Jazz / Big Band, Cool, Ballads, Swing, Mainstream Jazz, Standards
Recorded: 1936-1949
Lester Young (tenor saxophone)
Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing, Una Mae Carlisle (vocals); Earl Warren, Charlie Parker (alto saxophone); Herschel Evans, Chu Berry, Buddy Tate (tenor saxophone); Buck Clayton, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Roy Eldridge, Shad Collins (trumpet); Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, Vic Dickenson (trombone); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Nat "King" Cole, Johnny Guarnieri, Dodo Marmarosa (piano); Charlie Christian, Freddy Greene (guitar); Walter Page, Slam Stewart (bass); Buddy Rich, Jo Jones, Sid Catlett (drums)
Lester Young was the most influential jazz artist after Louis Armstrong and before Charlie Parker. Lester's first recorded solos on "Shoe Shine Boy" and "Oh, Lady Be Good" sent shockwaves through the jazz world of 1936. He was a tenor saxophonist with a light and buoyant tone, playing hopscotch with bar lines and beat in solos that power along without melodrama. These 85 tracks tell the story of one of jazz's great story-tellers.
Includes a comprehensive 52 page booklet. Also appearing on this box set are Roy Eldridge, Charlie Parker, Buddy Rich, Buck Clayton, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and Nat King Cole.
Disc One
Jones - Smith Incorporated : Carl Smith, tp; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
Chicago, October 9, 1936.
C1657-1 SHOE SHINE BOY Vocalion 3441
C1660 LADY BE GOOD Vocalion 3459
Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Lester Young, ts; Teddy Wilson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.
New York, January 25, 1937.
20569-2 THIS YEAR’S KISSES Brunswick 7824
Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Buster Bailey, cl; Lester Young, ts; Teddy Wilson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.
New York, June 1, 1937.
21218-2 EASY LIVING Brunswick 7911
Billie Holiday & her Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Edmond Hall, cl; Lester Young, ts; James Sherman, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.
New York, June 15, 1937.
21249-2 ME, MYSELF AND I Vocalion 3593
21250-1 A SAILBOAT IN THE
MOONLIGHT Vocalion 3605
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Bobby Moore, tp; George Hunt, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Herschel Evans, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Harry "Buster" Smith, arr.
New York, July 7, 1937.
62332-A ONE ON’CLOCK JUMP Decca 1363
Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Benny Morton, tb; Lester Young, ts; Teddy Wilson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.
New York, January 6, 1938.
22194-3 WHEN YOU’RE SMILING Brunswick 8070
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, tp; Eddie Durham, George Hunt, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Herschel Evans, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, February 16, 1938.
63287-A EVERY TUB Decca 1728
63289-A SWINGING THE BLUES Decca 1880
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above, but Benny Morten, tb replaces Hunt, Herschel Evans, arr.
New York, June 6, 1938.
63920-A A DOGGIN’ AROUND Decca 1965
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above, but Dickie Wells, td, replaces Durham.
New York, August 22, 1938.
64474-A A JUMPIN’ AT THE WOODSIDE Decca 2212
Billie Holiday & her Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Dickie Wells, ts; Lester Young, ts; Queenie Johnson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.
New York, September 15, 1938.
23468-1 I CAN’T GET STARTED Vocalion 4457
Kansas City Six : Buck Clayton, tp; Lester Young, cl, ts; Eddie Durham, el-g; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, September 27, 1938.
23421-2 WAY DOWN YONDER IN
NEW ORLEANS Commodore 512
23422-2 COUNTLESS BLUES Commodore 509
23424-1 I WANT A LITTLE GIRL Commodore 509
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, tp; Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Herschel Evans, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, November 16, 1938.
64747-A SHORTY GEORGE Decca 2325
64750-A PANNASSIE STOMP Decca 2224
Count Basie Sextet : Shad Collins, tp; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Jimmy Rushing, voc.
New York, February 2, 1939.
64978-A YOU CAN DEPEND ON ME Decca 2631
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Shad Collins, tp; Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Lester Young, Chu Berry, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, February 3, 1939.
64979-A CHEROKEE, PT 1. Decca 2406
64980-A CHEROKEE, PT 2. Decca 2406
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above.
New York, February 4, 1939.
64982-A JIVE AT FIVE Decca 2922
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Shad Collins, Harry Edison, tp; Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, ts; Earl Warren, as; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, March 19, 1939.
24242-1 TAXI WAR DANCE Vocalion 4748
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above, but add Ed Lewis, tp.
Chicago, May 19, 1939.
WC-2597-C POUND CAKE Vocalion 5085
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above; Jimmy Mundy, arr.
New York, August 4, 1939.
24981-A CLAP HANDS, HERE COMES CHARLIE Vocalion 5085
Disc Two
Count Basie’s Kansas City Seven : Buck Clayton, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, September 5, 1939.
25296-1 DICKIE’S DREAM Vocalion 5118
25297-1 LESTER LEAPS IN Vocalion 5118
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Harry Edison, Al Killian, tp; Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Andy Gibson, arr.
New York, March 19, 1940.
26656-1 TICKLE TOE Columbia 35521
Benny Goodman Octet : Buck Clayton, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, October 28, 1940.
AD-LIB BLUES Jazz Archives JA-6
I NEVER KNEW Jazz Archives JA-6
LESTER’S DREAM Jazz Archives JA-6
Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Harry Edison, Al Killian, tp; Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Henry Woods, arr.
New York, November 19, 1940.
29090-1 BROADWAY Okeh 6065
Lester Young Band : Shad Collins, tp; Lester Young, ts; John Collins, g; Nick Fenton, b; Harold "Doc" West, d.
WNYC Broadcast, Manhattan Centre, New York, February 15, 1941.
TICKLE TOE
TAXI WAR DANCE
Una Mae Carlisle, voc, acc. by : Shad Collins, tp; Lester Young, ts; Clyde Hart, p; John Collins, g; Nick Fenton, b; Harold "Doc" West, d.
New York, March 10, 1941.
BS 62747-1 BLITZKRIEG BABY
(YOU CAN’T BOMB ME) Bluebird B11120
BS 62748-1 BEAUTIFUL EYES Bluebird B11096
Sammy Price and his Texas Bluesicians : Shad Collins, Bill Johnson, tp; Don Stovall, as; Lester Young, ts; Sammy Price, p; Harold "Doc" West, d; Yack Taylor, voc.
New York, April, 3, 1941.
68921 THINGS ABOUT COMING MY WAY Decca 8557
68923 JUST JIVIN’ AROUND Decca 2557
Billie Holiday & her Orchestra : Shad Collins, tp; Eddie Barefield, cl; Les Johnakins, as; Lester Young, ts; Eddie Heywood, p; John Collins, g; Ted Sturges, b; Kenny Clarke, d; Billie Holiday, voc.
New York, March 21, 1941.
29990 ALL OF ME Okeh 6214
Lester Young/Nat King Cole Trio : Lester Young, ts; Nat King Cole, p; Red Callender, b.
Los Angeles, July 15, 1942.
VAN 1001 I CAN’T GET STARTED Philo 1001
VAN 1002 TEA FOR TWO Philo 1001
VAN 1003 BODY AND SOUL Philo 1000
Dickie Wells & his Orchestra : Bill Coleman, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Ellis Larkins, p; Freddy Green, g; Al Hall, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, December 21, 1943.
T 1920 HELLO BABE Signature 28115
Lester Young Quartet : Lester Young, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Slam Stewart, b; Sid Catlett, d.
New York, December 28, 1943.
HL 1-2 JUST YOU, JUST ME Keynote K 603
HL 3-2 AFTERNOON OF A BASIE-ITE Keynote K 604
Disc Three
Lester Young Quartet : Lester Young, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Slam Stewart, b; Sid Catlett, d.
New York, December 28, 1943.
HL4-1 SOMETIMES I’M HAPPY Keynote K 604
Kansas City Seven : Buck Clayton, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, March 22, 1944.
HL21-2 AFTER THEATRE JUMP Keynote 1302
HL22-3 SIX CATS AND A PRINCE Keynote 1303
HL23-1 LESTER LEAPS AGAIN (Clayton,
Wells Out) Keynote 1302
HL24-2 DESTINATION K.C. Keynote 1303
Kansas City Six : Bill Coleman, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Joe Bushkin, p; John Simmons, b; Jo Jones, d.
New York, March 28, 1944.
4748 I GOT RHYTHM Commodore 355
Earl Warren & his Orchestra : Joe Newman, Ed Lewis, Al Killian, Harry Edison, tp; Eli Robinson, Dickie Wells, Ted Donelly, Lou Taylor, tb; Earl Warren, as, voc; Jimmy Powell, as; Lester Young, Buddy Tate, ts; Rudy Rutherford, bs; Clyde Hart, p; Freddy Green, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Jo Jones, d; Tadd Dameron, arr.
New York, April 18, 1944.
S5442-1 POOR LITTLE PLAYTHING Savoy 508
Johnny Guarnieri’s Swing Men : Billy Butterfield, tp; Hank D’Amico, cl; Lester Young, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Dexter Hall, g; Billy Taylor, b; Cozy Cole, d.
New York, April 18, 1944.
S5447-1 EXERCISE IN SWING Savoy 509
S5448-5 SALUTE TO FATS Savoy 511
Lester Young Quintet : Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Shadow Wilson, d.
New York, May 1, 1944.
5754-1 BLUE LESTER Savoy 581
5455-1 GHOST OF A CHANCE Savoy 551
5757-1 JUMP, LESTER JUMP Savoy NG 9002
Harry Edison, tp; Lester Young, ts; Marlowe Morris, p; Barney Kessel, g; Red Callender, b; Sid Catlett, d.
Los Angeles, Summer 1944.
MIDNIGHT SYMPHONY (From the film
"Jammin’ The Blues") Jazz Archives JA-18
Lester Young and his Band : Vic Dickenson, tb; Lester Young, ts; Dodo Marmarosa, p; Red Callender, b; Henry Tucker Green, d.
Los Angeles, December 1945.
123A D.B. BLUES Aladdin 123
123B LESTER BLOWS AGAIN Aladdin 123
124A THESE FOOLISH THINGS Aladdin 124
124B JUMPIN’ AT MESNER’S Aladdin 124
Lester Young - Buddy Rich Trio : Lester Young, ts; Nat King Cole, p; Buddy Rich, d.
Los Angeles, December 1945.
348-1 BACK TO THE LAND Norgran 1074
349-2 I COVER THE WATERFRONT Norgran 1074
351-1 I’VE FOUND A NEW BABY Norgran 1074
354-1 I WANT TO BE HAPPY Norgran 1074
Disc Four
Lester Young and his Band : Howard McGhee, tp; Vic Dickenson, tb; Willie Smith, as; Lester Young, ts; Wesley Jones, p; Curtis Counce, b; Johnny Otis, d.
Los Angeles, January 1946.
127A IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON Aladdin 127
128A LOVER COME BACK TO ME Aladdin 128
Lester Young, ts; Joe Albany, p; Irving Ashby, g; Red Callender, b; Chico Hamilton, d.
Los Angeles, August 1946.
137A YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY Aladdin 137
138A LESTER’S BE-BOP BOOGIE Aladdin 138
138B SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY Aladdin 138
Shorty McConnell, tp (-1); Lester Young, ts; Argonne Thornton, p; Fred Lacey, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Cyndele Marshall, d.
Chicago, February 18, 1947.
46 SUNDAY (-1) Aladdin 162
S.M. BLUES (-1) Aladdin 162
JUMPIN’ WITH SYMPHONY SID Aladdin 163
51 ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE
STREET Aladdin 164
50 SAX-O-BE-BOP Aladdin 164
Shorty McConnell, tp (-1); Lester Young, ts; Argonne Thornton, p; Fred Lacey, g; Ted Briscoe, b; Roy Haynes, d.
New York, December 28/30, 1947.
JUST COOLING (-1) Aladdin 3057
141 I’M CONFESSIN’ Aladdin 212
Lester Young, ts; Gene Di Novi, p; Chuck Wayne, g; Curly Russell, b; Tiny Kahn, d.
New York, December 29, 1948.
1021 EAST OF THE SUN Aladdin 3016
1022 THE SHIEK OF ARABY Aladdin 3016
1023 SOMETHING TO REMEMBER
YOU BY Aladdin 3057
Jesse Drakes, tp; Jerry Elliott, tb; Lester Young, ts; Junior Mance, p; Leroy Jackson, b; Roy Haynes, d.
New York, June 23, 1949.
5241-3 DING DONG Savoy 786
5242-3 BLUES ‘N’ BELLS Savoy 786
Jazz at the Philharmonic : Roy Eldridge, tp; Tommy Turk, tb; Charlie Parker, as; Flip Phillips, Lester Young, ts; Hank Jones, p; Ray Brown, b; Buddy Rich, d.
Carnegie Hall, New York, September 18, 1949.
C305/C386/C387 LESTER LEAPS IN Mercury/Cleff 11054,
11055, 11056
EMBRACEABLE YOU JATP/CLEF VOL.13
Proper, the famous British reissue label, has given the world a series of four-CD "Proper boxes" that contain essential recordings by legendary musicians. Proper's The Lester Young Story is an excellent introduction to this man's phenomenal artistry. Beginning with two instrumentals from his very first recording session on November 9, 1936, Proper skims along the surface of the first 13 years of Lester Young's career, touching upon his adventures with Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Una Mae Carlisle, Sammy Price, the Kansas City Six and Seven, pianist Nat King Cole, and numerous others who collaborated with Pres on records issued under his name. This musical odyssey is a colorful mosaic of historical recordings that originally appeared on the Vocalion, Columbia, Victor, Signature, Keynote, Savoy, Aladdin, and Mercury/Norgran/Verve labels. The survey closes with two extended jams from a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert held at Carnegie Hall on September 17, 1949. Although it stops short of dipping into the best of his later works, Proper's The Lester Young Story may serve both as a superb introduction and a tasty addition to already well-stocked jazz libraries. ~ arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide
Lester Young
Active Decades: '30s, '40s and '50s
Born: Aug 27, 1909 in Woodville, MS
Died: Mar 15, 1959 in New York, NY
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Bop, Cool, Mainstream Jazz, Swing
Lester Young was one of the true jazz giants, a tenor saxophonist who came up with a completely different conception in which to play his horn, floating over bar lines with a light tone rather than adopting Coleman Hawkins' then-dominant forceful approach. A non-conformist, Young (nicknamed "Pres" by Billie Holiday) had the ironic experience in the 1950s of hearing many young tenors try to sound exactly like him.
Although he spent his earliest days near New Orleans, Lester Young lived in Minneapolis by 1920, playing in a legendary family band. He studied violin, trumpet, and drums, starting on alto at age 13. Because he refused to tour in the South, Young left home in 1927 and instead toured with Art Bronson's Bostonians, switching to tenor. He was back with the family band in 1929 and then freelanced for a few years, playing with Walter Page's Blue Devils (1930), Eddie Barefield in 1931, back with the Blue Devils during 1932-1933, and Bennie Moten and King Oliver (both 1933). He was with Count Basie for the first time in 1934 but left to replace Coleman Hawkins with Fletcher Henderson. Unfortunately, it was expected that Young would try to emulate Hawk, and his laid-back sound angered Henderson's sidemen, resulting in Pres not lasting long. After a tour with Andy Kirk and a few brief jobs, Lester Young was back with Basie in 1936, just in time to star with the band as they headed East. Young made history during his years with Basie, not only participating on Count's record dates but starring with Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson on a series of classic small-group sessions. In addition, on his rare recordings on clarinet with Basie and the Kansas City Six, Young displayed a very original cool sound that almost sounded like altoist Paul Desmond in the 1950s. After leaving Count in 1940, Young's career became a bit aimless, not capitalizing on his fame in the jazz world. He co-led a low-profile band with his brother, drummer Lee Young, in Los Angeles until re-joining Basie in December 1943. Young had a happy nine months back with the band, recorded a memorable quartet session with bassist Slam Stewart, and starred in the short film Jammin' the Blues before he was drafted. His experiences dealing with racism in the military were horrifying, affecting his mental state of mind for the remainder of his life.
Although many critics have written that Lester Young never sounded as good after getting out of the military, despite erratic health he actually was at his prime in the mid- to late-'40s. He toured (and was well paid by Norman Granz) with Jazz at the Philharmonic on and off through the '40s and '50s, made a wonderful series of recordings for Aladdin, and worked steadily as a single. Young also adopted his style well to bebop (which he had helped pave the way for in the 1930s). But mentally he was suffering, building a wall between himself and the outside world, and inventing his own colorful vocabulary. Although many of his recordings in the 1950s were excellent (showing a greater emotional depth than in his earlier days), Young was bothered by the fact that some of his white imitators were making much more money than he was. He drank huge amounts of liquor and nearly stopped eating, with predictable results. 1956's Jazz Giants album found him in peak form as did a well documented engagement in Washington, D.C., with a quartet and a last reunion with Count Basie at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. But, for the 1957 telecast The Sound of Jazz, Young mostly played sitting down (although he stole the show with an emotional one-chorus blues solo played to Billie Holiday). After becoming ill in Paris in early 1959, Lester Young came home and essentially drank himself to death. Many decades after his death, Pres is still considered (along with Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane) one of the three most important tenor saxophonists of all time.
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
DISC 1: LESTER LEAPS IN:
1.Shoe Shine Boy
2.Oil Lady Be Good
3.This Year's Kisses
4.Easy Living
5.Me, Myself And I
6.Sailboat In The Moonlight, A
7.One O'Clock Jump
8.When You're Smiling
9.Every Tub
10.Swinging The Blues
11.Doggin' Around
12.Jumpin' At The Woodside
13.I Can't Get Started
14.Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
15.Countless Blues
16.I Want A Little Girl
17.Shorty George
18.Pannassie Stomp
19.You Can Depend On Me
20.Cherokee (Pts. 1 & 2)
21.Jive At Five
22.Taxi War Dance
23.Pound Cake
24.Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie
DISC 2: AFTERNOON OF A BASIE-ITE:
1.Dickie's Dream
2.Lester Leaps In
3.Tickle Toe
4.Ad-Lib Blues
5.I Never Knew
6.Lester's Dream
7.Broadway
8.Tickle Toe
9.Taxi War Dance
10.Blitzkrieg Baby (You Can't Bomb Me)
11.Beautiful Eyes
12.Things About Coming My Way
13.Just Jivin' Around
14.All Of Me
15.I Can't Get Started
16.Tea For Two
17.Body And Soul
18.Hello Babe
19.Just You, Just Me
20.Afternoon Of A Basie-ite
DISC 3: LESTER LEAPS AGAIN:
1.Sometimes I'm Happy
2.After Theatre Jump
3.Six Cats And A Prince
4.Lester Leaps Again
5.Destination K.C.
6.I Got Rhythm
7.Poor Little Plaything
8.Exercise In Swing
9.Salute To Fats
10.Blue Lester (Lester's Blues)
11.Ghost Of A Chance
12.Jump, Lester, Jump
13.Midnight Symphony
14.D.B. Blues
15.Lester Blows Again
16.These Foolish Things
17.Jumpin' At Mesner's
18.Back To The Land
19.I Cover The Waterfront
20.I've Found A New Baby
21.I Want To Be Happy
DISC 4: DING DONG:
1.It's Only A Paper Moon
2.Love Come Back To Me
3.You're Driving Me Crazy
4.Lester's Bebop Boogie
5.She's Funny That Way
6.Sunday
7.S.M. Blues
8.Jumpin' With Symphony Sid
9.On The Sunny Side Of The Street
10.Sax-O-Be-Bop
11.Just Cooling
12.I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
13.East Of The Sun
14.Sheik Of Araby, The
15.Something To Remember You By
16.Ding Dong
17.Blues 'N' Bells
18.Lester Leaps In
19.Embraceable You |
