Comments on: Guest Column: Collecting Jazz 45s

By: David (Akron, Ohio)

David (Akron, Ohio) — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 20:02:40 +0000

As Erich pointed out, 45s are a nice way to work on your collection without spending yourself poor. At least in my area (Midwest), 45s have been ignored and mistreated. Not many things are sadder than seeing a crate of 45s – or any records for that matter – treated like garbage. Those who respect and preserve the medium will be rewarded.

If you aspire to be a completist with a particular artist, you must have everything, even the CDs, 8-tracks, cassettes, and reels – however that is another topic for another article. Thank you for publishing the article.

By: Phil J

Phil J — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 16:47:24 +0000

I have about two dozen rare jazz 45’s, from the 50’s and early 60’s, that I’m willing to sell so I can add to a college fund for my granddaughter. Adderly, Baker, Blakey, Jamal, Rogers, Holiday, Mulligan, Parlan, Silver, Tjader etc .. incl I believe an extremely rare Clef EP from Lester Young (Clef EP-174).
Complete list available:
pjacobs10@stny.rr.com
Phil (Endwell, NY)

By: Billy Vera

Billy Vera — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 02:00:59 +0000

There are two kinds of jazz 45s, the EP (extended play) with covers and longer playing time, and the regular singles, with one tune on each side. These latter were generally made for juke boxes and were edited versions of LP cuts.

The first 45s were made by RCA Victor in 1949 and were simply more compact versions of 78s. There’s tons of interesting stuff starting then and up to the LP era in the late 50s.

Often, they would take an LP track and make it into Parts 1 & 2. I have Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” on a blue & silver Atlantic 45 that way. Other times, it would simply be edited from the LP, as with “Cristo Redentor” on Blue Note or Eddie Harris’s less-than-two-minute “Exodus” on Vee-Jay, which became a hit single on top 40 radio.

By: Ben Korzelius

Ben Korzelius — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:30:34 +0000

Hello Erich,

Better late than never…but I’d like to respond on your Charlie Parker EP. I got a European pressing of this EP by GEP 12574, same cover with also Clef EP 209 on it.
Do you know the value?

Like to hear from you!
jazzy greetz,
Ben Korzelius, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:22:19 +0000

Well, Rudolf, that information puts the 45 that I have in a whole new perspective for me.

Now I’m curious about that full LP which obviously does not contain the tracks on the 45 as featured in my photo album in my earlier response.

But since I recently started “diggin’ in the crates” as one of the regulars here mentioned, I have been quite lucky. Maybe I’ll find that Dutch Fontana LP after all. If that’s the case I will of course share the photos with you all here!

Mattyman, The Netherlands.

By: Rudolf

Rudolf — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:13:42 +0000

I have the French Fontana LP (green labels/red cover) version of the Olympia concert. The corresponding Dutch Fontana LP was issued in small quantities only. After the memorable 29/11/1958 concert in Scheveningen by the Jazz Messengers, the Blue Note album # 4003 became a top seller in Holland, like the 3 live recordings by the Messengers on French RCA 430.043 thru .045 at Club St Germain (21/12/1958). It is strange that the native Dutch Fontana pressing, with the grey photo cover of Art and black/grey labels, was never a big seller in Holland.

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:39:25 +0000

Hello Erich, I’m glad you like the photos that I shared with you all here, especially since you’re the 45 expert! 😉

And Rudolf, I did not know that the Art Blakey contains music that is not issued anywhere else, but you are right: there are CD releases available of Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded live at Olympia Music Hall, Paris (November 22 and December 17, 1958) and indeed: “Blues March” and “Whisper Not” are not on those CDs!

That means that from now on I will treat these 45s with the utmost care. If anyone is interested in the music on my 45s, then I don’t mind emailing an MP3 your way, but I’m not sure if Al is OK with that.

Please let me know and if it is OK, then I will leave my email address here so that those who are interested can contact me.

Mattyman, The Netherlands.

By: Rudolf

Rudolf — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:40:59 +0000

mattyman: you know perhaps that the Art Blakey on Fontana is made up of music not issued anywhere else.

By: Erich Schultz

Erich Schultz — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:07:46 +0000

Mattyman, unfortunately I don’t know anything about the jazz 45’s you posted. They look terrific but I have never seen them for sale. I am very pleased with all of the posts on this article, and I thank everybody for their feedback. Right now I am listening to a Clef 45 from the Teddy Wilson trio, titled Darn That Dream. I also just listened to the World Pacific Records 45 of Gerry Mulligan titled Crazy Day. Both seem timeless to me.

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:53:57 +0000

And, as promised in my earlier reply, are the PHOTOS that I took of the Jazz 45s that I have in my record cabinet. Please click HERE, folks! I especially like the first one, since it contains 4 great Jazz tracks. Maybe Erich knows a thing or two about these three singles. I don't know anything about the first one, since it has no artist or musician information. The Art Blakey indeed is live as the back cover suggests and the Jimmy McGriff might as well have been an up-tempo Jimmy Smith recording. I'm curious and it was great to unearth these old gems from my collection! ;-) Mattyman, The Netherlands