Podcast: Jazz Standards, Instrumental and Vocal

This week’s theme: Exploring instrumental and vocal performances from the Jazz Standard Songbook, including Yardbird Suite, A Night in Tunisia, Round Midnight, Jeanine, Dat Dere, Afro Blue, Waltz for Debby and more. Featured artists include Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Phineas Newborn Jr., Sheila Jordan, Oscar Brown Jr., Eddie Jefferson, Richie Cole, Benny Golson, Abbey Lincoln, Kenny Dorham, Winton Kelly, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, JJ Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Ella Fitzgerald and many, many more.

Podcast: More Jazz Explorations of the American Songbook

This week’s theme: More jazz vocals and instrumentals from the Great American Songbook. Artists include Lous Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Eddie Costa, Vinnie Burke, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison, Sarah Vaughan, Roy Haynes, Thad Jones, Ronnell Bright, Richard Davis, Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Zoot Sims, Rosemary Clooney, Scott Hamilton, Dave McKenna, Warren Vache, and many more.

Podcast: Ella Again

This week’s theme: More Ella Fitzgerald. Artists include Ella Fitzgerald, Tommy Flanagan, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Don Abney, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Paul Smith, Jim Hall, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Jo Jones, and many more.

Collectible Jazz Vinyl on a Summer’s Day

Here’s a pretty cool jazz collectible that is closing today on eBay: J. R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record is in VG+ condition, or perhaps even better. The cover has an autograph by J. R. that looks authentic to these eyes, but I am no expert. The cover is probably in VG or VG+ condition. This is a nice collectible with or without the autograph, which, to me, enhances the appeal, although some collectors differ on that account. Anyway, the bidding is in the $950 range with about 10 hours left on the auction. Read more

Rare Jazz Vinyl and A Question about Reissues

Here are some rare jazz records we are watching on eBay, starting with a few from our friends at the Jazz Record Center, including: Lester Young, The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Norgran 1054. This is an original yellow label pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. This is my personal favorite out of all the Lester Young records on the Norgran and Verve labels, both musically and for the David Stone Martin cover, which looks especially nice in this photo. The bidding on this copy is in the $165 range with about four hours left in the auction as of this posting. Read more

Have I Ever Mentioned That I Like Buying Jazz Records?

Time to close the books on the latest round of stories and sprees that sprung from my first visit to Spike’s Record Rack in Castkill, NY a few weeks ago. You may recall that I purchased about 15 records, which I somehow found to be more than somewhat rejuvenating in terms of listening to music and appreciating the breadth and depth of my collection. After I got home from that first visit to Spike’s with the 15 records, I did what I typically do, which is clean the records, listen to a few and sort out which ones may be duplicates with records I already own, so as to ensure that I keep the copy in best condition for my own collection. In this case, I was surprised to see that I did not have a copy of Oscar Peterson Plays Irving Berlin on Clef. Certainly I’ve had one in the past, but I must have weeded it out based on the condition.  I gave it a quick listen and it was about what would be expected, perhaps even a bit better because the sound quality was quite good and the condition was excellent.

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Rare Jazz Potpourri: Classic Trane, Billie’s First

A Love Supreme Jazz VinylHere’s a jazz vinyl potpourri for today, starting with John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Impulse 77. This looks to be an original mono pressing with the Van Gelder stamps in the deadwax and the orange labels. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is in Ex. The bidding is getting close to the $450 range with a little more than a day left in the auction, as of this writing. Although A Love Supreme has pretty much always been regarded as a masterpiece, I really saw it as a big collector’s item until the last few years. Sort of like Kind of Blue: Even though there may be more copies of these records than some others, there is also much greater demand for original pressings. These records not only appeal to collectors, but pretty much to anyone with a love for jazz.

I find this one really interesting:

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