I’m still intrigued by the original Esquire pressings of the Prestige records, but the prices have skyrocketed since we’ve been watching them and they are now out of my comfortable reach. Here’s another one: Art Taylor, Taylor’s Tenors, Esquire 32-149. This was an original pressing, such as it is, since the original original was in the U.S. The record looked to be in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was about $300. Here’s another with a great cover: Relaxin’ With the Miles Davis Quintet, Esquire 32-068. This one was listed in “very good” condition, although I get the sense that the actual record may have been what we would think of as VG+ or even better. I think the seller used “very good” as a catch-all as opposed to an “official” grade that we would take from Goldmine. This one sole for about $140, so perhaps the buyer did well if my grading theory is correct.

On to the mail.

This is from Tim:

I’m looking for info about a record. I have a 45 rpm single and was wondering if it is the first record released that features Herbie Hancock. I would imagine it was pressed and released prior to the LP (1961 “Out Of This World” album by the ?Pepper Adams ?Donald Byrd Quintet), which is normally considered to be his recording debut. I haven’t been able to find others for sale online nor much information about the single. But wouldn’t this be Herbie Hancock’s first released recording (as opposed to the LP)? Here is the information I have about the single (it’s also described to some degree on Discogs):
Artist: ?Pepper Adams ?Donald Byrd Quintet
Side 1
MR. LUCKY THEME
(From the TV Show “Mr. Lucky”)
(Mancini)
Runout: 61 WA 70 (handwritten)
Side 2
IT’S A BEAUTIFUL EVENING
(Wayne – Rasch)
Runout: 61 WA 71 (handwritten)
Warwick Records M650
Recorded March 2, 1961
Released 1961
“Bell Sound” is stamped in cursive lettering in the runout on both sides, indicating that the lacquer was cut at Bell Sound Studios. Thanks for any help you might have.

This is from Japhy:

Hi Al,
I have a question that perhaps readers could assist with. Regarding the various Blue Note inner sleeves, is there a general window where a span of catalog numbers should have X sleeve, then the next span of catalog numbers should have X sleeve, etc.? I suspect it might get a little messy when you start getting into the Liberty era.

I ask because I have a bunch of Blue Notes without BN inners, as well as a bunch that I’m sure have the wrong BN inner in it. Then, I have a stack of unused BN sleeves and I’d like to try to finally get the right sleeve with the right record.

This is from our old friend Daryl:

When my friend showed me this original Blue Note Catalog, I freaked out a little. I think you should post it for the Blue Note freakazoids who follow your post. While I loved it, I could not make it work for a purchase: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Note-Records-1956-Catalog-Brochure-Miles-Davis-Thelonious-Monk/372667237564?hash=item56c4b2c4bc:g:NioAAOSwCcBc1EXj

“Hello Al,

When our father passed away, my siblings and I inherited our Uncle Bruce’s jazz record collection. It’s roughly 1,000 records and spans from the mid ‘50s to the mid ‘70s. Apparently our uncle was a serious collector, the rumor is that we only got part of the collection. However, the part we have isn’t bad from what I can tell, because it includes the following Artists/Titles that currently appear in articles on your site: John Coltrane/Blue Train; John Coltrane/Soultrane; Wynton Kelly/Kelly at Midnight; Hank Mobley/Mobley’s 2^nd Message; Sonny Rollins/Saxophone Colossus.

We are selling the entire collection. Please let me know if you’re interested or have any suggestions about the best/most efficient way to reach the target audience.

Best regards,

Rob (Baltimore, MD)”

I was, of course, intrigued. Intrigued, but somewhat skeptical as well. I get notes quite often from people looking for advice on how to sell their collections, but typically the records are not necessarily of the collectible era (lots of swing era stuff), or they have been picked through by dealers, or they have been stored in a musky basement and are smelly and sticky and moldy. So I’ve learned not to get excited by notes such as this. But I was intrigued and I am always happy to help and to potentially find a nice home for a collection that someone obviously cherished. And if that home happens to be mine, well then,  so much the better.

So I wrote back to Rob the next day as follows:

“Hey Rob. Thanks for reaching out. I’d be interested. Do you have a list of the records? Are they in good condition? Any sense of how much you are looking to get for the whole collection? Are the records in Baltimore? If it turns out that the collection won’t work for me, I’d be happy to give you advice on what to do with it. With jazz records, the devil is definitely in the details. The original pressing of Blue Train or Saxophone Colossus can be worth a lot of money, but it it’s not an original the value diminishes significantly.”

The next day, Saturday, Nov. 16, Rob wrote back:

“Thanks for responding, Al. Yes, I do have a “working” list. It’s not finalized yet, but it’s pretty close. For the most part, I’d say the records are in excellent condition. The only thing that may prove to be an issue is my uncle’s decision to write the purchase date on the back in the upper left hand corner of many of the albums. The records are here in Baltimore.

I’ve attached a copy of the current record list along with pictures of the previously mentioned albums. Please let me know your thoughts or if you have any other questions.

Much appreciated,

Rob”

I looked at the pictures first. There were blurry pictures of Soultrane, Blue Train, Mobley’s Second Message, Saxophone Colossus and Kelly at Midnight. Here’s a sample:

I couldn’t tell anything from the picture, except that it wasn’t a later reissue. But was it a yellow label, was it a blue label? Was it clean? How bad was the writing on the back?

Then I opened the excel file with the listing of the records. The first 16 records listed on the spreadsheet were 101 Strings. Huh? What’s that? Then I came upon the first of the jazz records, two by Pepper Adams, Critics Choice on World Pacific and Pepper Adams Quintet on Mode. We were in alphabetical order. Then came the Adderleys, pretty much all of Riversides and, boom, the first Blue Note, Something Else. Okay, we have possibilities. The next one that caught my eye was Toshiko Akiyoshi on Storyville. Hmm, that’s a rare one that I’ve never owned. Then a bunch of various artists records, a whole lot of Count Basie, a Burt Bachrach, a bunch of Tony Bennetts, and my adrenaline was starting to fade. Then came Clifford Brown, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, and the collection kept getting more and more interesting This was a small but fairly formidable collection—if, of course, the records were original pressings and if they were in nice condition.

There was only one way to find out. It was time to talk to Rob. I sent him a follow-up note and we agreed to chat the next morning, Sunday, Nov. 17, at 10:30 a.m.

What happened next? Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow.

 The Return of Art Pepper, Jazz West JWLP 10. This looks to be an original pressing in VG+ condition for the record and probably VG or a little better for the cover, based on the seller’s description. It also closes today and the bidding is in the low $200 range.

Temptation is back: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This looks to be an original pressing listed in Ex condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. There are two days to go and the bidding is in the $250 range. Father’s Day is in a few weeks. Hmmm.

Zoot Sims Quartets, Prestige 7026. This is another one you don’t see too often. It looks to be an original New York yellow label pressing. The record and cover are listed in VG++ condition. The start price is in the $200 range and, so far, there are no bidders with two days to go.

Speaking of female jazz musicians, as we were a few days ago: Jutta Hipp Quintet, Blue Note 5056. This is an original 10-inch pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. Looks like a beauty and it will surely get top dollar. Bidding is already at $500 and there are more than three days to go.

Art Farmer, Modern Art, United Artists 4007. Like Blue Serge, this one benefits from the presence of a gifted piano player — both musically and as a collectible. In this case the pianist of note is Bill Evans. This is an original pressing in M- condition for the record and perhaps M- or VG++ for the cover. The start price is $50 and there is already one bid.

Pepper Adams,10 to 4 at the 5 Spot, Riverside 265. This is an original blue label pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The record is newly listed with nearly seven days to go, but already there are two bids and the price is close to $100. Perhaps we’ll see a bidding war for this one. Someone asked me recently if the Five Spot was still around. I told him that it was long gone, but I do remember being there as a kid or young teen. My father used to take us to jazz concerts when we were quite young. I remember my kid brother at 5 or 6 falling asleep at a Kenny Burrell show at one of the clubs. I was probably at the Five Spot half a dozen times. I know I saw Thelonious Monk there, but can’t remember anyone else. I’m also not sure when the Five Spot actually closed. Just tried doing a quick Google search, but it didn’t come up easily. I imagine someone out there will either know or be more persistent in finding out.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was an original black label pressing. It was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $510. It’s nice posting Giant Steps every once in a while so I can put a picture with the post and just take a look at it again — inspiring me to put the record on the turntable.

Perhaps I owe CeeDee an apology for this one: Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams, Out of this World, Warwick 2041. This was an original pressing in what looked to be VG+ condition for the vinyl and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $159.99, higher than I would have expected. CeeDee and I made a trade involving this record and Dexter Calling a few months ago and at some point I may have made some kind of disparaging remark about the Byrd/Adams record. No doubt, it had more to do with the quality of the recording than the quality of the music. My copy just sounded very dull and flat, particularly compared to a Blue Note pressing from the same era.

Thelonious Monk With Sonny Rollins, Prestige 7075. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and what looked to be VG++ for the cover. It sold for $358.99.

What do you make of this: Dexter Gordon, Go, Blue Note 4112. From all appearances this looks to be an original pressing with the New York USA label and the Van Gelder in the dead wax. There is no mention of the ear and the seller somehow calls the record Bass on Top at one point in the listing. Seems a little flaky, but the record and cover were listed in VG+ condition and the price was only $92.89, so someone may have gotten a nice bargain.

Just to follow up on some of the records we were watching earlier this week, and some that will be going into the Jazz Collector Price Guide this weekend.  Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1560. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing in what looked like VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $935. Thelonious Monk, French Swing, 33342. This is a 10-inch LP in near mint condition. Price: $570

Nobody bid more than $15 for this record, and it didn’t sell because it didn’t meet the dealer’s reserve price: Gil Melle, New Faces . . . New Sounds, Blue Note 5020. 

Moondog, Prestige 7042. This was an original pressing in VG++/VG++ condition. Price $89.98

Pepper Adams Plays the Music of Charles Mingus, Workshop 219. This was an original mono pressing in M-/M- condition. Price: $143.50

Miles Davis, Cookin’, Prestige 7094. This was an original New York pressing in M-/VG+ condition. Price: $381

Thelma Gracen, Wing 60005. This was an original pressing in VG+/VG+ condition. Price: $192.18

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was an original black label pressing in VG+/VG+ condition. Price: $175.92

John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, Impulse A-40. This was an original mono pressing with the orange label in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $154.50

Look at this one: Thelonious Monk on French Swing 33342. This is a 10-inch LP that looks to be in fantastic condition. This is another rarity where we could use someone from the audience to give us a little background. The current price is $375. I haven’t seen one of these, so it’s not in the Price Guide, but it will be once this one closes. 

Another beauty: Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1560. This is an original pressing in very nice condition and the current price is $620. 

Pepper Adams Plays The Compositions of Charles Mingus, Workshop 219. This is an original mono pressing in M-/M- condition. A stereo copy sold recently for $95. This one is already at $127.50.

The same seller offering the Monk LP also has this one:  Gil Melle, New Faces, New Sounds, Blue Note 5020. This has a start price of $15 and has no bids. But there’s also a reserve price.

This one had the highest price of all the ones we’re entering: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This was an original pressing in VG++/VG+ condition. Price: $1,524.99

Eddie Costa, House of Blue Lights, Dot 3206. This was an original pressing in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $355

Red Garland at the Prelude, Prestige 7170. This was an original pressing in M-/M- condition. Price: $79. This sold on another auction for $338.70 recently. 

Lou Donaldson, Sonny Side Up, Blue Note 5036. This was an original pressing with the original cover in VG+/VG+ condition. Price: $156.10

Charlie Rouse, Yeah!, Epic 16012. This was in M-/VG++ condition and sold for $416.51.

Jackie McLean, Bluesnik, Blue Note 4067. This was a West 63rd pressing in M-/VG+ condition. Price: $236.06

Sal Salvador Quintet, Blue Note 5035. This was a 10-inch LP in M-/M- condition. Price> $129.62

Jackie McLean, Jackie’s Bag, Blue Note 4051. This was VG++/VG++ and sold for $169.

Charles Mingus, the Complete 1959 CBS Sessions, Mosaic MQ4-143. This was a 4-record boxed set and sold for $133.50

Mal Waldron, Mal-1, Prestige 7090. This was an original New York yellow label in VG++/VG++ condition. Price $455

Elmo Hope, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043. This was an original pressing in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $997.97

Jerome Richardson, Midnight Oil, New Jazz 8205. This was a purple label original in M-/VG+ condition. Price: $224.50

Lester Young, Le Dernier Message, Barclay 84-009. This was in VG+/VG + condition. Price: $518

Barry Harris at the Jazz Workshop, Riverside 326. This was an original blue label pressing in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $190.50

Thelonious Monk, Monk’s Music, Riverside 242. This was an original white label pressing in VG++/VG+ condition. It sold for $117.50, quite a bit off the $3,000 previous high.

Gigi Gryce, When Farmer Met Gryce, Prestige 7085. This was an original New York yellow label in M-/M- condition. Price: $560

Charlie Parker, With Strings, Mercury 35010. This was a 10-inch LP in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $383

Duke Pearson, Tender Feelin’s, Blue Note 4035. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing in M-/VG+ condition. Price: $610.07

Betty Bennett, Nobody Else But Me, Atlantic 1226. This was a black label in VG++/VG+ condition and it sold for $127.12

Bill Berry, For Duke, RealTime 101. This was M-/VG++. Price: $102.50

Sonny Rollins with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Prestige 7079. This was an original orange cover and New York label in VG+/VG+ condition. Price: $260

Frank Rosolino, I Play Trombone, Bethlehem 26. This was an original red label pressing in VG+/VG+ condition. Price: $137.50

Pepper Adams Plays the Music of Charles Mingus, Workshop 219. This was a stereo pressing in M-/VG+ condition. Price: $94.89

Lou Donaldson, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Blue Note 1537. This was a Lexington Avenue pressing in M-/VG condition. Price: $796

Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040. This was an original West 63rd pressing in VG++/VG+ condition. Price: $383

Jackie McLean, Jackie’s Pal, Blue Note 7068. This was an original New York yellow label in VG/VG+ condition. Price: $170.50

Sweets Edison, Sweets, Verve 8097. This had the trumpeter logo and was in M-/M- condition. Price: $44.49

Lester Young, Pres and Sweets, Norgran 1043. This was an original yellow-label pressing in M-/VG+ condition. Price: $230.50

John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio, Prestige 7123. This was an original New York yellow label with the original cover in M-/VG condition. Price: $372.99

That’s all for now.

We start out Friday with a record I LOVE: Lou Donaldson, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Blue Note 1537. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M-/VG condition. It’s already at $364 dollars, which is too rich for my blood in this condition, even though I STILL don’t own an original of this.

Sometimes the way in which a record is listed on eBay makes all the difference. Take this record: Frank Rosolino, I Play Trombone, Bethlehem 26. The key to this record as a collectible is the presence of Sonny Clark in a nice quartet setting. But the seller didn’t bother to put it in. But now you know. 

One more in the same category: Gil Evans Plus Ten, Prestige 7120. This record always seems to sell better when it’s mentioned that Steve Lacy is one of the musicians. 

You don’t think of jazz records on the Motown label, but here’s one on a Motown affiliate: Pepper Adams Plays the Compositions of Charles Mingus, Workshop 219. It’s a nice record, too.

Finally, there’s the seller Mojee, who has a bunch of very nice records on eBay this weekend, including Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage, Blue Note 4195.

I went away for the long Memorial Day weekend and didn’t look at eBay for three days. Here are some of the things I missed:

Howard McGhee, Music From The Connection, Felsted 7512. This was in nice condition and sold for more than $1,000.

Benny Carter, Cosmopolite, Norgran 1070. This was an original yellow label copy, autographed by Carter and, according to the dealer, directly from Carter’s own collection. A nice collectible, indeed.

The Jazz Message of Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley, Savoy 12064. This was in nice condition and sold for $255. You don’t see too many of the Savoy records fetching high prices like this, but this is a rare item with excellent artists and a great cover.

John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This was a nice copy, not mint, that sold for $383.

Tubby Hayes, Mexican Green, Fontana 911. This was also in nice condition. Price: $228.07

Pepper Adams, Critics’ Choice, World Pacific 407. This was in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $224.50.

Teddy Charles, Vibe-Rant, Elektra 136. You don’t see too many jazz LPs from the Elektra label. This one sold for $236.16

Fred Jackson, Hootin’ and Tootin’, Blue Note 4094. This was one of two copies of this record for sale on eBay this weekend. This was the one in better condition and sold for $346. The other copy, in VG/VG+ condition, sold for $98.77.

Curtis Fuller, Slidin’ Easy, United Artists 4041. I always love finding records I’ve never seen in a store. I’m not a dealer, but I’ve been collecting nearly 35 years, and I still get surprised every once in a while. This is a nice looking LP with a great group: Fuller plus Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Elvin Jones. Not bad. This was in M-/M- condition and sold for $338.

The Interpretations of Tal Farlow, Norgran 1027. A couple of weeks ago we saw a copy of this sell for more than $600 and we remarked that it was the highest price we’d seen for a Farlow record. Well, this copy is the new high: $710. It looks to be in beautiful condition.

The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster, Norgran 1001. This also looks to be in beautiful condition. The price was $393.

Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This was an original white label in great condition. Price: $360.

Finally, there’s this item: Elmo Hope Quintet, Blue Note 5044, 10-inch LP.  This was in VG+ condition and sold for $342. About 15 years ago I sold a similar copy for $400. With prices having escalated as much as they have, I probably made a good deal at the time. Even so, I’d rather have the record.

Now that I’ve gotten caught up on what happened over the past few days, I’m clicking to eBay to take a look at what’s ahead the next few days. I’ll give you my report at Jazzcollector.com tomorrow. See you then. — Al