1.The Man I Love04:50
    2.These Foolish Things03:11
    3.Jump Lester Jump03:19
    4.Polka Dots And Moonbeams03:28
    5.Too Marvelous For Words03:00
    6.She's Funny That Way03:21
    7.Just You, Just Me03:10
    8.Ghost Of A Chance03:29
    9.I Never Knew03:09
    10.Blue Lester03:24
    11.Lester Leaps Again03:15
    12.Peg O' My Heart04:04
    13.I Got Rhythm03:18
    14.Back To The Land03:52
    15.I Want To Be Happy03:58
    16.I'm Confessin'02:32
    17.Indiana04:53
    18.I Can't Get Started04:56
    19.Body And Soul05:05

Musicians:
Lester Young (tenor saxophone); 
Jesse Drakes (trumpet); 
Count Basie, Junior Mance (piano); 
Freddie Green (guitar); 
Rodney Richardson (bass); 
Shadow Wilson, Cozy Cole (drums).

Basically Young's Savoy Master Takes, Blue Lester finds the svelte tenor innovator on a prime mix of sides from 1944 and 1949. As was the trend of most swing soloists by the mid-'40s, Young heads up a few different extended combos here, featuring the likes of pianist Johnny Guarnieri, trumpeter Jesse Drakes, drummer Cozy Cole, and old Basie bandmates Freddie Green and the Count himself. The numbers with Basie are particularly good, especially "I Don't Stand a Ghost of Chance With You" and "Back Home in Indiana." And for the topper, Young is heard in the company of the entire Basie band (Clyde Hart is on piano, though) for the three tracks that close things out. Not a bad place to start your Lester Young collection. ---Stephen Cook, Rovi

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01. Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid (fragment)
02. Too Marvelous For Words
03. She’s Funny That Way
04. You Can Depend On Me
05. How High The Moon (incomplete)
06. The Talk Of The Town
07. On A Slow Boat To China
08. Indiana
09. Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid (fragment)
10. Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid (fragment)
11. Sunday
12. Body And Soul
13. Four Flats Unfurnished
14. Jeepers Creepers (incomplete)
15. Up ‘N’ Adam
16. Blue And Sentimental (incomplete)

Musicians/Lineup: 
Lester Young - sax tenor
Jesse Drakes - trumpet 
Kenny Drew, Horace Silver - piano 
Joe Schulman, Franklin Skeete - bass 
Connie Kay – drums

Uptown's 2013 release Boston 1950 features highlights from a series of concerts the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young gave at Boston's Hi-Hat between May 26 and June 11, 1950. He was performing with trumpeter Jesse Drakes, pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Joe Schulman, and drummer Connie Kay. Lester was at one of his peaks during the late '40s and early '50s and these performances have an appealing blend of lively jump and warmth, qualities that are apparent even underneath the somewhat thin audio quality. Listen beyond those compressed sonics and you'll find thoroughly enjoyable, big-hearted hard bop that's something of a joy to hear. The CD concludes with two tracks from a 1953 date at the Hi-Hat where Young was playing once again with Kay and Drakes but pianist Horace Silver and bassist Franklin Skeete rounded out the band. ---Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

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1 	Shoe Shine Boy	(Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin) 	2:59 	
2 	Evenin'		(Mitchell Parish / Harry White)		2:56 	
3 	Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong)	(Dick Gimble / Pinetop Smith)	3:15 	
4 	Oh, Lady Be Good	(George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin)	3:08 	
5 	This Year's Kisses		(Irving Berlin)		3:07 	
6 	I Must Have That Man!	(Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)	2:56 	
7 	I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)		(Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk)	3:09 	
8 	Mean to Me		(Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk)		3:07 	
9 	I'll Never Be the Same	(Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck / Frank Signorelli)	3:03 	
10 	Easy Living		(Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin)		3:04 	
11 	Foolin' Myself		(Jack Lawrence / Peter Tinturin)	3:00 	
12 	Without Your Love	(John Lange / Fred Stryker)		2:52 	
13 	Me, Myself and I	(Irving Gordon / Alvin Kaufman / Allan Roberts)	2:37 	
14 	A Sailboat in the Moonlight		(John Jacob Loeb / Carmen Lombardo)	2:53 	
15 	Trav'lin' All Alone		(J.C. Johnson)	2:15 	
16 	She's Funny That Way	(Neil Moret / Richard A. Whiting)	2:39 	
17 	Getting Some Fun Out of Life	(Joe Burke / Edgar Leslie)	3:03 	
18 	Way Down Yonder in New Orleans	(Henry Creamer / Turner Layton)	2:57 	
19 	Countess Blues		(Milt Gabler)	2:58 

Lester Young 	Primary Artist, Sax (Tenor) 
Buster Bailey 	Clarinet
Count Basie 	Piano
Artie Bernstein 	Bass
Buck Clayton 	Trumpet
Cozy Cole 	Drums
Eddie Durham 	Guitar (Electric)
Benny Goodman 	Clarinet
Freddie Green 	Guitar
Edmond Hall 	Clarinet
Johnny Hodges 	Sax (Alto)
Jo Jones 	Drums
Walter Page 	Bass
Allan Reuss 	Guitar
Jimmy Rushing 	Vocals
Carl "Tatti" Smith 	Trumpet
Claude Thornhill 	Piano
Teddy Wilson 	Piano

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. ---Scott Yanow, allmusic.com

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1 	Ad Lib Blues 	5:54
2 	I Can't Get Started 	3:41
3 	Just You, Just Me 	7:41
4 	Almost Like Being In Love 	3:34
5 	Tea For Two 	7:45
6 	There Will Never Be Another You 	3:28
7 	(Back Home Again In) Indiana 	7:04
8 	On The Sunny Side Of The Street 	3:27
9 	Star Dust 	3:35
10 	I'm Confessin' 	3:42
11 	I Can't Give You Anything But Love 	3:23
12 	These Foolish Things 	3:32
13 	(It Takes) Two To Tango 	6:09
14 	I Can't Get Started (False Start) 	0:52

Bass – Ray Brown 
Drums – J.C. Heard
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano – Oscar Peterson
Tenor Saxophone – Lester Young

Recorded in New York City on November 28, 1952

Many things have been dubbed "American classics" over the years: Corvettes, hamburgers, milkshakes, the New York Yankees, blue jeans. But perhaps the term "American classic" can be no more fitting than in describing Lester Young. A jazzman who came from Louisiana, was famous for his "Kansas City" sound, yet spent a great deal of time in Minneapolis, Young was as original as original can be. A peer of Coleman Hawkins, Young was one of the very few tenor saxophonist to develop his own unique style on the instrument, and not be influenced by Hawkins. A quiet and reserved man, Young could tear up the house, and in fact did several nights with the Basie band, or float gently out on a slow ballad. Young's ethereal tone and unique sense of time gained him his own devotees, and today the tenor players who have not borrowed or been influenced by "Pres" are few.

Lester Young With The Oscar Peterson Trio is actually a merging of two albums from the 1950s, the original album of the same name, and The President Plays With The Oscar Peterson Trio. Both were recorded in November of 1958, and provide evidence to the contrary to the myth that Young never played in top notch form after his tragic military experience during World War II. While it is true that Young suffered from long bouts of depression and alcoholism after the shattering effects of the army, his playing may have been the sole part of him that survived the experience. By this point in his career, Young was opting for a simple rhythm section for most of his performances and recordings, in lieu of the Basie type of big band that Young first became famous with. And, as with many greats, as he grew older, Young began to concentrate more on ballads. But none of that proves that his playing was never a good as before the war. This collection seems destined to disprove that.

The disc starts out with the jumpin' "Ad Lib Blues" and swings throughout. Young swings with both fervor and style, displaying a complete command of his instrument and the song. The music goes where he directs it, but not in a man-handled style such as Hawkins was known for. Rather, Pres seemed to lead the music out front, gliding on his silvery tone, floating on the melody. Young's solos soar and glide, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the song, yet the songs always seem to follow Young's path. That was his genius...doing his own thing, and doing it so beautifully and powerfully that those around him could not help but be sucked in.

Most of the set stays the course with timeless standards, "I Can't Get Started", "Tea For Two", "Star Dust", "The Sunny Side Of The Street", and "These Foolish Things", and each time, Pres brings a few small twists to these familiar tunes. Young's lush tone wraps itself around the slower ballads, especially "I Can't Get Started", a specialty of the Pres. "Star Dust" is equally compelling, and "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" lopes happily along, infecting the listener with a smile. Also included is a rare track with Young supplying vocals, the slightly risque‚ "Two To Tango". While Young's vocal performance is not exceptional in any way, shape, or form, it does offer the listener an opportunity to glimpse a more focused look at this most original of personalities.

Throughout the tracks, Peterson and his trio play wonderfully, but for save a few solos by guest guitarist Barney Kessel, this disc belongs to Young, even though Young was known for providing plenty of space for fellow musicians to interpret and solo. But with the sheer power of Young's personality, these recording dates follow him the way the music always seemed to.

Overall, this disc is gorgeously re-mastered, and the liner notes are interesting (and perhaps even better written) than this review. Of exceptional interest is the art work that is included in the cardboard tri-fold. A replica of the recording date program is reproduced here, showing the changes and additions to the original schedule...a very nice "extra" for the historical fan. But even for the Lester Young novice, this disc is a wise purchase. The tunes are easy on the ears, yet infectious for the feet. An excellent disc for Sunday afternoons, or any late night of the week. ---allaboutjazz.com

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01 - I've Found a new Baby
02 - Mortgage Stomp
03 - Don't Be That Way
04 - Blues With Helen
05 - Song of the Wanderer
06 - Allez Oop
07 - Ad-Lib Blues
08 - I Never Knew
09 - Charlie's Dream
10 - Lester's Dream					play
11 - Wholly Cats
12 - Blitzkrieg Baby
13 - Beautiful Eyes
14 - There'll Be Some Changes Made
15 - It's Sad But True				play	
16 - The Goon Drag
17 - Things 'Bout Coming My Way
18 - Lead me Daddy Straight to the Bar
19 - Just Jivin' Around
20 - Please Let me Forget
21 - (I Love Him Though) He Don't Love me Any More
22 - Pleasin' Man Blues (Stop Jivin' Around)
23 - See See Rider
24 - It's Better to Give Than to Receive

Lester Young with:
Teddy Wilson, Buck Clayton, Buster Bailey, Freddie Green, Walter Page, Jo Jones, Count Basie, Helen Humes, Benny Goodman,
 Charlie Christian, Shad Collins, Clyde Hart, John Collins, Nick Fenton, Harold West, Una Mae Carlisle, Bill Johnson, Don Stovall,
 Sammy Price, Duke Jones, Yack Taylor, Snooky Young, Willie Smith, Maxwell Davis, Jimmy Bunn, Dave Barbour, Jimmy Rudd, Henry Tucker Green.

This additional volume brings together some atypical sessions within the Young discography. Atypical as much for the context in which they were recorded as for the jazz musicians who took part in them, in spite of the fact that the first three sessions have as common denominator the incomparable Count Basie rhythm section, including the Count himself in two of them. The title recorded by Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra corresponds to a session where Billie Holiday was the featured singer, but in this particular number she doesn't appear.

The session made under the name Members of Basie Band (with Helen Humes) is a test pressing that in its day was not released. In a typical jam session atmosphere one can hear Lester using his metallic clarinet for the first time and experimenting new sounds on his tenor sax. The five tracks by the Benny Goodman Octet were recorded at a rehearsal session, for at that time Goodman was thinking of forming a small group which could fully exploit the enormous musical talent of Charlie Christian.

Here the guitarist shows his indisputable brilliance as soloist in the same league as Lester, with whom he felt at ease, not just through the ties of friendship, but via a solid stylistic affinity: the same cool, unemphatic and laid-back approach. The last three sessions feature three singers, each of a very different stripe: the singer and pianist Una Mae Carlisle, a Fats Waller disciple; the pianist and singer Sammy Price; and Helen Humes. The latter was at a splendid moment in her career; Lester is limited to merely participate in the line-up except for a tenor solo of surprising power in "Pleasin' Man Blues"

This volume of rare items completes all of the Lester Young small group studio recordings made up until 1951. ---J. G. Calvados, Editorial Reviews

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01 - Shoe Shine Boy
02 - Evenin'
03 - Boogie Woogie
04 - Oh Lady Be Good
05 - Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
06 - Countless Blues				play
07 - Them There Eyes
08 - I Want a Little Girl
09 - Pagin' the Devil
10 - I Ain't Got Nobody
11 - Goin' to Chicago
12 - Live and Love Tonight
13 - Love Me or Leave Me
14 - China Boy
15 - Exactly Like You
16 - On the Sunny Side of the Street
17 - Upright Organ Blues			play
18 - Who
19 - Jazz Me Blues
20 - Dickie's Dream
21 - Lester Leaps In
22 - Indiana
23 - I Can't Get Started
24 - Tea for Two

Musicians:
Lester Young
Featuring: Count Basie, Vic Dickenson, Dodo Marmarosa, 
Howard McGhee, Nat King Cole, Buddy Rich

Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. He also played trumpet, violin, and drums.

Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument, playing with a cool tone and using sophisticated harmonies. He invented or popularized much of the hipster ethos which came to be associated with the music.

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01 - Body and Soul
02 - I Got Rhythm
03 - I'm Fer it Too
04 - Hello Babe
05 - Linger Awhile
06 - Just You, Just Me
07 - I Never Knew				play
08 - Afternoon of a Basie-ite
09 - Sometimes I'm Happy
10 - After Theatre Jump
11 - Six Cats and a Prince
12 - Lester Leaps In
13 - Back to the Land
14 - I Cover the Waterfront
15 - Somebody Loves Me
16 - I've Found a New Baby
17 - The Man I Love				play
18 - Peg O' My Heart
19 - I Want to be Happy
20 - Mean to Me

Musicians:
Lester Young
Featuring: Nat King Cole, Dickies Wells, Count Basie, Johnny Guarnieri

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

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01 - Blue Lester
02 - Ghost of a Chance
03 - Indiana
04 - Jump lester Jump
05 - D. B. Blues
06 - Lester Blows Again
07 - These Foolish Things
08 - Jumpin' at Messner's			play
09 - It's Only a Paper Moon
10 - After You've Gone
11 - Lover Come Back to Me			play
12 - Jammin' With Lester
13 - Back to the Land
14 - I Cover the Waterfront
15 - Somebody Loves me
16 - I've Found a New Baby
17 - The Man I Love
18 - Peg O' My Heart
19 - I Want to Be Happy
20 - Mean to Me

Musicians:
Lester Young
Featuring: Count Basie, Vic Dickenson, Dodo Marmarosa, Howard McGhee, 
Nat King Cole, Buddy Rich

We’re reaching what arguably is the core of Lester’s production by the time of the Aladdin Recordings. “The Complete Aladdin Sessions” is a 2 CD Blue Note set, which is included here, but in chronological order i.e. mixed with other sessions of no lesser value. It encompass years 1942 to 1947 and includes such musicians as Shorty Mc Connell and Howard McGhee (tpt); Vic Dickenson (tb); Willie Smith (as); Maxwell Davies (ts); Joe Albany, Jimmy Bunn, Nat “King” Cole, Gene DiNovi, Wesley Jones, Dodo Marmarosa, Argonne Thornton (p); Irving Ashby, Nasir Baraakat, Dave Barbour, Fred Lacey, Chuck Wayne (g); Ted Briscoe, Red Callender, Curtis Counce, Rodney Richardson, Junior Rudd, Curley Russell (b); Chico Hamilton, Roy Haynes, Tiny Kahn, Lyndell Marshall, Johnny Otis, Henry Tucker (d)

Young quickly became a major soloist, using a delivery that was the precise opposite of the dominant Coleman Hawkins style… where Hawkins was bluff, aggressive and sensual, Young developed a sound that was dry, precise and almost delicate. Some of its curiosities of tone are traceable to the example of Jimmy Dorsey, a greatly under-rated saxophonist who had created a vocabulary of alternate fingerings and low, almost unpitched breath-sounds through the horn. The only other predecessor to influence Young was Bix’s sidekick, Frank Trumbauer, though less for his sound (Trumbauer favoured a C-melody saxophone) than for his distinctive habit of building up solos out of brief thematic and melodic units which he subjected to seamless variation and augmentation, of great formal control which, coupled with his unmistakable sound, represent the single most important advance in saxophone improvisation until the advent of Charlie Parker. Unlike Hawkins, Young was little concerned with playing on harmonic changes. Penguin Guide. And pay attention to track no. 19 - I want to be happy, a turning point in piano jazz playing (Nat King Cole), a magnificent interplay between all the musicians.

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01 - You're Driving me Crazy
02 - New Lester Leaps in
03 - Lester's Be Bop Boogie
04 - She's Funny That Way
05 - Sunday
06 - S. M. Blues
07 - Jumpin' With Symphony Sid
08 - No Eyes Blues				play
09 - Sax-O-Be-Bop
10 - On the Sunny Side of the Street
11 - Easy Does It
12 - Movin' With Lester
13 - One O' Clock Jump
14 - Jumpin' at the Woodside
15 - Confessin'
16 - Lester Smooths it Out
17 - Just Coolin'
18 - Tea for Two				play
19 - East of the Sun
20 - The Sheik of Araby
21 - Something to Remember You By
22 - Crazy Over J. Z.
23 - Ding Dong
24 - Blues 'n' Bells
25 - June Bug

Personnel:
    Bass – Rodney Richardson 
    Drums – Jo Jones 
    Guitar – Freddie Green     
    Piano – Count Basie ,Johnny Guarnieri 
    Saxophone [Tenor] – Lester Young
    Trombone – Dicky Wells
    Trumpet – Buck Clayton 

Versions of what followed vary but in 1944 Young was drafted and began a year-long nightmare in the US Army. A convenient mythology suggests that the army destroyed Young as a man and an artist and that the post-war recordings are sad dregs from a once-fine musician. Another tendency indicates that Young’s later recordings are actually much more experimental and exploratory as he attempts to come to terms with the rise of bebop (a music he is credited with having influenced). Listeners who have heard Young’s classic solos – the 1936 “Lady be Good”(Vol.1) with Jo Jones and Carson Smith, “Jumpin’ at the Woodside”(Vol.4) or “Lester Leaps Again” with Basie (Vol.2) – will have to judge how much of a falling-off is evident in the material on the Savoy sessions (1944-1950). The Aladdin sessions do, however, cover some of his best work as a leader, though some of these are for the singer Helen Humes. Young’s cool, wry approach still seems slightly out of synch with prevailing expectations, though he is absolutely simpatico with Willie Smith, another figure now routinely overlooked in accounts of how jazz developed into its modern phase.

The big pluses on the Aladdin collection are a rare glimpse of the 1942 Los Angeles session with Nat Cole (Vol 1 & 2), and an instrumental “Riffin’ Without Helen”, made as part of the Humes session presumably while she was off. Penguin Guide. Young's solos in "These Foolish Things"(1945, Vol. 3); "It's Only a Paper Moon" (1946, Vol. 3) and the blues "Easy Does It" (1947, in this Vol. 4) are classics, and the presence of a wild bop trumpetist, Shorty McConnell, in the last tracks pushes the music firmly towards Bop Kingdom. These records illustrate perfectly, as none other, the transition between swing and Bebop.M

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01 - Too Marvelous for Words
02 - 'Deed I Do
03 - Encore
04 - Polka Dots and Moonbeams		play
05 - Up And At'em
06 - Three Little Words
07 - Count Every Star
08 - It All Depends on You
09 - Neenah
10 - Jeepers Creepers
11 - Thou Swell
12 - September in the Rain			play
13 - Undercover (Girl) Blues
14 - Frenesí
15 - Pete's Café
16 - Little Pee Blues
17 - A Foggy Day
18 - In a Little Spanish Town
19 - Let's Fall in Love
20 - Down 'n' At'em
21 - Lester Swings
22 - Slow Motion Blues

Lester Young
Featured: Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Buddy Rich, John Lewis, 
Joe Shulman, Bill Clarke, Gene Ramey, and Jo Jones.

Towards the end of the forties, a significant change occurred in Lester Young's way of playing, perhaps more drastic than that which had taken place between 1942 and 1943, when little by little his sound began to darken. It was now recovering to some extent something of the brightness which had characterised his first recordings, although at the same time his physical and mental state deteriorated. Two aspects were now acquiring more importance for him: his love for ballads, including Frank Sinatra and Jo Stafford songs, to which he gave increasing value to the lyrics; and the quality of his accompanists.

Thus, in the session with Hank Jones he interprets "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" with unusual candour, fully demonstrating his vulnerability. About the three sessions with John Lewis, Gunther Schuller wrote: "I am convinced that Lewis was Lester's favourite pianist..... the seventeen sides Lester recorded with Lewis are to his late discography like rays of sunshine are after days of overcast skies" ---J. G. Calvados

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