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Lester Young: 100 Years - Forever Young
ByThis double album from radio shows and concerts proves the reverse. True, the sound is variable throughout and there are some irritating and badly cut announcements, but there is ample evidence that, while in the 1950s Lester might not always have leapt in quite as adroitly as he had done before Uncle Sam got hold of him, he could still cut it... and cut it pretty well.
The first five tracks are from Birdland in 1951. On all of them, particularly the opener, "Indiana" and his own "D.B. Blues" ( D.B. stands for detention barracks), Young gives good account of himself. He is aided by the competent but unremarkable
Jesse Drakes
b.1926
John Lewis
piano1920 - 2001

Horace Silver
piano1928 - 2014
The next six tracks come from George Wein's Storyville Club in Boston, with
Gildo Mahones
b.1929All the other tracks were recorded in 1956, when Young was in good shape, following hospital treatment for a nervous breakdown. Those recorded in Zurich include a lovely, lazy version of "Polka Dots And Moonbeams," followed by energetic takes on "Three Little Words" and "Lester Leaps In" and culminate in a rather subdued version of "Oh, Lady Be Good" featuring

Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Young is on very good form too on three numbers with

Idrees Sulieman
trumpetb.1923
Forever young he wasn't. The Prez was only human... but always interesting. ">
Track Listing
CD1: Indiana; A Ghost Of A Chance; How High The Moon; D.B. Blues; Lullaby Of Birdland/Up And At 'Em; Too Marvellous For Words; Lullaby Of Birdland; Just You, Just Me; It's Only A Paper Moon; Speak; I Cover The Waterfront; Up And At 'Em; Three Little Words; I Cover The Waterfront; D.B. Blues. CD2: Lester's Mop Mop Blues; Tea For Two; Polka Dots And Moonbeams; Three Little Words; Lester Leaps In; Oh, Lady Be Good; Oh, Lady Be Good; Lester's Mop Mop Blues; Jumpin' With Symphony Sid; Lullaby of Birdland; Lester Leaps In; These Foolish Things; Three Little Words; Pennies From Heaven; Polka Dots And Moonbeams; Indiana.
Personnel
Lester Young
saxophoneLester Young, tenor sax; Jesse Drakes: trumpet (CD1#1-12); John Lewis: piano (CD1#1-5); Gene Ramey: bass (CD1#1-5, CD2#1-2, 11-16); Jo Jones: drums(CD1#1-5); Horace Silver: piano (CD1#6); Franklin Skeets: bass (CD1#6); Connie Kay: drums (CD1#6, 7-12); Gildo Mahones: piano (CD1#7-12); Connie Henry: bass (CD1#7-12); Rene Urtreger: piano (CD1#15, CD2#3-6); Pierre Michelot: bass (CD1#6, CD2#3-6); Christian Garos: drums (CD1#6, CD2#3-6); Bill Triglia: piano (CD2#1-2); Gus Johnson: drums (CD2#1-2); Miles Davis: trumpet (CD2#6); Earl Swope: trombone (CD2#7-10); Bill Potts: piano (CD2#7-10); Norman Williams: bass (CD2#7-10); Jim Lutch: drums (CD2#7-10); Idrees Sulieman: trumpet(CD2#11, 13, 16); Sinclair Raney: piano (CD2#11-16); Willie Jones: drums (CD2#11-16).
Album information
Title: 100 Years - Forever Young | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Storyville Records
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