This week’s theme: Tina Brooks as sideman and leader n Blue Note. Featured artists include Tina Brooks, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Sam Jones, Clifford Jarvis, Freddie Redd, Jackie McLean, Paul Chambers, Louis Hayes, Blue Mitchell, Kenny Drew, Arthur Taylor, Johnny Coles, Wilbur Ware, Philly Joe Jones, Lee Morgan, Sonny Clark, Doug Watkins, Art Blakey.
I figure if I keep writing about Blue Notes and putting Blue Notes in the headline, I’ll start scoring well on Google and all of a sudden the many people who have abandoned Jazz Collector in the past year or so will come charging back. Or not. In any case, to follow up on yesterday’s post and some of the comments, I’ve narrowed down my list of Top Ten Blue Notes and I believe I can settle soon on a Top Ten. Seven of them are known because they were on the list I began compiling in February 2010 (More Blue Note Favorites, Courtesy of Downbeat). Hard to believe that was nearly 16 years ago. My tastes haven’t changed in all those years. Read more
This week’s theme: Another show wherein I play a jazz vocal from the Great American Songbook, followed by a jazz instrumental of the same song. Featured artists include Rosemary Clooney, Stan Getz, Eddie Jefferson, Nat King Cole, Harry Sweets Edison, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Clarke, Anita O’Day, Hank Mobley, Sonny Clark, Marshall Royal, Chet Baker, Sonny Rollins, LaVern Baker, Sonny Stitt, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Paul Chambers, Arthur Taylor, Bill Hartman, Curtis Porter,and many more.
I mentioned that my watch list runneth over and, as it happens, some of the auctions I was watching have runneth over as well. Let’s see what happened, starting with John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This was an original deep groove pressing, with side one bearing the New York 23 logo. The seller was Funkyousounds and the neglected to mention the labels. But they were clear to see for anyone looking at the pictures. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $5,100. I’ve never thought to ask this before, but have you ever wondered why they called the record Blue Train as opposed to Blue Trane? Read more
My watch list runneth over. Let’s look at some new items and then catch up on some of the gems I had been watching. Let’s start with Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 5022. This is an original 10-inch Lexington Avenue pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Bidding starts at about $320 and so far there are no bidders with the auction closing in about four days. One of the things that caught my eye about this listing is the presence of an inserted booklet called “the blue note story.” Of all the Blue Notes I’ve purchased over the years, and there have been many, I have only seen this insert in one other record, a Sidney Bechet 12-inch LP. the blue note story was written by Leonard Feather and dates back to 1955, as Blue Note was transitioning from the 10-inch vinyl format to the 12-inch vinyl format. Fortunately, I have not only written about it before, I recorded the entire text, all in this post from January 27, 2009 titled, of course, The Blue Note Story. You’re welcome. Read more
I just logged in to eBay and, lo and behold, what do I see: Another primo auction from The Jazz Record Center, including a Sonny Clark cornucopia. Perhaps we will see some new price records set in the next week. Here are a few to watch: Sonny Clark, Dial S for Sonny, Blue Note 1570. This is an original deep-groove, West 63rd Street pressing. The record and cover both look to be in M- condition. As you’ve probably noticed with The Jazz Record Center, they seem to eschew putting condition labels on their listings and instead rely on fairly detailed descriptions, such as the one for this record: “The playing surface is in near-new condition with a beautiful luster and just a single inaudible ¼” scuff; one tic on the second track of Side 2.” To me, that describes a record I would label as M-. The start price is $2,000 and the auction closes in about four days. So far, there are 86 watchers but no bidders. The previous high for this record is about $3,500. Let the bidding begin. Read more
This week’s theme: Lou Donaldson Memorial on Blue Note: Featured artists include Lou Donaldson, Clifford Brown, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Percy Heath, Blue Mitchell, Herman Foster, Donald Byrd, Peck Morrison, Arthur Taylor, Dave Bailey, Ray Barrett,Sonny Clark, Curtis Fuller, George Joyner, Gene Harris, Andrew Simkins, Bill Dowdy, Horace Parlan, and more
This week’s theme: Dexter Gordon on Blue Note.
This week’s theme is a simple one: John Coltrane on Blue Note. Enjoy.
Time to follow up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing offered by the Jazz Record Center. It looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. When we spotted this there were four days left in the auction and the bidding was at $1,600. The final price was $2,753. Still a market for the high-end stuff from reputable sellers, right? From the same auction there was Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note 9002. This was an original New York USA pressing that looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $306. Keeping up with the Jordans, I guess. Read more
