Another Batch of Blue Notes For Your Perusal

We’ve got a bunch of Blue Notes on our watch list. Here are a few:

These closed yesterday: Sabu, Palo Congo, Blue Note 1561. I must admit, this is one I’ve never owned in any form, so 1561 has always been a blank in my Blue Note Collection. How is this record? Is it worth a listen? This one was in VG++ condition for the record and VG for the cover. It sold for $811. This one didn’t look quite right to me: Sonny Rollins, Volume 1, Blue Note 1542. It was listed as an original pressing, although it was a West 63rd Street pressing, so it wasn’t quite an original as we define it here. And it looked like the wrong cover for an original. The start price was about $300 and there were no bidders, which seems appropriate.

This one also has no bids and is closing in just a few hours: Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume 2, Blue Note 1597. This is an original pressing with the Andy Warhol cover. The record is listed in VG condition with “quite a few surface scratches.” The cover is listed as VG++. The start price is around $200, which is pretty tempting if the cover is, indeed, really VG++.

Here’s another temptation:

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A Few For the $1,000 (And More) Bin

Here are the results of some of this week’s jazz vinyl auctions from the Jazz Record Center:

Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was a New York pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $2,483. I have to admit, I just got a copy in similar condition from the Irving Kalus collection, which I am happy to be keeping. Also from Sonny: Sonny Rollins Volume 2, Blue Note 1558. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing that also looks to be in M- condition. The price was $780.

Wow, did you see what the Mobley sold for? You will now: Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing also in M- condition for the record and cover. It sold for $3,728.90.

Another Wow: Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume 2, Blue Note 1597. This was an original pressing and it has the Andy Warhol cover. It was a review copy in M- condition. It sold for $2,728.90. Volume 1 sold for $1,350.

I’ll be reviewing some more of the results from this auction in another post. There was a lot to take in.

 

 

Watching Rare Jazz Vinyl In Tip-Top Condition

We’re watching the latest auction of jazz vinyl from the Jazz Record Center, which closes in a few days. Here are some of the highlights:

Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This is an original New York pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. This one is in the $900 range. I am happy to say, I recently purchased a near mint New York copy of Colossus in the Irving Kalus collection, which I will be writing about as soon as I get a chance.

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This is an original pressing in beautiful M- condition for both the record and the cover. This price is already more than $1,800 and at the rate it is going you would expect that it may even top $3,000.

Kenny Burrell, Blue Notes Volume 1, Blue Note 1596. This is an original pressing and of course it has the Andy Warhol cover. This one is also in beautiful condition and is currently at $500. I’d expect this do break into the $1,000 bin, wouldn’t you?

A couple more:

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Jazz Vinyl: Zoot, Newks and More

Let’s catch up on the results of the latest jazz vinyl auction from the Jazz Record Center. I follow their auctions closely because, to me, they are the most reputable of all dealers and, therefore, I see their auctions as fully reflective of market realities, no hype.

Zoot Sims, Down Home, Bethlehem 6051. This was an original red-label pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $510. I recently picked up my first copy of this record and listened to it the other day. Quite nice: Great Zoot and nice to hear early Dave McKenna. The copy  I purchased is in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. Very pleased.

Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny, Riverside 241. This was an original white label pressing in what looked to be M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $426. This one went for a little more than usual: Sonny Rollins, Sonny Boy, Prestige 7207. The record looked to be M- and the cover was probably VG++, with a couple of minor blemishes. It sold for $170.39.

Grachan Moncur III, Evolution, Blue Note 4153. This was an original New York USA pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $688.90. Wow.

Lee Konitz, Tranquility, Verve 8281. This was an original pressing with the trumpeter logo. It was in M- condition for the vinyl and probably VG++ for the cover. It sold for $111.87.

 

Catching Up On Some Rare Jazz Vinyl

Here’s an update on some jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Interesting, isn’t it, that we’re no longer surprised when VG+ records sell for more than $1,000. This one fetched a price of $1,009. Interesting to look at the cover of this record, given most of the covers that Blue Note was producing at the time, usually featuring some kind of picture of the artist. Simple graphic of a red suitcase and not sure what that has to do with Peckin’ Time or Mobley. There are also no pictures on the back cover. A little bit strange, no? I wonder if there is a story behind the cover?

Here’s another one that broke into the $1,000 bin: Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040. This looked to be an original pressing, although the seller put in the wrong catalog number. It was listed in VG++ condition for the vinyl and Ex for the cover, which I still take to mean around VG+, although it could be better. This one sold for the same price as the other, $1,009.

I seem to be a bit focused on $1,000 Blue Notes today. Here’s another:

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A Jazz Vinyl Potpourri From Jazz Record Center

We always like to watch the auctions from the Jazz Record Center because they are a nice gauge of the overall market. Here are a few items from their latest auction, starting with: Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny, Riverside 241. This is an original pressing with the white labels. It is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $200 and so far there are no bidders, but we’d expect that to change. We’ve seen copies of this record sell for more than $500 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Bud Powell’s Moods, Norgran 1064. This is an original yellow label pressing. The record and the cover both look to be in M- condition. It has a cover design by David Stone Martin and has a start price of $100. We’d also expect this one to sell, right?

The bidding has already started on this one: Dizzy Reece, Star Bright, Blue Note 4023. This is an original pressing that also looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The auction closes in about five days and the bidding is now in the $260 range.

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Doubles, Anyone?

I am somewhat buried in records these days, but not so buried that I can’t keep an eye on what else is out there. Here are some of the jazz vinyl auctions to watch on eBay:

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This is an original New York yellow label pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. As I think I’ve said, this is still my favorite Rollins record. Not just the presence of Coltrane, but the B side of this record is terrific, starting with Paul’s Pal. I find myself in a weird position with this record — I have an original New York pressing that can use a condition upgrade, but I also have two New Jersey pressings in M- condition. An embarrassment of riches, I agree, but I’d still love an M- New York  pressing. This one closes later today and is priced in the $225 range.

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The current price is less than $200, but we’d expect it to sell for quite a bit more. I would love an original pressing of this LP — perhaps I should be offering up some of my doubles for trade. At this point, I have some great doubles, lots of Blue Notes and Prestiges. Oooh, perhaps I could finally get an original copy of Shades of Redd.

Tracking Some Jazz Vinyl Favorites

Here’s some more jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Duke Jordan, Flight to Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition. It sold for $550. I recently purchased a copy of this record for $300 in condition that was perhaps a little bit less than VG++. It’s more than I have traditionally paid for records, but I’ve always liked this one. And $300 seemed like somewhere between a fair price and a bargain.

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This was sold by one of our regular readers. It was an original New York pressing.The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was M-. Frankly, I thought it would fetch a higher price. For some reason, I’ve been thinking about my Rollins records and I have come to the conclusion that, all things considered, this is my favorite. I love all the quartet tracks and then, of course, you have Sonny and Trane in their primes playing with great passion and respect for one another. And Paul’s Pal to open Side 2 — does it get any better than that? I don’t think so.

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A Trio of Blue Notes For Easter Sunday

Here are a few Blue Note jazz vinyl auctions we were watching recently.

Clifford Brown Memorial Album, Blue Note 1526. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that looked almost original all around. Both labels had Lexington Avenue addresses and there was a Lexington Avenue address on the cover. However, I also have a Lexington Avenue cover on this and the bottom of my cover is in blue, not white. I wonder what this means and does Fred Cohen cover this difference in his book. I have to get down there to replace my copy. This record was probably in VG++ condition, possibly VG+ for real sticklers, and the cover was VG+. The price was $570.

J. R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was described in VG condition, sounding as if it were VG++. How do you think of records like that? It’s not atypical of these early Blue Notes to sound great almost no matter what. I was listening to my copy of Introducing Johnny Griffin the other day and when I looked at it I groaned — VG looking for sure. When I played it, ahhh, clean as could be. Pretty amazing. This J.R. record also has a VG cover. It sold for $555.

Sonny Rollins Volume 2, Blue Note 1558. This one looked to be in M- condition and was described as M- condition by the seller. It was an original pressing as well. You’d think it would perhaps have entered the $1,000 bin, but it did not: The winning bid was $566.

 

Jazz Vinyl, Insanely Rare Or Rarely Insane?

Here are the results of a few more jazz vinyl auctions we were watching:

Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This looked to be an original pressing with the deep grooves and New York address on the label. It’s always nice to see more pictures, but this one looked legitimate. The record and cover were both listed in M- condition and the bidding ended at $1,027.99.

Here’s a random rare remnant from the insanely rare offerings of bobdjukic: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period  1204. This looked to be an original pressing. The condition was probably in the range of VG++ for the record and the cover. The price was $798.77.

Tommy Flanagan, The Cats, New Jazz 8217. This looks like an original pressing with the purple labels and the deep grooves. The record, of course, features John Coltrane as a sideman. The record and cover were both listed in VG+ condition and the price was $381.20.

 

 

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