Riffs

            Went to my favorite local record store the other day, Infinity Records on Long Island, and walked away with some nice things. Joey, the owner, always seems to be able to find nice jazz and he’s usually fair and reasonable with the prices. He also knows what he’s doing, unlike some dealers who rely on outmoded and outdated price guides and wind up dramatically overpricing records. Anyway, I hadn’t been to the store in a few weeks, so there was a lot of new stuff to choose from. Here are some of the morsels I bought:

            Kenny Drew and his Progressive Piano, Norgran MG N-1066.  This is an original yellow label. It was only $8 due to the condition. The cover has some wear and a poor tape job on the top and the LP has a lot of light marks. I was hoping it would play to a VG+.  My hopes came half true: Side 1 plays to a VG, with a lot of surface noise, but side 2 sounds pretty good, very listenable. Plus, it’s an original Norgran, which always turns me on, and it’s got a great cover, even if slightly damaged. I’ve been scouring record stores for 35 years and I’d never even seen a copy of this before, in any condition. Just listening to one side will be a pleasure. Click here to see this copy.

            Cannonball Adderley, Cannonball’s Sharpshooters, Mercury 20531. This is an original pressing in near mint condition. I was happy to get it for $20. Of course, I already have a copy, but this was a condition upgrade for me. Be on the lookout for a copy of this great LP in an upcoming newsletter.

            Lionel Hampton, Flying Home, Clef MGC 735, and Airmail Special, Clef MGC-727. Both are original pressings in pretty nice condition. One has some cover damage and was just $4. The other is pretty close to mint and was just $8. I know that Hamp is not the most collectible of artists, but anytime I can get original Clefs in nice condition at those prices, I’m a happy guy.

            I bought a couple of other things, nothing special, but I also left some nice items behind – I’m trying not to buy as much these days since I ran out of space in my house. Anyway, if you’re in the New York metro area, you should definitely pay a visit to Infinity. It’s in Massapequa Park, probably an hour and 10 minutes from Manhattan. The phone number is (516) 221-0634 if you need directions.

Daily Spin

            When I got home from Joey’s I had to listen to the copy I already had of Cannonball’s Sharpshooters as well as the new one to determine which one to keep and which one to get rid of. To be honest, I’ve always preferred the Cannonball LPs on Riverside to the ones on Mercury. I just felt the band was more mature and Cannonball’s playing was more self-assured by the time he got to Riverside. So, while I’ve listed to this record, it’s never been one of the ones I turn to first when I want to listen to Cannonball.

            That’s too bad because it’s a great record, well recorded with burning solos by Cannonball. They do “If I Love Again” at a nice swift tempo with an introduction out of “It’s Only a Paper Moon” and Cannonball swings, very creatively, very distinctively. Click here to enjoy a clip. If this doesn’t get your juices going, you might want to call a doctor.

eBaying

            I still haven’t gotten that Sniper software and it’s costing me some good records. I have to admit I’m still a technophobe at heart, even though I was in the technology publishing business for 25 years and started the first Internet newspaper in the country. Getting new software and learning how to use it are still traumatic experiences. So, here’s what I missed the past few days:

            Cecil Payne, Patterns on Savoy with Kenny Dorham. This was another record I’ve never seen. It was an original pressing in excellent condition, with some slight mars on the cover. It went for $44. I would have paid more if I’d kept track of when it was closing. I love those old Savoy’s with the heavy vinyl.

            Fats Navarro, Volume 2, Blue Note 1532. This was an original Lexington Ave. pressing in VG++ condition. It went for $112.50. Considering that one of my heroes, Sonny Rollins, is on here and I don’t have an original copy of this I probably would have gone for more. Maybe next time.

            Freddie Redd, The Connection, Blue Note 4027. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition. It sold for $90. Seems like a bargain if the condition was accurately graded.

Item For Sale

            Lou Donaldson, The Natural Soul, Blue Note 4108.

            This is a deep groove mono pressing with the New York USA label and the ear in the dead wax.  If it was truly original it would have the 47 West 63^rd address on the label, but it is still an early pressing and it has the great rich sound of being on thick vinyl. Personnel includes Tommy Turrentine, Grant Green, John Patton and Ben Dixon.

            Most of the music here is what would have been called funk-jazz at the time, although there are a couple of standards: “Love Walked In” and a nice ballad version of “That’s All.” Some nice playing by everyone on this LP, which received four stars from the All Music Guide. Click here for their review.

            This copy of the record is in VG condition, although like many of the Blue Notes it looks worse than it plays. There’s some minor surface noise in spots, but it plays mostly fine with no scratches or skips. Cover is VG/VG+, with a little bit of wear around the seams.  Record is fairly priced at $20 plus shipping. We have just the one copy so if you want it send a note to rhett@jazzcollector.com and we’ll conduct a drawing to determine who will be able to purchase it. Shipping is $3.50 in the U.S.; $12 to Europe and $15 to Asia. This record is available to subscribers only.

Question of the Day

Q. How did Milt Jackson get the nickname Bags?

            Answer tomorrow.

            Answer to yesterday’s question:

Q: Which Duke Ellington classic made its debut under the title “Subtle Slough.”

A. Just Squeeze Me. It was first used as a showcase for cornet player Rex Stewart and made its debut on record in 1941.

Source: Liner notes to The Three Sounds LP Here We Come, Blue Note 84088.

Last Chorus

That’s all for today, folks. We do this five days a week, offering new items for sale every single day exclusively to subscribers. For more information about what we do and how to subscribe, please come to Jazzcollector.com or send me a note at al@jazzcollector.com. Also, please remember that, like you, we are fans and collectors. We don’t purport to own all the knowledge and expertise about jazz and jazz collecting, so if you see mistakes, have suggestions or would like to contribute to our efforts, please let us know. Email is always the best way to stay in touch. See you tomorrow. — al