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Lester Young: Centennial Celebration Lester Young

By Andrew Velez
April 6, 2010
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Lester Young: Centennial Celebration Lester Young

Although he'd lived a scant 50 hard years when he died in 1959, tenor sax giant Lester Willis Young was and remains one of the most vital and influential forces in jazz. He used words as singularly as he played, dubbing

Billie Holiday

vocals
1915 - 1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Billie Holiday "Lady Day"; theirs was an incomparable musical pairing and she returned the favor, calling him "Prez" for president. Prez proved to be the key link between the early jazz of

Louis Armstrong

trumpet and vocals
1901 - 1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Armstrong and

Coleman Hawkins

saxophone, tenor
1904 - 1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Coleman Hawkins with the bop of the '40s. Among the legions of players influenced by his playing were

Stan Getz

saxophone, tenor
1927 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Getz,

Al Cohn

saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Al Cohn and

Zoot Sims

saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Zoot Sims.

Sides 1-7 in this Centennial Celebration are from a 1956 Washington, DC gig in a relatively intimate setting as Young swings comfortably with musicians mostly a generation younger than himself. His playing is elegant, eloquent and subtle. Inventiveness and brisk pace on "Tea For Two" transform that chestnut while on "I Can't Get Started" he slows down and plays real pretty. For "Oh Lady, Be Good," a standard from his celebrated days with the '30s

Count Basie

piano
1904 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Count Basie band, he kicks the tempo up, swinging solidly in tandem with trombonist

Earl Swope

trombone
1922 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Earl Swope. Throughout he displays the surprising rhythmic and melodic style for which he was famous. On "Just You, Just Me," Prez ebulliently calls out "beautiful" after a particularly sizzling drum solo from Jim Lucht.

The last three sides included are from Jazz at the Philharmonic performances and find Young in company with the likes of

Oscar Peterson

piano
1925 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Oscar Peterson,

Roy Eldridge

trumpet
1911 - 1989

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Eldridge,

Herb Ellis

guitar
1921 - 2010

" data-original-title="" title="">Herb Ellis and

Max Roach

drums
1925 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Max Roach, giants all. The closer is Young's own signature tune, "Lester Leaps In," with the blazing heat of his soloing eliciting cheers and whistles from the audience.

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Track Listing

Jumpin' With Symphony Sid; Tea For Two; I Can't Get Started; Pennies From Heaven; I'm Confessin' (That I Love You); Oh; Lady; Be Good; Just You; Just Me; Undecided; I Cover the Waterfront; Lester Leaps In.

Personnel

Lester Young

saxophone

Sides 1-9: Lester Young: tenor saxophone. Sides 1-7: Earl Swope: trombone; Bill Potts: piano; Norman Williams: bass; Jim Lucht: drums. Side 8: Flip Phillips: tenor saxophone; Roy Eldridge: trumpet; Hank Jones: piano; Ray Brown: bass; Max Roach: drums. Sides 9 and 10: Oscar Peterson: piano; Herb Ellis: guitar; Ray Brown: bass; J.C. Heard: drums.

Album information

Title: Centennial Celebration Lester Young | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Original Jazz Classics

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