This week’s theme: Exploring instrumental and vocal performances from the Jazz Standard Songbook, including Yardbird Suite, A Night in Tunisia, Round Midnight, Jeanine, Dat Dere, Afro Blue, Waltz for Debby and more. Featured artists include Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Phineas Newborn Jr., Sheila Jordan, Oscar Brown Jr., Eddie Jefferson, Richie Cole, Benny Golson, Abbey Lincoln, Kenny Dorham, Winton Kelly, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, JJ Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Ella Fitzgerald and many, many more.

More  from the same auction: The Magnificent Thad Jones, Blue Note 1527. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The final price was $2,555, with 11 bidders and 17 bids. Those Lexington Avenue labels with the scripted lettering still give me chills. And another: Joe Henderson, Inner Urge, Blue Note 4189. This was an original New York USA pressing that looked to be in M- condition for both the record and cover, with the cover protected by the original shrink wrap. Thirteen bidders, 29 bids and a final price of $1,028.91.

Condition still counts (sometimes): Sonny Clark Trio, Blue Note 1579. This was an original West 63^rd Street pressing  that had a start price of $2,000. The condition was “solid VG” for the vinyl, with some tics on the playback. The cover was VG++. The record did not sell this time around. I’m sure it will be back, if it is not back already.

Finally, Sabu, Palo Congo, Blue Note 1561, sold for $698. Jazz or not jazz, that seems to be the question. Either way, it’s a cool Blue Note cover, and a cool New York 23 label.

This week’s theme is a random playlist from the Blue Note label. Featured artists include Art Blakey, Art Taylor, John Coltrane, Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, Sheila Jordan, Hank Mobley, Louis Smith, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Donald Byrd and, of course, many, many more.

There were several comments on this record: Paul Gonsalves, Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick, Vocalion LAE 587. This looked to be an original deep-groove U.K. pressing probably in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. When we spotted this record, there were no bidders at a start price of $1,000. It wound up with 12 bids and a final price of $1,824.99. Then there was the second pressing copy of Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This one had the West 63^rd Street labels, no New York 23. It looked to be in M- condition for the record and cover, and the final price was $621.22.

I really did spend a lot of time off eBay, pursuing that collection to which I’ve obliquely referred, as has my friend Dee, the owner of said collection, who has also cryptically mentioned the name “Ornette,” which provides something of a clue as to its possible derivation. Eventually I will be ready to discuss it.

In the meantime, I would like to go back a few weeks to see what happened to some other jazz records we were watching on eBay, starting with Art Taylor, AT’s Delight, Blue Note 4047. This looked to be an original West 63^rd Street pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price was $449 and I suspected that it might make it into the $1,000 bin. Instead, there were no bids at all. I feel like I may be missing something. The seller lists a lot of records and has 100% feedback. Any guesses? There were a couple of others from the same seller that didn’t get bids, such as Sonny Rollins with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Prestige 7029. This was an original New York pressing with the original orange framed cover. The record was listed as M- and the cover was VG+. The start price was $349.  A few records I was watching from that auction did sell, with one or two bidders, including Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note 9002. This was an original New York USA pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. There was one bid and the record sold for $249.

At the same time, another seller seemed to do quite well with some later Blue Note records that I didn’t think had the same cachet as collectibles, although, to be fair, I’ve been wrong about these things many times before. For instance, there was Lee Morgan, The Gigolo, Blue Note 4212. This was an original mono pressing, which is a rare version because it was only issued as a promo copy. It had the Liberty labels and was probably in VG or VG+ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. There was an issue with a long visible mark across side one. Still, the record sold for $433, which was the highest price we’ve seen for this record on Popsike.

There was also Bobby Hutcherson, Happenings, Blue Note 4231. This was also a promo mono pressing with the New York USA address on both labels. The record and cover were listed in M- condition. The final price was $308, which was not the highest price we’ve seen for the record – that would be $630 – but it did crack the top 10.

Meanwhile, while all that discussion has been taking place here at Jazz Collector, there have been auctions going on at eBay, including:Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is the semi-original pressing with the West 63rd labels but not the NY 23 label. It was in M- condition for the record and Ex condition for the cover and received a top bid of $3,050. But it did not sell because it didn’t meet the seller’s reserve price.

There were comments on the price of this one as well: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was the one from the Jazz Record Center in M- condition for the record and M- or VG++ for the cover. Readers were surprised that it sold for “only” $1,792. I tend to agree with the theory that the prices from the Jazz Record Center may be somewhat reduced because they don’t accept Pay Pal, but it’s just a theory. They are certainly the most credible and reliable of the dealers I’ve ever dealt with.

More than forty bids for this (but not nearly that many bidders): Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note 9002. This was an original New York USA pressing listed in M-/VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It sold for $340.55.

Art Tatum/Ben Webster Quartet, Verve 8220. This is an original pressing with the trumpeter logo. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. There were four bidders, 15 bids and the ultimate price was $290. My sense is most of the readers here at Jazz Collector tend to prefer post-bop era jazz — I generally do as well — but this is one of those must-have records, in my opinion, that always sounds beautiful and fresh when you put it on the turntable.

Haven’t seen this one sell for such a high price before: Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note 9002. This was described as an original U.S. pressing in “superb” condition. It sold for $405. Our previous high for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was just $123, so that’s quite a leap. Great record, though.

Here’s a perennial for the ever-more-crowded $1,000 bin:

Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. The record was VG+ and the cover was VG+ as well. The price was $1,343.

And, for the record (pun intended), let’s close the book on this one: Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 4140. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. As several readers have noted, this one seems to have set a new price standard for Blue Notes of this era. It sold for $2,000. Whew.

Randy Brecker: Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 1, Blue Note 5037. They actually show the original 10-inch LP, but I imagine Brecker didn’t just single out the first volume, but the whole series.

Teri Lyne Carrington: Wayne Shorter, JuJu, Blue Note 4182

Branford Marsalis: Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4194.

Nicholas Payton: Speak No Evil

David Sanchez: Speak No Evil

Greg Osby: Wayne Shorter, Schizophrenia, Blue Note 4297

Chris Potter: Wayne Shorter, Adam’s Apple, Blue Note 4232

Kurt Elling: Wayne Shorter, Night Dreamer, Blue Note 4173

Geri Allen: Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage, Blue Note 4195

Sean Jones: Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage

Terence Blanchard: Herbie Hancock, Speak Like A Child, Blue Note 4297

Uri Craine: Herbie Hancock, The Prisoner, Blue Note 4321

Matt Wilson: Eric Dolphy, Out To Lunch, Blue Note 4163

Dee Dee Bridgewater: Horace Silver, Song For My Father, Blue Note 4185

Dave Douglas: Horace Silver, The Cape Verdean Blues, Blue Note 4220

Bill Charlap: Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, Blue Note 1518

Christian McBride: Joe Henderson, Mode For Joe, Blue Note 4227

Steve Turre: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 2, Blue Note 1506

Kenny Washington: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588

Larry Grenadier: Sonny Rollins. A Night at the Village Vanguard, Blue Note 1581

Gary Bartz: Sonny Rollins, Volume 2, Blue Note 1558

Antonio Sanchez: John Coltrane, Blue Trane, Blue Note 1577

Ben Allison: Andrew Hill, Black Fire, Blue Note 4151

Mulgrew Miller: Freddie Hubbard, Ready For Freddie, Blue Note 4085

Robin Eubanks: McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy, Blue Note 4264

Conrad Herwig: Larry Young, Unity, Blue Note 4221

Patricia Barber: Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note 9002

Jason Moran: Bobby Hutcherson, Dialogue, Blue Note 4198

There were a couple of other they were weird and I didn’t include them. If you’re like me, you probably haven’t even heard of half the musicians that are quoted here. I will tell you my finalists:

Art Blakey Buhaina’s Delight

Art Blakey Blue Note 4003

Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd

Horace Silver, Blowin’ The Blues Away

John Coltrane, Blue Trane

Dexter Gordon, Our Man in Paris

Donald Byrd, A New Perspective

At this point, the very strong lean is toward Buhaina’s Delight, but I might put a few others on the turntable today, since it looks like it’s going to be a nice snow day in New York. But, at least I’ve narrowed the field to My Seven Favorite Blue Notes. For now, at least.

Steve Lacy, Soprano Sax, Prestige 7125. This was an original pressing with the New York label. The record was VG+ and the cover was VG++. The price was $130.50.

Illinois Jacquet, Jazz Moods, Clef 662. This was an original pressing and it was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $89.50.

Lester Young, Lester’s Here, Norgran 1071. This was an original yellow label. The record was listed as VG+ and the cover was VG++. The price was $121.

Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter, Imperial 9024. This was an original pressing that

looked to be in about VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $131.02, quite a bit lower than the $1,125 Sonny Criss LP we saw yesterday.

Finally, a Blue Note: Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note 9002. This was an original pressing with the New York USA label and it was in M- condition, for both the record and the cover. The price was $122.70.

It’s kind of nice putting some great records on the site in decent condition that are not selling for four figures, or even high triple figures. It’s impossible to define what is a “bargain” or a good buy in this market, but there are nice records out there that can be had without taking out a second mortgage.

Sheila Jordan’s Portrait of Sheila, was one of two LPs issued by Blue Note in its 9000 vocal series. What was the other vocal LP? 

Like all collectors, I’ve let prized records slip through my fingers through the years. I would go to Dayton’s on 12^th Street in Manhattan in the early 1980s and balk at their astronomical prices. Looking back, these “astronomical” prices were in the $50 and $60 range for original pressings of Blue Notes, Prestiges and other rarities. I remember passing on a mint copy of Hank Mobley’s Second Message, Prestige 7082, because I thought $45 was exorbitant. If you look at the Jazz Collector Price Guide on Jazzcollector.com, you’ll see that a copy recently sold for $661. Ah, to go back in time. Even more irksome are the lost treasures of my collection that I either sold or traded. I’ve gotten rid of some prized records this way, always figuring it would be no problem replacing them. Sure. Many of those that slipped away are gone forever, never to return.eBay, however, has been a godsend in recovering lost items simply because there’s so much available, assuming you are (1) willing to pay the price and (2) able to find dealers you trust. I recently lucked out replacing one of those records I sold: Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note 9002. I love this record but sold it 14 or so years ago when I bought a CD version. I soon realized, however, that having it on CD is not the same as having it on LP. Since then, I’ve been hoping to find a reasonably priced copy. No luck – until recently on eBay, when I picked up a nice copy for $58, which was fine by me. It’s great to have this record back on the shelf. A particular favorite: Falling in Love With Love, featuring some nice guitar accompaniment by Barry Galbraith.

Years ago, maybe in the late 1970s, I saw Jordan in a small club in Greenwich Village. The place was nearly empty and people were talking and not really paying attention to the music. I went up to her, told her I loved her Blue Note album and asked her to sing Falling in Love With Love. She was thrilled and somewhat flabbergasted that anyone had even heard of the album. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and sang the song and everyone in the club was finally quiet and attentive and appreciative. By the end she got a standing ovation and was grinning ear to ear. It was a nice moment.