Tag: Sonny Rollins

Jazz Vinyl: Two for the $1,000 Bin, Plus A Couple More

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Been away from my posting for a few days. Trying to get back into the swing of things, but there were a couple of days of hurricane delays, plus the lovely Mrs. JC is on vacation. Anyway, I vow once again to be posting more regularly, starting today with some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay.

Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original New York pressing. The record was described as M- condition and the cover looked to be at least VG++, perhaps M- depending upon your grading system. This one sold for $1,536. We’ve seen this one sell for more than $2,000 several times in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, and once approach $3,000. So perhaps this is a bargain, or perhaps it’s just where the market was on this particular day. The item did have more than 400 page views, which is a significant amount.

Here’s a Riverside that did quite well for the seller, which was Euclid Records: Wynton Kelly Piano. Riverside 254. This was an original Blue label pressing with the deep grooves. It was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $710. Nice cover on this record, right? Straight from the ’50s.

So this next one made the $1,000 bin after all:

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Updates From The Jazz Record Center Auction, Part 2

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We did promise a Part 2 of our post on the recent auction from The Jazz Record Center, so here goes (apologize for the delay):

Why isn’t this record worth more: Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins, Prestige 7075? This was an original New York pressing. The record was in M- condition — nearly new — and the cover looked like it was at least VG++, maybe better. It sold for $192.50. I happen to think this is a terrific album. I love Sonny’s interpretation of The Way You Look Tonight. When I was first getting into jazz I used to compare this version to the Stan Getz version on Stan Getz Plays and it took me a while to reconcile not only that it was the same song, but that it was even the same instrument. My ears are obviously much more sophisticated now, but at the time the difference in approach seemed so stark. And I liked both versions. Anyway, I repeat my query: Why is this great original Prestige, featuring two of the geniuses of modern jazz, not even a $200 record?

This has always been one of the rarest and more expensive of the Riversides, for good reason: Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny, Riverside 241. This was an original white label pressing and it was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $765. It’s the presence of Sonny Clark with Rollins that makes this one so sought-after, no?

Now for a few Blue Notes:

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Updates From The Jazz Record Center Auction, Part 1

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So the auction from the Jazz Record Center ended the other day and here are some of the results of items we were watching:

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This was an original pressing with the yellow label and New York address. It was listed in mint condition, not mint minus but mint, and the cover was probably M-. This one sold for $1,080. As loyal readers will know, this is one of my favorite records — really, with Coltrane and Rollins together for the only time, how could it not be a favorite — and it is a record of which I own two copies, a New York pressing in VG+ condition and a pristine New Jersey pressing. When I listen I always put on the New York pressing in VG+ condition. Why? Because it’s the original and the occasional pops and clicks are part of the charm and the passion, of course.

I always keep an eye out for this because it’s one of my favorite jazz collectibles, non-vinyl category: To Bird With Love. This is a book published in France by Chan Parker and Francis Paudras. It is a gorgeous book and it so obviously lives up to it’s title, as it is a loving tribute to Bird, with photos, letters, contracts and just about everything you could ever imagine. I bought a copy when it first came out and it’s something I’ve always treasured and often go back to, just to look through it and re-capture the magic of Bird: Especially with one of the Dials or Savoys on the turntable. This copy of the book was in mint condition and sold for $266.66. Someone will be quite thrilled, I’m sure.

 

 

eBaying: Burrell, Warhol, Newk and More

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Watching some nice records on eBay and, for now, the prices are not so astonomical. Of course, as they say, astronomical is in the eye of the beholder. Here are a few:

Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume 1, Blue Note 1596. This looks to be an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and deep grooves. It has, of course, the Andy Warhol cover, which makes it quite collectible and often quite expensive. This one looks to be in M- condition for the vinyl and probably VG++ or M- for the cover. There’s one day left to bid and the price is about $535.

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This looks to be an original deep groove pressing.  The seller lists it as M-, but he does mention some marks on the vinyl. The cover is listed as VG+. There are four days to go and the price is still less than $150. We’ve seen this record sell for more than $3,000 in the past, so we would expect it to go quite a bit higher, likely into the $1,000 bin.

Sonny Rollins, Moving Out, Prestige 7058. Not my favorite Rollins LP, but an original Prestige right in the sweet spot of the label. This one has been posted by Euclid Records and is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover, with the adjective “gorgeous” bandied about in the description. This is already close to $500 and there are still five days to go, so perhaps this one will reach the astronomical stage.

Another Blue Note:

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Catching Up on Rare and “Megarare” Jazz Vinyl

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Here are some other items we were watching before we got distracted.

Remember that nice batch of 10-inch LPs? They did quite well. Kenny Dorham Quintet, Debut 9. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was near mint. The price was $430.55. Sonny Rollins Quintet, Prestige 186. This one was also VG++ for the record and near mint for the cover. It sold for $510. Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins, Prestige 187. This was in near mint condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $305. I’d take it at that price if, indeed, I was buying records these days.

Even though this was was described as “megarare” — shades of BobD — it didn’t sell at a start price of about $300: John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was a stereo pressing with the bullseye label. The record was VG++ and the cover was VG+.

Tracking Another Batch of 10-Inch Jazz Vinyl

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There’s another really nice set of 10-inch LPs on eBay now, including: Sonny Rollins Quintet, Prestige 186. This is an original pressing with a great cover. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is M-. The start price is about $500 and there are no bidders yet. If I was in a buying mood, which I’m not, I’d consider this for $500. When will you ever see a clean copy of this record again? The same seller has several more beauties. How about this: Miles Davis With Sonny Rollins, Prestige 187. This is in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is about $300 and, again, there are no bidders yet. One more: Kenny Dorham Quintet, Debut 9. This one is VG++ for the record and M- for the cover. The start price is around $350 with no bidders as of this post. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with these records. How often do you find such nice collectibles in such nice condition? Start prices are high, but . . . .

A Few For the $1,000 Bin

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So what’s been going on at eBay? Here are some recent interesting sales of jazz vinyl:

Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that was listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It was among that batch of records that were originally listed with a very high start price and then re-listed with lower start prices but undisclosed reserve prices. This one was originally listed at $2,500 and eventually sold for $2,450.

This one got a nice price, right: Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,352. That’s the highest price we’ve ever recorded for this item in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Not bad for what seems to be a down market.

Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079.This was an original New York pressing, another one with the “EX” grading system, which I’m still not sure how to interpret into the one I use. VG++, perhaps. The cover was VG+. The price was $1,324.

 

High Prices Yes, But Not as High As Before?

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It’s been a few days since I’ve been on eBay or posted on Jazz Collector. So many records, so little time. Here’s an update on some of the ones we were watching last week:

The Jazz Record Center seemed to do well with it’s most recent auction, although careful scrutiny would suggest that prices are down from previous expectations. That copy of Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134, sold for $1,891.88. Last year at this time we logged two copies of this in the Jazz Collector Price Guide at more than $2,000. Miles Davis Volume 3, Blue Note 5040. This original 10-inch LP was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $565. Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2, Blue Note 5038. This also looked to be in M- condition. It sold for $359. One more: Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038. This was an original New York pressing with the frame cover. The record looked to be in M- condition and the cover was probably around VG++. The price was $345. In my view, somebody got a bargain on this one.

There was also that other copy of Conte Candoli, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003 in VG++ to M- condition. It looked for a while that this one might go cheap, but it sold for $1,705, which, given this one’s condition and recent prices of other copies, was cheap, relatively. This one, of course, has the Andy Warhol cover.

Andy Warhol Jazz Covers Keep Rising, But . . .

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Other than the Andy Warhol covers, which seem to be going out of sight, I’m sensing some softness in the market these days. Not sure if it’s because of what’s going on in Japan or just the usual ebbs and flows of prices, often dependent upon who is on eBay and who is not on eBay. In any case, let’s start with the Warhols. I’ve never seen this one at this price: Count Basie, RCA 1112. This is in VG++ to M- condition for the record, but only VG for the cover. Still, it is already close to $350 with several hours to go. This one looks quite familiar: Conte Candoli, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003. Methinks this belongs, for now, to Rudolf, correct? If so, I think it will finally sell. There are five days left on the auction and it is already more than $1,000.

So why am I mentioning potential softness in the market? Here are a few examples, perhaps not a trend, but examples nonetheless. Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This is an original West 63rd deep groove pressing in M-/VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. Hard to find this record is such nice shape and it has sold for more than $1,000 previously in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. This one has a start bid of $300, it closes tomorrow, and there are no bidders. Hmmm. I can use an upgraded copy for my collection.  Or perhaps there are many snipers lurking in the weeds for this.

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