Odds and Ends and eBay
When I was buying and selling regularly on eBay a few years ago I would monitor the listings religiously. Every day I would go through all of the listings, one by one, page by page, and I pretty much never missed a thing. These days, I’m more likely to do occasional searches and focus on items I’m most interested in. Last night I had some time, so I went through my old routine of listing by listing, page by page. Here’s some of the jazz vinyl I watched.
Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz, Diz and Getz, Verve 8141. This was an original pressing with the trumpeter logo. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG+, although it seemed to have original shrink wrap. The start price was $29.95. There were no bidders. Really? When I started collecting this would have been a nice commodity, hard to find, great artists, great collectible label. And it’s got quite a nice cover to boot. Now it’s not worth thirty bucks? Wow. How about Stan Getz and Chet Baker, Stan Meets Chet, Verve 8263. This one says “trumpet logo” in the headline, but there’s no picture of the label so I actually have to wonder if it is original. The record was listed in VG++ condition, close to M-, and the cover was VG+. The price was $57.
Sal Salvador, Frivolous Sal, Bethlehem 59. This was an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $75 and, frankly, I didn’t think it would get that much. Is there really still interest in Sal Salvador? Probably not. But there is interest, deservedly so, for Eddie Costa, and he’s a sideman on this LP. I would think Costa’s presence is the bigger interest here.
Oliver Nelson, The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Impulse A-5. Interesting that the seller listed it as a Bill Evans album. I guess there’s some logic, if you don’t really know the album. Evans is listed first on the cover. It’s not alphabetical — it looks like a graphic decision: The names are listed in ascending order in size, smallest to largest, so they stack like a pyramid. Anyway, this was VG+ for the record and cover and it sold for $140.50.
I didn’t realize this was a $200 record: Dorothy Ashby, Afro-Harping, Cadet 809. This was still sealed, had 12 bids and sold for $200 on the nose. Can’t recall that I’ve ever seen a Cadet record get that kind of price. Do collectors really want/value this record so much more than Diz and Getz? Guess so. Never been that big a fan of the jazz harp myself.
Al: I am as surprised as you. A 1968 Cadet of a harpist sells at $ 200 and a top notch Dizzy and Stan Getz on Verve trumpet label even does not sell at $ 30.
There is something basically wrong or I am completely outmoded.
The Diz and Getz was not an original, but a second pressing. The original is Norgran MGN 1050. This might explain.
as a matter of fact, two 10″ Norgrans (MG-N 2 and 18) made up for one 12″ album, Norgran MG-N 1050, which was re-issued on Verve, initially on a trumpeter label, somewhere around 1957. This gem did not sell, but an obscure harpist on Cadet anno 1968 did sell for $ 200. There is an anomaly.
I have the original pressng Ashby albums on Prestige, New Jazz and Jazzland. Apparently they are heavyweights. Music-wise I prefer Diz and Getz!
The explanation could also be that the Ashby album is in /Funk/ Afro/ Spiritual – Jazz (please select the right term) vein. Many DJ/Hipsters are focused ont this music nowadays. THis tends to overshadow true modern jazz giants like Dizzy and Stan. But it is true also that the Verve was a later reissue. An original of “Stan Getz plays” on Norgran still fetch very hight prices. More than Dorothy Ashby fortunately
Right, Ashby is in the soul/funk collecting-DJ bag. I like her work well enough but high prices keep me away from the originals.
I think part of the cache’ with the Bethlehem LP may be the Goldblatt cover. The Ashby is an interesting listen, but not in the same realm as Diz and Getz. And I myself tend to find the Norgran pressings, although earlier and more collectable, a bit noisier (surface) than the later Verve pressings. I say gather them both, one for show (Norgran) and one for play (Verve)!
Iteresting music, by the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtUYuTiWuSs
I have both the Dizzy/Getz 10″ and the Verve on auction above. I don’t listen to the 10″, I listen to the Verve, mine sounds better. This session is a must have. I’ve tried to collect all of the Norgran 10″ series. I’m missing like 5. Some great stuff, and very diverse. I like the Chico records, the Anita O’Day, the Bud Powell, and of course the Diz/Getz stuff. Anyone have the “Ideation of Kenny Drew”? I’m sure I’ll grab it eventually, but I’m wondering if the music is good?
one they figure out Earl Mobley is really Hank Mobley on that one cut of that Diz/Getz lp that’ll drive the price up, lolz
Right Chewy ! I think it is the first Mobley appearance on record. Will someone confirm ?
the first Mobley appearance with Diz is on Norgran 1003, an Afro-Cuban album recorded in May 1954. Hank is not featured. In June 1954 Dizzy records in a sextet format with Hank Mobley the only saxophone (Norgran 1083). Mobley does not make a lasting impression on this listener. Mobley is back with Dizzy on Norgran 1023, but not featured. Mobley is not on Norgran 1050, the Dizzy/Getz album.
First Mobley appearance I have is Debut-2 Max Roach Quartet, but he recorded some 78s in 1950 with some New Jersey musicians. I’ve never seen them, or heard them. The first impression Mobley really made on me was Elmo Hope’s Informal Jazz, although I think Dorham’s Afro Cuban was well played by Mobley too, just lacking of the distinction that I came to expect from his late-50s stuff.
I’m curious if anyone else hear has grabbed the recently released(although available as a bootleg) Newark 1953. I actually was suprised to enjoy much more than expected. I still don’t dig it like I do his stuff from 56′ and on but I do, but I had pretty low expectations that were exceeded a bit after my first(and only so far) listen.
Thanks for the heads up on the Diz and Getz! I normally buy re-issues, but after seeing this post I kept an eye on it as it was re-listed and picked it up last night for 29.95. I can’t wait to listen to it.