story.” Of all the Blue Notes I’ve purchased over the years, and there have been many, I have only seen this insert in one other record, a Sidney Bechet 12-inch LP. the blue note story was written by Leonard Feather and dates back to 1955, as Blue Note was transitioning from the 10-inch vinyl format to the 12-inch vinyl format. Fortunately, I have not only written about it before, I recorded the entire text, all in this post from January 27, 2009 titled, of course, The Blue Note Story. You’re welcome. Read more
This week’s theme: Welcoming in 2025, Part 2. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Ella Fitzgerald, Oliver Nelson, Stan Getz, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Shorty Rogers, Art Pepper, Miles Davis, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and many more.
This week’s theme: Jazz Vocals featuring horn player accompaniment. Featured artists include Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dave Lambert, Joe Williams, Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, Abby Lincoln, Kenny Durham, Sonny Rollins, Dinah Washington, Clark Terry, Paul Quinichette, Lockjaw Davis, Annie Ross, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Helen Humes, Teddy Edwards, Ray Charles, Betty Carter, Billie Holiday, Lester Young, and many more.
This week’s theme: Sonny Rollins plays the compositions of Sonny Rollins. Musicians include Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, George Morrow, Richie Powell, Art Blakey, JJ Johnson, Horace Silver, Paul Chambers, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Bob Cranshaw, George Cables, Tommy Flanagan, Arthur Taylor, Miles Davis, Percy Heath, Kenny Clarke, and many more.
This week’s theme: John Coltrane as a sideman with Miles Davis, 1956, Workin’, Steamin’, Relaxin’, Cooking’, Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants. Featured artists Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones.
This week’s theme: John Coltrane as a sideman on the Prestige label. Part one of perhaps four? Featured artists include, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Philly Joe Jones, Gene Ammons, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Burrell and many more.
This week’s theme: A collection of jazz waltzes. Featured artists include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Paul Desmond, Hank Mobley, Jim Hall, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Gary Peacock, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham, George Morrow, Harold Land, Wes Montgomery, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, Joe Morello, and more.
Back to perusing rare jazz vinyl on eBay. Last I looked, I had a bunch of items on my watch list from The Jazz Record Center. They’ve had at least two other auctions of rare jazz vinyl since then, so let’s do a fairly comprehensive overview of some of the more interesting and/or expensive items. We’ll start with Miles, the New Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige 7014. This was an original New York yellow label with the green cover. The record was listed in “new condition, with a high luster” and the cover was listed in “extraordinary” condition. Sounds like it was as it was sitting on a record store shelf in 1956. This one sold for $2,155. Is that a new high? Let’s head over to Popsike and . . . yes it is, by a lot, nearly $1,000 more than the previous high. Condition counts. See below. Read more
This week’s theme: Jazz records recorded on Feb. 4. Featured artists include Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Billy Taylor, Hal McKusick, Art Farmer, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Phil Woods, Jon Eardley, Paul Chambers, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Louis Smith.
