This week’s theme: Part one of a two-part celebration of my father’s 100th birthday. Also a reminder to read Song For My Father from the Jazz Collector archives. Featured artists include Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, Tal Farlow, Buddy DeFranco, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Red Garland, Bobby Timmons, Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, Wes Montgomery, Wynton Kelly, Modern Jazz Quartet, Jimmy Smith, Richie Cole, Kenny Burrell, and many, many more.

Also coming up today on eBay are:

A beautiful copy of Sonny Rollins and the Modern Jazz Quartet, Prestige 7029. This is a copy with the original orange cover that had the wrong catalogue number (Prestige 7020 instead). It has the original yellow label and is in M- condition, also from Euclid Records. The current price is $430.

Another nice Prestige: Hal McKusick, Triple Exposure, Prestige 7135. This is an original New York pressing. It looks to be in about VG+ condition, record and cover. The current price is $46.

Mary Paich Quartet Featuring Art Pepper, Tampa 28. This was an original mono pressing, red vinyl, in M-/M- condition. Price: $700

Elmo Hope, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043. This was an original New York pressing. The record was VG++ ad the vinyl was only in G condition. Price: $261.90

Eric Dolphy, Outward Bound, Prestige New Jazz 8236. This was an original deep groove pressing with the purple label. The record was M- and the cover was VG++. Price: $335

Sonny Rollins and the Modern Jazz Quartet, Prestige 7020. This was an original New York pressing with the original orange cover. The record and cover were both in M- condition. Price: $826.60

Lester Young, Norgran 1022. This was an original yellow-label pressing with a beautiful David Stone Martin cover. The record and cover were in VG+ condition. Price: $223.30

Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record and cover were in VG+ condition. Price: $360.55

Finally, there was Eddie Costa, House of Blue Lights, Dot 3206. This was an original mono pressing in M-/VG+ condition. It was available as a Buy-It-Now item for $420. It did not sell. The seller has since relisted it as a Best Offer/Buy it Now listing. The Buy-It-Now price is $480, but there is already a best offer of $400.

If you’re desperate for a copy of Eddie Costa, House of Blue Lights, Dot 3206, there’s one closing soon on eBay for a Buy-It-Now price of $420. The record is M- and the cover is VG+. 

Euclid Records is back again with some nice items, including this one: Sonny Rollins with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Prestige 7020. This is an original New York pressing with the original orange cover. Careful readers will note that Jazz Collector recently posed the question to our audience on the orange cover versus the yellow cover and one of our readers reminded us that if it’s orange it must be original. This one is in near mint condition and is currently priced at $629. 

Here’s a nice Norgran with a beautiful cover by David Stone Martin: Lester Young, Norgran 1022. This one is in V+ condition and is priced at $108.

Here’s a nice one on Prestige New Jazz: Eric Dolphy, Outward Bound, New Jazz 8236. This is from Atomic Records. It currently has a price of $158, but hasn’t reached the seller’s reserve yet. 

Now that we’re back posting again, we’ll return later with a few more items for today, and we’ll review what happened with some of the other items we’ve been watching. Stay tuned.

Once in a while I run into albums I’ve never seen before and here’s one: Bob Gordon, Moods in Jazz, Tampa 26. I know this is a record from the 1950s, but I have to ask about that cover: Is that Sarah Palin doing who knows what to a moose? Click the link for a better view, but this is definitely one weird cover.

Roost seems to be an under-valued label, but we’ve seen this one go for decent prices in the past: Beverly Kenney with Jimmy Rowles and the Basie-ites, Roost 2218. This one is currently under $20, in decent condition.

This is a record that seems to be as much an audiophile collectible as it is a jazz collectible: Bill Berry, For Duke, M+K Real Time Records RT 101. I happen to have a copy and it not only sounds great, the music is top-flight as well. Also, in look at the records on sale this weekend, I noticed a couple of other copies, so you can just do a search if you’re interested in buying one. 

Here’s a favorite: Sonny Rollins With The Modern Jazz Quartet, Prestige 7029. This is a New York pressing, with an orange cover. I have a New York pressing with a yellow cover. Does anyone know the difference — did one come first and, if so, which one? Also, this is a dealer who has other nice records on eBay this weekend, so you might want to view his other items.

That’s all for now. I’ll be back with more items later today or tomorrow.

Quote of the Day:

      “What is soul in jazz? It’s what comes from within: It’s what happens when the inner part of you comes out. It’s the part of playing you can’t get out of the books and studies.  In my case, I believe that what I heard and felt in the music of my church was the most powerful influence on my musical career. Everyone wants to know where I got that funky style. Well, it came from the church. The music I heard there was open, relaxed, impromptu – soul music.” — Milt Jackson, from the liner notes to the LP Plenty, Plenty Soul, Atlantic 1269, liner notes by Nat Hentoff.

One of the criticisms of the Modern Jazz Quartet was that the structure of the band held back the playing of the brilliant vibist Milt Jackson. This was Jackson’s response when he was asked if, indeed, being in the MJQ held him down:

            “No, not actually. It may not sound or look like it when you’re listening out front because it’s all so well planned, but I still get to play more or less what I want to play. I’m relaxed. I’ve always been able to adjust myself to a situation. When I first joined the MIQ, there were times when I looked at the planning as a handicap, but now I’ve come to look on it as an asset. In terms of the business, and musically too. Discipline can be a good thing and having been under discipline can be a help when you do let loose.” — Source: Liner notes to the LP Milt Jackson, Plenty, Plenty Soul, Atlantic 1269. Liner notes by Nat Hentoff.

 “Lester was a one or two take man. He’d say, ‘I can’t do anything better than that,’ and usually that was it. His statements were emotional ones and when they were done, they were done.”

            Norman Granz on Lester Young. Liner notes from the album The Lester Young Story, Verve MG V-8308, 1960. Liner notes by Nat Hentoff.