This week’s theme: A collection of jazz waltzes. Featured artists include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Paul Desmond, Hank Mobley, Jim Hall, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Gary Peacock, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham, George Morrow, Harold Land, Wes Montgomery, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, Joe Morello, and more.
This week we do the first in a new Unsung Artists Series, focusing on the Vice President, tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Charles Rouse, Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown, Herbie Mann, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Brooks Kerr, Gene Ramey, Sam Woodyard,Jimmy Jones, Joe Benjamin, Roy Haynes, Webster Young, Mal Waldron, Joe Puma, Earl May, Ed Thigpen, Count Basie, Buck Clayton, Dickie Wells, Gus Johnson, Al McKibbon, Walter Page, Freddie Green, Sonny Payne, Thad Jones, Nat Pierce, Joe Newman, Paul Chambers, Wynton Kelly, Charlie Shavers, Clark Terry, Jimmy Cleveland, Jimmy Cobb, Barry Galbraith, Cecil Payne, Hank Jones, Jo Jones, Sweets Edison, Snooky Young, and more.
Speaking of playing favorites, the other night I had a little time to do some mindful listening, so I put on one of my all-timers, Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038, original pressing, original cover, as seen in the accompanying photo. As I’m listening, I’m picturing the musicians in Van Gelder’s studio playing live, looking at one another and giving signals and approvals, all young men in their primes discovering what they were capable of doing and, on this album, doing it as well as anyone ever did it. Then I put on a record I haven’t listened to nearly as often as Sonny Rollins Plus Four, which was Newk’s Time, Blue Note 4001, and I had the same picture in my head with the four musicians on that album, Sonny, Wynton Kelly, Doug Watkins and Philly Joe Jones. And then my mind started wandering and this is what I thought. Read more
Here’s some more jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Booker Ervin, The Book Cooks, Bethlehem 6048. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $616, proving, again, that it is not only the Blue Notes that are fetching collectible prices. This one was listed by my friend Steve at Round Again Records in Providence, RI, who has some nice records for auction last week. With all of the “books” that Booker recorded — Freedom, Song, Space and Blues — a Cook Book record would have been nice. Not sure what would have worked for a Cook Book, but I’m sure we can come up with some songs with a food theme here. I’ll start with Fats Waller’s “All That Meat and No Potatoes.” and, of course there’s Mingus’ “Eat That Chicken.” Any others?
This one seemed to be on eBay forever and it finally sold last week:
I’ve been spending the past few days listening to some of the 10-inch Blue Notes from the recently acquired Baltimore collection. Man, are these great, especially because they are in such nice condition, pretty much M- for all of them. It’s not just the sound that I am appreciating, but the fact that they are right “of the era.” Pure bebop and early hard bop, rhythm sections right in the groove not trying to do too much, young and brilliant musicians finding their voices. It’s a real treat and doing it all at once is a lot of fun. So, when I was searching eBay this morning, this is one of the first records that came to my attention: Wynton Kelly, New Faces – New Sounds, Blue Note 5025. This is an original 10-inch Lexington Avenue pressing that looks to be in what I would probably consider VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover, although the seller seems to use more plus signs than a CPA during tax season. This one was not in the Baltimore collection, so it represents a hole in my collection. The price is now about $160 with about 12 hours left in the auction. I’d perhaps be interested, but the wacky grading scares me off a little, even though the seller has lots of feedback and a 100% rating.
Let’s catch up on some of the items we were watching and which generated some interest among the Jazz Collector community.
Wynton Kelly, Kelly at Midnight, VeeJay 3001. This was the stereo pressing in M- condition. Most of us, it seems, were quite surprised when the bidding on this approached the $400 range. It ended up selling for $565, with 24 bids and what seemed to be three serious bidders.
A Swinging Introduction to Jimmy Knepper, Bethlehem 77. This was an original pressing in M- condition. This is the one that has Bill Evans as a sideman. When I wrote about this record, there were no bids at a start price of $135. By the time the auction closed the bidding had reached $338. Coincidence? I don’t think so. I would think the post had something to do with generating interest, particularly spotlighting Evans as a sideman, which the listing failed to do.
I had a feeling this one would break into the $2,000 bin, and it did: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original deep groove West 63rd Street pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $2,225.
I imagine this is a great record, but someone needs to refresh my memory as to why it is so highly coveted by collectors that the price for this is now nearly $400 and will likely exceed $500 or much more when all is said and done: Wynton Kelly, Kelly at Midnight, Vee Jay 3001. This is a stereo pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Is it the stereo pressing and the “stereophonic” lettering on the cover? Vee Jays usually don’t have this type of cachet, nor do Wynton Kelly trio records.
Think this one will sell? Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This is a blue label pressing so it is not an original, which would have the white label. The record and cover are in VG+ condition. The seller has set an opening bid of about $200 and so far there are no bids at all, with the auction closing later today. My take: If it was in M- condition as a blue-label second press it might sell for $200, but in VG+ condition, I have my doubts.
While we’re not on Blue notes, here’s another:
Here are some of the items I was watching from the recent auction by the Jazz Record Center, starting with: Wynton Kelly, New Faces – NewSounds, Blue Note 5025. This was an original 10-inch pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $191.38. I should have bid on it. Great music, great cover. How can these 10 inch Blue Notes not be worth more money, given what’s going on with 12-inch Blue Notes?
Miles Davis, Steamin’, Prestige 7200. This was an original New Jersey yellow label pressing that was in probably M- condition for the record and at least VG++ for the cover. It sold for only $75. Weird. Why wouldn’t this get more. It’s actually my favorite among the Miles Prestiges that were all recorded in that one session — Steamin’, Cookin’, Workin’, Relaxin’. By contrast, look at this one from the same auction: Miles Davis, Relaxin’, Prestige 7129. This was an original New York pressing in virtually identical condition to Steamin’. It sold for $393.
I thought this one might fetch a higher price as well:
This one looks like it’s been through the ringer: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. We know this is one of the rarest of the rare and has sold for as much as $5,600 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. This one will not approach that price. The cover looks like it’s been stored in a sewer — and the cover is listed in better condition than the record. The cover is listed as VG and the record is listed as G+. Still, it will fill a gap in someone’s collection, and for a fairly hefty price. This one is already close to $250 and there are still three days left on the bidding. If you want to see a copy of the cover, you’ll have to click the link. We don’t want to tarnish the site in any way.
This is a cover we’re happy to show: Miles Davis Volume 1, Blue Note 1501. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the Lexington Avenue address on the cover. It is listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The start price is $249 and so far there are no bidders with more than three days to go. The same seller is also offering this:
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:
