We received some interesting letters about our item last week on Sal Nistico. Here are a couple:

“I enjoy your newsletter very much. Your encounter with Sal Nistico Jr. struck a chord with me. From the first I heard Papa Sal on the Mangione Brothers albums I was a huge fan. The only time I heard him live was a complete surprise for me. Sometime in the mid-’60s I went to the Prom Ballroom in St. Paul, MN., to catch a one nighter by the Basie band. The  fist set had just started and as I entered the room my eyes went immediately to the stage to see who as blowing that torrential tenor. Well, who to my wondering eyes should appear but the amazing Sal Nistico in full flight and as his was the only white face in an otherwise all-black aggregation, he really did stick out like a sore thumb. Basie looked like the cat that had just eaten the canary. He loved his tenor men and whenever Sal  stood up to play that night, Basie beamed like a proud new papa! That image is burned vividly in my memory. Maybe you could put out the word: Are there any recordings, public or private, floating around out there of Sal with Basie?” — Kent Hazen

“I have a copy of Just For Fun, though I’m not looking to part with it. I believe this was one of two albums Sal recorded for EGO Records. Sal Nistico was the first jazz tenor player that I was cognizant of back in my youth in the early sixties. I heard him perform only once back in 1979 in Boston with an organ trio led by Phil Porter, who was the organist in the band Chase in the early ’70s. Sal was on fire that night! He is one of the overlooked masters of jazz.” — Alan Case, University of New Hampshire, writer for The Wire magazine.

And here’s a note from another fan from Providence, RI.

“I join in your appreciation of Round Again Records, one of my home towns most noble business ventures. FYI, your eBay reviews are most helpful. Within the past year I sold a stone mint, unplayed copy of Lee Morgan Indeed! to a New York Blue Note collector for $2,800. I doubt that figure represents a Blue Note all-time high, but it’s probably close. Also to the same collector: J.R. Monterose on Blue Note for $1,600. Both LPs came from the same “score” and, as I’m sure you know, bear sequential catalog numbers. Life, if not fair, sometimes in lucrative. Keep up the good work.” Charles R. Drago, Providence, RI.

eBaying

Here’s a real interesting item that sold the other day on eBay. It is a copy of the great LP Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, Contemporary 3532, with a very personal inscription for Art Pepper and his then-wife Diane. Here’s the inscription:

“To Lupe, When you listen to this record__ just remember that Diane and I are your friends forever__ if your (sp) ever in need of anything all you have to do is ask.  You and Frank have restored my faith in human nature as your help and hospitality came at a time when I was at my ropes end and it will never be forgotten.  My Very Best to you and yours.  Forever____ Art Pepper & Diane” 

The item is definitely a slice of history. It sold for $280.

Here’s another interesting item. A copy of Kind of Blue autographed by Miles Davis.

The album was signed: “To the next welterweight champion – Miles Davis.” The cover wasn’t in great shape, but it’s a pretty neat collectible and not too expensive. It sold for $37.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow with our next newsletter. — Al

My friend Dan called the other day. He’d just bought a copy of “Slim’s Jam”, the original 78 on the Bel-Tone label, featuring one of Charlie Parker’s early recorded solos recorded in December 1945 when he was in Los Angeles. Dan paid 40 bucks on eBay for the 78. I don’t have a copy of the 78, but I do have the cut on the original Savoy 12-inch LP, The Genius of Charlie Parker, Savoy MG-12014, so I put it on. This is a classic, of course, featuring Slim Gaillard introducing each of the musicians in his own inimitable style: “Here comes Zutty in the door with his brushes . . . This is a fun, Jack McVouty and his tenor.” And, inevitably, “Charlie Yardbirdaroonee,” who, as we soon learn, was “ havin’ a little reed trouble.”

 You’ll never know there was any trouble when you listen to Bird’s solo. It’s very soulful and almost out of context, it’s so far ahead of its time. Click here to enjoy and, remember, this was 1945.

            A few interesting items coming up in the next few days. While we can’t vouch for the dealers, here are some collectibles you might be interested in:

            Sal Nistico, Heavyweights, Jazzland 966. Closes Thursday, March 5 at 5:29 p.m. PST.  Nistico was an underrated tenor player and this LP has a great supporting cast, including Nat Adderley, Barry Harris, Sam Jones and Walter Perkins. Last we looked there were no bidders and the starting price was $9.99. This dealer has a lot of good stuff up now.

            Horace Silver, Finger Poppin’, Blue Note 4008. Closes Thursday, March 5 at 7:45 p.m. PST.  This is an original pressing that looks pretty clean, rated VG+. Price was up to $86 last time we looked, so it’s already pretty high.

            Tina Brooks, The Complete Blue Note on Mosaic. Closes Saturday, March 6 at 8:40 a.m. PST. Start price is $100 and there were no bidders when we looked. This is long out of print and, as we’ve seen with the Mosaics, they only seem to go up in value — not to mention that the music is pretty terrific as well.

            Introducing Joe Gordon on Emarcy. Closes Saturday, March 6 at 2:34 a.m. PST. This is an original Emarcy with the drummer label that looks to be in nice condition. Start price was $14.99 with no bids.

            Sarah Vaughan in the Land of Hi Fi, Emarcy 36058. Closes Saturday, March 6 at 5:30 a.m. PST. This is an original pressing that looks to be in great shape. Price is high at $39.99, but it’s not often you get a record this old and this clean. Plus it’s got some great soloing by Cannonball Adderley to back up Sarah. A great record if you don’t have it.

            Some recent prices of collectibles on eBay:

            Cannonball Adderley, Presenting Cannonball, Savoy. Original. VG++ Condition. Price: $89.88.

            Charlie Parker, Bird and Diz, 10-inch Clef MG C-512. Record and cover were VG+. Price: $100.

            Ken McIntyre with Eric Dolphy, Looking Ahead, Prestige New Jazz 8247. Cover was rated VG++, record was M-/VG++. Price was $37.51, but it did not meet the seller’s reserve.

            Horace Siler, Silver’s Blue, Epic 3326. This was a white promo label in VG+ condition. Price: $92.99.

            For Sale: The Jimmy Giuffre 3, Trav’lin’ Light, Atlantic 1282.

            This is a stereo LP with the red and purple label. Cover has a small cutout hole on the upper left. Record is in VG+ condition, has occasional light surface noise. Cover is VG++, with seams intact and a nice shine on the front.

            Unusual instrumentation on this LP with no bass and no drums, just Jim Hall on guitar, Bob Brookmeyer on trombone and Giuffre on clarinet, tenor sax or baritone sax. As you would expect, it’s a soft, thoughtful record, with a lot of interesting interplay among the musicians.  It was recorded in 1958 and features, among other tracks, the tune 42^nd Street, which was not done often as a jazz number. The album received four stars in the All Music Guide

            Here’s an interesting tidbit from the liner notes by Nat Hentoff, with Giuffre explaining why he chose to name the album after the song “Trave’lin’ Light.”

            “Because we’re traveling around the country in a light Volkswagen bus and we have a light trio (no drums, piano or bass).”

            This album is available on CD but, for some reason, was packaged with a set by Mabel Mercer, of all people. We, of course, prefer the original LP. Don’t know if the CD package includes the original liner notes. Maybe one of our readers can tell us.

            Anyway, this LP is offered for $10, plus shipping, to subscribers only. We have one copy so if you’re interested send an email to rhett@jazzcollector.com and we’ll make you eligible to buy it. We’ll conduct a drawing and announce the results in two days. Shipping for the LP is $3.50 in the U.S.; $12 to Europe and $15 to Asia.

Question For The Day

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

            Answer tomorrow.

            Answer to yesterday’s question.

            Q. Which hard bop bassist went by the nickname “Home?”

A. Sam Jones, the long-time bassist with Cannonball Adderley.

Source: Liner notes to the Jones LP The Soul Society, Riverside 324. This from Cannonball, who wrote the notes:

            “’Home,’ as he is affectionately known to his friends, was tagged with that name in much the same way as Lester Young became known as ‘Pres’ – for Sam refers to everyone else as ‘Home!’”

Bonus: Here’s another interesting tidbit from those liner notes, this from Jones himself: “I never heard Jimmy Blanton in person, but his record of “Jack The Bear” with Duke Ellington influenced my direction more than any other bass performance.”

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