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Podcast: Gershwin Songbook, Piano Edition

Al — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:45:39 +0000

This week’s theme: The Gershwin Songbook, as played by jazz pianists and their groups. Featured artists include: Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Red Garland, Billy Taylor, Bud Powell, Oscar Pettiford, Art Blakey, Paul Motian, Scott LaFaro, Hampton Hawes, Red Mitchell, Chuck Thompson, John Lewis, Percy Heath, Connie Kay, Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen, John Ore, J.C. Moses, Ray Barreto, Arthur Taylor, Paul Chambers, Randy Weston

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Some 10-Inch LPs and Some Bird Envy

Al — Wed, 08 May 2013 23:32:59 +0000

Here are some of the results from the Jazz Record Center auctions we were watching, including the one with the cover that has some of our readers weirded out. Let’s start with Kenny Dorham Quintet, Debut 9. This is an original 10-inch pressing, quite rare, that looked to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $960.

Charlie Mariano, Mariano, Bethlehem 1022. This was another 10-inch record from the collection of Tom Stewart and like the others the record was in M- condition and the cover probably VG++, with the owner’s name written in ink. This one sold for $355.

Now for the one with the weird cover, Red Mitchell, Happy Minors, Bethlehem 1033. This was from the same collection, M- for the record, VG++ for the cover. It sold for $333.88. So far I haven’t found a copy in my own collection. If I didn’t buy it originally for $50, I can say for pretty sure that it was because of the cover. Not one of my favorites, to be sure.

Speaking of covers, check out the next listing, and we will show a picture of the cover below:

Savoy Presents Charlier Parker, The New Sound in Modern Music. This is an album — now you know where the term came from — with three 78s. Love it. Wish I had it. The records were in VG condition and the album looked to be in very nice shape. It sold for $315. A bargain in my book. How can you get more original than this.

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The One I Left Behind?

Al — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:29:12 +0000

Some interesting 10-inch LPs, 78s and other items on the new eBay auction from the Jazz Record Center. Here’s a few to watch, starting with Red Mitchell, Happy Minors, Bethlehem 1033. This is an original 10-inch pressing In M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. There’s writing on the back, but the writing is from the previous owner, Thomas Stewart, who also wrote the liner notes for this record. So it has some interesting provenance. It also has the presence of Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer, which can’t hurt. The start price is $200. My own story with this record: I used to travel to Palo Alto all the time for business. There was a book store that also sold records and occasionally they would get some nice jazz. The prices were a bit high for the time, but not unreasonable. I remember a mint copy of this record sitting on the shelf for $50. I had it in my hand, put it down, had it in my hand, put it down, looked at a few other records, picked it up again. This went on for a while. In my memory I wound up buying the record for $50. Except, I guess I didn’t. I just looked on my shelves and, alas, no Happy Minors. My hope is that I have the record, but I just misfiled it or something. So later, or this weekend, I will go through all of my 10-inch records in search of the one I may have left behind. It’s probably a great record, right?

A few others from the Jazz Record Center:

Kenny Dorham Quintet, Debut 9. This is an original 10-inch pressing, also from the collection of Thomas Stewart. The record is in M- condition and the cover looks to be VG++, with similar writing as the Red Mitchell record. The start price for this one is $150.

The Amazing Bud Powell, Blue Note 5003. This is another original 10-inch pressing from the Thomas Stewart collection. The record is in M- condition and the cover is probably VG++. The start price is $100.

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Newcomers For the Jazz Collector Price Guide

Al — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:57:14 +0000

Here are some records that don’t often make it to the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

I’ve never thought of this record as a collectible: The Standard Sonny Rollins, RCA 3355. This was an original pressing and it was in M- condition. It sold for $122.50. It was a stereo pressing and I’m wondering, perhaps, if it is as much an audiophile collectible as much as a jazz collectible. I’m a big Rollins fan, but this is not among my favorite Sonny LPs.

How about this one: Presenting Red Mitchell, Contemporary 3538. This is an original deep groove mono pressing with the yellow label. The vinyl was listed in M- condition and the

cover was VG++. The price was $139.50.

The market for this record, and others of its era, seems to be slipping: Flip Phillips, Flip Wails, Clef 691. This was an original pressing. The vinyl was VG++ and the cover was VG+. The price was $52.50. This price was probably aided by the fact that it has a nice cover illustration by David Stone Martin.

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Watching The Next Tier: The Bidding Continues

Al — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:28:52 +0000

As I’m going through some of the items I’ve been watching on eBay, I’m actually finding less evidence than I expected of this supposed shift into a two-tier market. There is still a lot of high-priced bidding among the non-Blue Note labels and artists. Perhaps it’s just by comparison that the gap is widening because some of the Blue Note/Prestige prices have been skyrocketing lately. We’ll keep watching, but as you guys see evidence of a real drop-off in prices of second-tier labels, please post them on the site as a comment. Here are some items we’ve been watching that may give you an alternate view versus my comments and others of the past couple of days:

Red Mitchell, Bethlehem 38. This was an original red label pressing, deep groove. It was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $190.93.

Lee Konitz with Marne Marsh, Atlantic 1217. This was an original black-label mono pressing. It looks to be generously graded at VG++. It sold for $149.99.

Here’s one that would support the theory of a developing two-tier market:

Stan Levey Quintet, Mode 101. This was an original pressing. The record was VG and the cover was VG+. The price was just $15.55. I know this was not in mint condition, but $15 for this LP seems quite low.

Here’s another one that seems quite low: Max Bennett Plays, Bethlehem 50. This one is in VG+ condition for both the record and cover. It sold for $26.05. It features Charlie Mariano, Frank Rosolino and several other top West Coast jazzmen.

This one also seems effected by condition, so the price was actually probably fair: Kenny Clarke, Klook’s Clique, Savoy 12065. This was an original pressing. The record was VG+ and the cover was VG. The price was $77.55.

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