I don’t get out to see live jazz nearly as much as I would like. It’s tough when most of your favorite musicians are dead. Someone did send me a link, however, to let me know that Sonny Rollins is giving a concert in Tarrytown, NY, on Dec. 6. This is one I will make every effort to attend: Don’t know how many more chances there will be to see Sonny and, the truth is, his playing is still amazing. I saw him at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival a couple of years ago and he was creative, inventive and full of energy and musicianship. This is a benefit concert for an environmental group and for a premium ticket of $500 you get to meet Sonny. There was a time when you could see Sonny in a club and just chat
Tag: Sonny Rollins
For the $1,000 Bin: Newk and Hank
Whilst we were at the theater this weekend, or watching football, a few more records on eBay sauntered into the $1,000 bin, neither for the first time. They were: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This was an original pressing and it was listed in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The price was $1,285. We’ve seen this previously sell for $2,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Also re-entering the $1,000 win was this: Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1568. This is the one we were watching that had a starting price of just about $2,000. It was an original pressing. The vinyl was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was listed as VG+. The starting price was $1,999.99 and that was the sale price as well. Sometimes I’m skeptical if a record gets only one bid, but this
Some Odds & Ends: Konitz, Brubeck, Newk
While we’re catching up on adding items to the Jazz Collector Price Guide, we figured we’d share a few more odds and ends with you. This is one you don’t normally expect to sell for more than $300: Lee Konitz with Warne Marsh, Atlantic 1217. This was an original black label pressing in M- condition and sold for $311. I have to give the seller a lot of credit for this one. He took an absolutely crystal-clear picture and he did a very nice job of describing the condition of the LP. It really catches your eye and makes you want the LP. Sometimes, presentation is everything.
Here’s one you almost never see going for a big price: Dave Brubeck Time Out, Columbia 8192. This was one of the most popular jazz LPs ever and
Prestige Day: Monk, Webster Young, Dolphy, Jug
Let’s catch up this morning on some Prestige LPs we’ve been watching. There was a time when we pondered the idea of owning the entire Prestige Yellow label catalogue but, thankfully, we’ve give up that particular obsession.
Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins, Prestige 7075. This was an original New York pressing with the promo stamp on the label. It was in M- condition and it was sold by the seller hershel78, who’s been selling some beautiful records lately on eBay. This one sold for $500.
From the same seller was this beauty: Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This was an original New York pressing and it too was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $482.77.
Here’s one that definitely set a new high price:
The Sound of Sonny Rollins: The Winner Is . . .
Okay, it’s time to announce the winner of Jazz Collector’s latest giveaway. This time, you may recall, we are giving away a copy of Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny, Riverside 241. This is not an original pressing and is an OJC pressing. Yet it is in near mint condition and it is great jazz vinyl featuring some fantastic Rollins from the mid-1950s. We had put this up as a way of honoring Rollins in the wake of yet another snub by the Kennedy Center Honors. Anyway, as with all of our giveaways, all you have to do to be eligible to win is to comment on the Jazz Collector site, anywhere, in response to anything, as long as the comment is made during the duration of the contest. The eligible contestants this time are:
A Bargain At Under $1,000?
If a record should sell for more than $1,000, perhaps this would fit the bill: Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This was a beautiful, New York pressing in mint minus condition, for both the record and the cover. Sonny and Trane together, an early Prestige, great cover. It’s got it all. This one sold for $832. As great a record as this is, this is the highest price we’ve ever recorded for it. The previous high in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was $543. I actually think this one would have sold for a higher price with a better picture. Someday soon we will be adding a copy of this to the $1,000 been, we are quite sure.
The Incredible Rise of the $1,000 Jazz Record
The $1,000 bin truly doth runneth over days. It’s quite an interesting phenomenon.
Paul Chambers, Whims of Chambers, Blue Note 1534. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. A few years ago, I bought a copy of this on eBay in similar condition for about $300. At the time, I thought I was overpaying. A few weeks ago I sold a separate copy on eBay for about $325. It was in nice condition, with a VG+ cover. This was not a record I ever expected to see in the $1,000 bin. This copy sold for $1,313.
Here’s another one I never expected to see sell for more than $1,000: Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’s Else, Blue Note 1595. This is a nice record, but has never been among the higher-priced Blue Notes. The highest price we had previously recorded for this in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was around $400. This copy was in mice M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,475.
This one almost entered the $2,000 bin:
Jazz Collector Honors Sonny With FREE Record
Okay, if the Kennedy Center won’t honor Sonny Rollins, we will. In honor of Sonny’s recent 79th birthday on Monday, we will be giving away a free copy of one of Sonny’s classic LPs from the 1950s: Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny, Riverside 241. Of course, this is not quite an original pressing: It is an OJC reissue. Still it is a great record, it’s in near mint condition, and it’s available free. As with all of our contests, we have one copy of the record and we will hold a drawing to determine the winner. In order to be eligible all you have to do is comment somewhere on the Jazz Collector site between now and when the contest closes, on September 21. You can comment anywhere — perhaps you want to weigh in on whether you agree with me that Sonny is being short-changed by not receiving a Kennedy Center honor. If you comment on the site between now and September 21 we’ll put you in the running for the contest. It’s as simple as that. By the way, if you want to see a funny out-take from my attempt to photograph the record, read the rest of this article.
Kennedy Center Honors: Where’s Sonny?
If you were to honor one living jazz musician for his lifetime contributions to the music who would it be? To me, the answer is simple: Sonny Rollins. He is one of the all-time greats, a constant innovator, a true master. So I was a bit disappointed again this morning to see that the Kennedy Center, which honors individuals for their contributions to the American performing arts, had once again chosen not to recognize Sonny. They did choose a jazz musician this year, and a deserving one, in Dave Brubeck. But to choose Brubeck over Rollins is, to me, a real stretch. I looked up the list of prior winners and out of 168 previous honorees there were eight who could be considered jazz musicians, or at least jazz-affiliated musicians. The awards were first issued in 1978 and the honoree must be living, so that precluded such likely honorees
For the $1,000 Bin: Jordan/Gilmore On Blue Note, Saxophone Colossus
It’s time to throw a few more items into the $1,000 bin. These are some of the rare jazz records that have recently crossed the $1,000 price threshold.
Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowin’ in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This was an an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and deep groove. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover appeared to be at least VG+, perhaps better. The price was $1,199.99.
Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original pressing. The record was in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $1,266.66. The item had more than 500 page views, compared to less than 200 for the Cliff Jordan/,John Gilmore LP. The seller, bobdjukik, seems to have a knack for getting people to view his records.
April is Jazz Month
