Hey, it’s my birthday and I celebrated by opening some presents on the air. Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Evans, Monica Zetterlund, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, Elvin Jones, Butch Warren, Pete La Roca, Richard Davis, and many more

Why I set out to do that, I can’t say, but I had a nice, pristine copy of Out of the Blue that I had purchased for $5 (!) at the Titus Oaks Record shop in Hicksville, New York, among a huge collection of original Blue Notes that had just landed on the shelves, upon which I was excited out of my skin to be the first one to access. I think I walked out that day with about 30 records, each one priced at $5. I know, it’s like a dream, right? Every record was pristine and, in my mind, they had come from some Long Islander who had worked at Blue Note, never played the records, and just dropped them off at Titus Oaks when he was clearing clutter from his house.

Among the other records in my pile that day was another that I also traded away and remains to this day yet one more record that I have never been able to replace in its original, first-pressing format, and that is Pete La Roca, Basra, Blue Note 4205. This looks to be a New York USA pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. The bidding is now in the range of about $325, with more than four days left on the auction. This one has sold for as much as $820 in the past.

My recollection is that I traded these two records, among others, to a sax player named Ned Otter. Ned was, and apparently still is, a very sweet guy and I was happy to trade him the records because he was so excited to get them and fill in the blanks in his own personal quest to acquire the entire Blue Note catalogue. I will say that he definitely got the better of the deal back then because he was a lot more knowledgeable than I was at the time and I was feeling quite generous because I had only paid $5 for each of the albums anyway. I know that Ned is still around because my friend Danny saw him last week at a memorial for another sax player we knew, Jeff Gordon, so, Ned, if you ever do come across this post, I remain pleased to this day that you were able to get those records from me—in exchange for maybe a couple of Miles, Gene Ammons and Gil Melle records?—and I hope you are still enjoying them. Of course, if you ever decide to get rid of them, you now know where to find me.

Okay, these next two Blue Notes are legitimate want list items for me.  I have never owned an original copy of either record, but I have owned United Artists pressings of each for at least 30 years or so. They are: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1682. This looks to be an original deep-groove West 63^rd Street pressing, probably in VG++ condition for the record and probably similar for the cover. The bidding on this one is in the $170 range, also with four days left in the auction, and I would be shocked if this one doesn’t make it into the $1,000 bin. Finally, there is Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This looks to be an original pressing with the West 63^rd Street label and the deep groove on Side 2. The record is listed in M- condition and the cover M- as well. Current bidding is in the $275 range but this one will undoubtedly cross the $1,000 barrier and may even go well beyond. The top price for this record, again per Popsike, has been $3,038.

John Coltrane, Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. Notice how I listed this as a John Coltrane record. It is actually one of those Prestige jam sessions featuring Coltrane along with Hank Mobley, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. So Why do I think of it as a Coltrane record? Because that’s where I place it within my collection, under the Coltranes. Where else would you put it? Mobley aficionados aside, Coltrane is the one transformational musician in that group, aside from being, by far, my favorite tenor play among the four of them. So, to me, it’s always been a Coltrane record, and one I am quite happy to own.  This one was in M- condition for the record and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $350. A bargain for someone, IMHO. This one falls into the same category: John Coltrane, Wheelin’ and Dealin’, Prestige 7131. This one features Coltrane along with Frank Wess and Paul Quinichette. For me, it’s a Coltrane record. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and the cover and sold for $263. Wonder what prices they would be selling for if they were on Blue Note? Double that? Triple?

And now some Blue Notes:

Jutta Hipp, Jutta, Blue Note 5056. This is an original 10-inch pressing. The listing was a little weird. At one point the seller describes it as near mint for the record, at another it is described as VG+. The cover was VG+. The price was 449.

Pete La Roca, Basra, Blue Note 4205. This was an original New York USA pressing that looked to be in probably VG++ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $353.88.

George Wallington, Jazz for the Carriage Trade, Prestige 7032. This is an original New York pressing that looks to be in extremely nice condition. The record is graded M- and the cover is VG++. I haven’t often seen this record witht he front cover looking so clean. This one is priced at about $180 with nearly three more days to go.

Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter, Imperial 9024. This looks to be an original deep groove pressing in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. This is also in the $180 price range with less than a day to go.

This one has yet to meet the seller’s reserve price: Pete La Roca, Basra, Blue Note 4205. This is an original New York USA pressing with the ear and it is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover, still in its original shrink wrap. This is just in the $100 range at this point and it will be interesting to see if it catches up to the seller’s reserve.

This one doesn’t have any bidders yet: Sonny Rollins, Blue Note 1542. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the flat edge. It is listed in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The start price is $499 and there are more than two days to go as I type this. My bet is the record sells.

Not sure if this one will sell, at least perhaps not at the current start price, although you never know these days: Hank Mobley Quartet, Blue Note 5066. This is the original 10-inch LP with the Lexington Avenue address and it is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Quite a nice piece and the start price reflects that: Approximately $2,000.