Tag: Roland Kirk

Back In Business: Bird, Blue Notes and More

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birdI actually have more I want to say about the Coltrane documentary, which I will do in a subsequent post, but today I promised Jazz Collector readers a regular post and that typically means looking at some rare jazz records on eBay. As I type this I have a random playlist on in the background and Bird just came on playing “Confirmation.” So let me pause for a moment. Okay, back with you all.

Well, perhaps there is something in the air. First record I went to on eBay is: Charlie Parker, Bird Blows the Blues, Dial 901. This is an original pressing with the red vinyl. I believe we have established here on Jazz Collector that this was the first 12-inch vinyl record ever? I add the question mark because I’m still not sure. Anyway, I have never owned a copy of this record, and won’t own this one. The starting price is $1,500 and it’s only in VG condition. Even worse, the seller doesn’t include an original picture. That very clear, really enticing picture accompanying the listing, and accompanying this post, is actually copied from a book. For $1,500, I personally wouldn’t mind seeing the real deal, not that I would ever pay $1,500 anyway.

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Pepper Prices Nothing to Sneeze At

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Art Pepper JAzz VinylLet’s catch up on some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with a dash of pepper: Art Pepper Quintet, Discovery 3023. This was an original 10-inch pressing listed in M- condition for the record and probably about VG+ for the cover. The final price was $481. This is not one that comes up when you think about rare records but, honestly, I can’t recall the last time I saw a copy of this on eBay. I had a copy once. It had a scratch that caused several skips. I had a friend who was a Pepper fan and he offered me $50 for it. I think he wanted the cover and probably to listen to the side without the scratch. And then we are back in the nearly $3,000 bin with Art Pepper, Modern Art, Intro 606. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $2,700. This was the same record that ostensibly sold for more than $3,500 last week but something must have gone wrong and it was back on eBay. Perhaps the first buyer missed the line about superficial hairlines, which may take it out of the M- category.

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The $1,000 Bin (And Beyond)

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Chambers copyLet’s catch up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Paul Chambers, Whims of Chambers, Blue Note 1534. This was an original Lexington Avenue Pressing that was listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It wound up selling for $1,136. It’s amazing how the prices for these original Blue Notes have gone up in the years we’ve been doing Jazz Collector. A few months ago we saw a copy of this record sell for more than $2,700. Back in 2004, I gave myself a hard time for spending $300 on a M- copy of the same record.

This one did not sell because it did not meet the seller’s reserve price: Red Rodney, Signal 1206. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The top bid was $1,501. It’s hard to imagine that any of us, collectors or sellers, would have ever thought that $1,500 was too low a price for a single jazz record, but that day has certainly arrived.

This one made it into the $1,000 bin and actually did sell, despite the condition:

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The $1,000 Bin is Getting Crowded

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Kenny Dorham copyWow, looks at the prices on these two:

Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 5065. This was an original Lexington Avenue 10-inch pressing listed as Ex condition for both the record and the cover. The seller hyped up the condition, suggesting that the record was only played once or twice. It sold for $1,684.

Roland Kirk, Triple Threat, King 539. This was an original pressing that was probably in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It had been listed previously at about $2,000, didn’t sell and was listed again. This time it sold for $1,259.56.

Well, while we’ re filling the $1,000 bin, let’s add a few more: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing listed in Ex condition for both the record and the cover. There were 17 bidders and 79 bids, which is a pretty high amount. The record sold for $2,604.54.

This came from the same seller:

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Top 5 Live Albums From The Jazz Collector Era?

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sarah copyI was lying in bed at about 3:30 in the morning unable to sleep so I put some nice ballad music on my iTunes and the song “Detour Ahead” came on from the Sarah Vaughan album After Hours At the London House and I thought to myself, gee, that is one of my favorite live albums of all time. It’s great music and there’s those outtakes on “Thanks for the Memory” and the whole concept was quite unusual, setting up a live recording date at a club in the wee small hours of the morning and inviting other musicians who had finished up their gigs to make up a large portion of the audience. And then, still unable to sleep, my mind started racing through its database of jazz records to come up with my favorite live recordings and the next thing I know it’s 4:30 in the morning and I’m still not asleep. But at least I have an interesting post for Jazz Collector, and that is my list of favorite live jazz albums. I decided to take the Sarah record off the list and just concentrate on instrumental records. Perhaps I’ll do the vocals at a later date. Meanwhile, I offer for your perusal:

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A Pair For the Jazz Collector Vinyl Price Guide

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cliffLet’s just clean up on a couple of the jazz records we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Roland Kirk, Triple Threat, King 539. This was the original pressing in VG+ or so condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. When we first watched, it had a start price of $1,000 and zero bids. It ended up with three bids and a price of $1,875.

Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was something, maybe an original, maybe not. No mention of the address on label or the deep grooves. Pictures were not all that clear, but when you looked close up you could see the West 63rd address and what appeared to be deed grooves. The record did have shrink wrap, which could have made it a later pressing. Nonetheless, it was in probably VG condition and the cover was probably VG as well. It sold for $485.

 

 

A Triple Threat of Jazz Vinyl

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kirkHere’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay, starting with Roland Kirk, Triple Threat, King 539. This looks to be an original pressing listed in Ex condition for the record, which I’m taking to mean maybe VG+, and VG++ condition for the cover. It’s a rare record, but I’m getting pretty tired of the term Holy Grail, aren’t you? Anyway this grail, holy or not, has an starting price of about $1,000 and there are no takers so far. I’m a big fan of Kirk, and I don’t own this LP, but at $1,000 it doesn’t even come up on my radar.

Wes Montgomery, Full House, Riverside 434. This is a promo pressing with the white label. I can’t tell from either the pictures or the description whether it is an original pressing, but there is definitely a lot of action on the record so perhaps it is. The record and cover are probably in VG++ condition. The bidding is in the $340 range and the auction closes later today.

This seller can use a lesson in photo management:

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Potpourri: Kenny Burrell, Max Roach, Roland Kirk

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maxJazz Collector is on the mailing list for a number of news releases and updates from record companies, such as Mosaic, although we never seem to be able to get on any lists for review copies of anything (hint, hint if anyone from Mosaic is paying attention). Anyway, a few things that have come into the mailbox have intrigued us lately, so we will depart from our usual eBay watching today to share some stuff.

Kenny Burrell — To Preserve ‘America’s Gift to the World’ A Jazz Elder Becomes a UCLA Professor

This is an interesting article on Kenny Burrell and his longtime commitment to jazz education. Definitely worth a read.

Max Roach — Relevatory Archive of a Giant of Jazz

Interesting stuff. At their peak the Brown-Roach Quintet was making $500 total for two nights at Basin Street, $900 for six days at the Cafe Bohemia. Today, there are single copies of records recorded at the Cafe Bohemia that sell for more than that.

Roland Kirk — The Limelight/Verve Years

This is a limited edition LP box set. The email containing the reminiscence by Michael Cuscuna caught my eye. I, too,  Read more

A Few For the Jazz Collector Price Guide

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Just clearing out my eBay watch list of jazz vinyl as I prepare a long-awaited update of the Jazz Collector Price Guide. I realize I’ve been stuck at 4,971 records for awhile. Hopefully we’ll see that go up soon. Here are some records that will eventually be added to the guide:

Jon Eardley Seven with Zoot Sims and Phil Woods, Prestige 7033. This was an original New York yellow label pressing that was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $442.68. Get a look of Phil and Zoot in those pictures. They look so young.

Charlie Mariano, Bethlehem 25. This was an original red-label deep groove pressing. The record was in M- condition and the cover looked to be VG++. The record sold for $341.

Roland Kirk, Third Dimension, Bethlehem 6064. This was an original pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The price was $124.75. I’ve never seen or owned this record. I was a big fan of Roland Kirk — he was an amazing performer in front of an audience. A great musician as well. If I were buying records more active these days, perhaps this one would have been on my shelves by now.

 

A Couple of New Ones For The Price Guide

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Here are a few items that don’t normally make the Jazz Collector Price Guide:

Sonny Rollins, The Bridge, RCA 2527. This was an original stereo pressing listed in M- condition by a very reputable seller who also owns the best record store on Long Island. Still, while this is an interesting record with an interesting history — the return of Rollins after his legendary practice sessions on the Williamsburg Bridge — it has never really been a collectible item, at least in terms of its selling price. Perhaps it’s starting to move up the ranks: This one sold for $90.99. Not quite Blue Note prices, but a collectible price nonetheless.

Here’s another one we normally don’t track:

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