Lester Young | Artist

Lester Young aka "The Pres" was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist born 1909 in Woodville, Mississippi. Young was known for his unique style and innovative approach to playing the saxophone and remains a legendary figure in the history of jazz. As a child Young worked from the age of five selling newspapers and shining shoes to make money for the family. By the time he was ten, he had learned the basics of the trumpet, violin, and drums, and joined the Young Family Band touring with carnivals throughout the Southwest. Young's early influences included Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Jimmy Dorsey, and Frankie Trumbauer. His career took off in the 1930s when he joined Count Basie's orchestra, where he quickly became a key figure in the band's distinctive sound. His improvisational skills and melodic inventiveness helped define the "Kansas City sound." In September 1944, Young and Basie drummer Jo Jones were inducted into the U.S. Army. Unlike white musicians such as Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw, who were placed in band outfits, Young was assigned to the regular army where he was not allowed to play his saxophone. Based in Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Young was found with marijuana and alcohol among his possessions and was soon court-martialled. He served one hard year in a detention barracks and was dishonourably discharged in late 1945, the experience inspiring his composition "D.B. Blues." Over the following decade Young performed and recorded with the likes of Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson and Billie Holiday, however his health deteriorated due to chronic alcoholism. On December 8 1957 Young appeared with Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, and Gerry Mulligan in the CBS television special The Sound of Jazz, performing Holiday's tune "Fine and Mellow." Holiday was also in physical decline, near the end of her career, yet they both gave moving performances. Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959 with drummer Kenny Clarke at the end of a European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. On a flight to NYC he suffered internal bleeding due to alcoholism and died in the early morning of March 15th, only hours after arriving back in New York, at the age of 49. One of Young's most significant contributions to jazz was his development of the style known as "cool jazz." Unlike the high-energy, frenetic playing of many of his peers, Young's approach was more understated and subtle. He focused on melodic improvisation, smooth phrasing, and a relaxed sense of swing that set him apart as a true innovator. Young's playing was also deeply rooted in the blues, and he had a remarkable ability to convey complex emotions through his music. Known for his hip, introverted style, he invented or popularised much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with "cool jazz" music. His playing inspired countless musicians, including Stan Getz and Miles Davis who both cited Young as a major influence on their own playing styles. Standout albums include With the Oscar Peterson Trio #1 and #2 (1954), Lester Young (1955), Pres (1956), Pres and Sweets (1956), Pres and Teddy (1959), Lester Young in Paris (1960), and the superb 1977 archival release Bird and Pres: The '46 Concerts with Charlie "Bird" Parker.

Artist Website: wikipedia/Lester_Young

Featured Albums: Lester Young

Related Artists: Lester Young Trio, Oscar Peterson, Billie Holiday