We have Wherehouse Music here in Houston, also. They have a fair selection of used Jazz CDs. We also have CD Warehouses (which have been around for over a year) and they have a pretty good used Jazz section. My favorite store is Sound Waves. I think they have the best used Jazz collection. But, I think $5.99 - $7.99 is pretty high for used CDs. I have never traded any of my CDs. I don't like to consider that I made a bad purchase. I sample most of them before I buy.

I forgot to mention that around here none of the places allow pre-listening anymore so you can get burned. I don't have many friends into jazz so you're on your own except for websites like this. Like Shannon said, in the last few years it has become more of a gamble.

Someone mentioned pianist Kim Pensyl earlier in this thread.
I feel lucky to have recently picked up two of his cd's, one from 1992, another from 1993...at the low low price of $3.99 a piece.
I've only heard five or six tracks off of one, but it is very good so far. A cut or two remind me of a cut off of Tom Schuman's solo release, "Extremities", and you can't have a better influence than that!

I also feel lucky, in that at Tower Records in Anaheim, on Beach Blvd, they have about 8 to 10 listening stations set up...it's only used for releases that are 2 or 3 months old or newer, though.

Peace!
Paul