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Lester Young: The Lester Young Collection 1936-47 (CD: Acrobat)Lester Young: The Lester Young Collection 1936-47 (CD: Acrobat)
This is part of a mini-series on our competitively priced budget label Fabulous under the banner of Jazz Legends, presenting some of great and influential names of jazz, with recordings drawn from the classic era of the genre’s development between 1920 and 1950. Lester Young was one of the great tenor sax stylists, as well as an fine clarinettist (notably with Billie Holiday) and had a huge influence on his peers and those who followed, his smooth, elegant, free-flowing phrases giving his music a relaxed and cool flavour. He was closely associated with the Kansas City scene and most especially with Count Basie, whose bands he played with for several extended periods over the years. This great value 24-track collection starts with his earliest recordings and traces the first decade of his career, including a gap in 1944-5 when he was in the US Army and imprisoned in detention barracks for a year for marijuana possession, the inspiration for “DB Blues”. It includes examples of not only his work with Basie, Teddy Wilson and Billie Holiday, but also the groups which he led himself, so it is an interesting cross-section of material, showing how his sound and style developed through this period. It also features many other top flight musicians of the time. (Acrobat Music) 


Price:  £4.99 


Lester Young: Kansas City Sax - The Complete Kansas City Mastertakes (CD: Jasmine)
Forever associated with Kansas City, the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young joined forces with Count Basie between 1938-1944 to create some of the most distinctive sounds in swing. Young participated in four separate recording sessions with the 'Kansas City' tag, each capturing perfectly the balance of soloists with on-the-hoof structure that was the hallmark of the city's legendary jam sessions. This compilation pools together all the master takes from these four studio sessions and also includes the 'Kansas City Six' set from John Hammond's 1939 'From Spirituals To Swing' presentation at Carnegie Hall.

These small group recordings collected together some of the finest talents of the era, including Buck Clayton (trumpet), Dicky Wells (trombone), Joe Bushkin (piano), Freddie Green (guitar) and Jo Jones (drums). (Proper Music) 


Price:  £11.99 

Lester Young: Kansas City Sax - The Complete Kansas City Mastertakes (CD: Jasmine)


Lester Young: Lester Leaps Again (CD: Naxos Jazz Legends)Lester Young: Lester Leaps Again (CD: Naxos Jazz Legends)
 


Price:  £11.99 


Lester Young: The Complete Aladdin Recordings (CD: Essential Jazz Classics, 2 CDs)
This glorious 2CD set presents the great Lester Young’s complete sessions for the small Aladdin label, 1942-1947, which were made right after the saxophonist’s release from prison and dishonourable discharge from the U.S. Army. Legend has it he was never the same after his experiences in the military, yet Young’s playing throughout these recordings exceeds even his own high standards.

Lester Young, tenor sax on all tracks - with : Willie Smith (as), Howard McGhee (tp),Vic Dickenson (tb), Nat King Cole, Joe Albany, Dodo Marmarosa (p), Chuck Wayne, Dave Barbour (g), Red Callender (b), Chico Hamilton, Roy Haynes, Tiny Kahn (d), among others.

As a bonus to the Aladdin sessions, also included is the studio session (8 tracks) by Lester with Nat King Cole & Buddy Rich, recorded for Norman Granz for his label Norgran in 1946.

A BEBOP SHOP MILESTONE- An essential recording for your jazz CD shelf  


Price:  £17.99 

Lester Young: The Complete Aladdin Recordings (CD: Essential Jazz Classics, 2 CDs)


Lester Young: Lester Young Trio (CD: Verve- US Import)Lester Young: Lester Young Trio (CD: Verve- US Import)
 


Price:  £13.99 


Lester Young: Four Classic Albums (CD: AVID, 2 CDs)
AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Lester Young, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details. "Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio"; "The Lester Young and Buddy Rich Trio"; "Pres & Sweets" and "Pres & Teddy'".

Finally and not before time (you might say), AVID welcomes one of the true giants of jazz to its catalogue, Mr Lester Young, or "Pres" (as named by his long-time friend and musical collaborator, Billie Holiday), as he was known to fellow musicians and fans alike. There is not much to say about Lester Young that has not been said before, he was certainly one of the most influential jazz musicians who ever lived and he really did exemplify the image of the cool jazz musician with his heavy lidded appearance, his famed pork pie hat and the ever present, fag smoke wafting into view. His playing was cool and mellow and brilliant and we have chosen to highlight it in our four albums where he can be heard in collaboration with other great musicians including Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Nat King Cole, Teddy Wilson and Harry "Sweets" Edison. The list of players he has influenced would have to include Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Al Cohn and Paul Quinichette.(AVID Entertainment) 


Price:  £8.99 

Lester Young: Four Classic Albums (CD: AVID, 2 CDs)


Lester Young: Four Classic Albums 2 (CD: AVID, 2 CDs)Lester Young: Four Classic Albums 2 (CD: AVID, 2 CDs)
AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD second release from Lester Young, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details. Having released a fine set by Lester Young (AMSC1307) over two years ago, we thought it was high time to re-visit the great man’s catalogue. This time we have included not only a couple of classic Count Basie titles which heavily feature “Pres” at his absolute prime, but also the formidable classic “The Jazz Giants”.. “Count Basie Kansas City Seven & Lester Young Quartet”; “Blue Lester”; “The Jazz Giants ‘56” and “Count Basie At Newport’”. (AVID Entertainment) 


Price:  £8.99 


Lester Young Quartet with John Lewis & Hank Jones: Collates (CD: Essential Jazz Classics)
While Lester Young's recordings from his final years were erratic due to his in creasing dependence on alcohol (he died in 1959 at the age of 49), his playing was still brilliant on these 1949-51 quartet sessions for Norman Granz. Presented here are his complete original 10" LPs Lester Young Collates (Clef Records MGC-108) and Lester Young Collates No.2 (Clef Records MGC-124), on which he was backed alternatively by pianists John Lewis and Hank Jones. Nine more songs from the same sessions have been added as a bonus. (Proper Music) 


Price:  £12.99 

Lester Young Quartet with John Lewis & Hank Jones: Collates (CD: Essential Jazz Classics)


Lester Young: The Jazz Giants (CD: Verve- US Import)Lester Young: The Jazz Giants (CD: Verve- US Import)
 


Price:  £13.99 


Lester Young: Lester Swings (CD: Verve)
 


Price:  £9.99 

Lester Young: Lester Swings (CD: Verve)


Lester Young: With The Oscar Peterson Trio (CD: Verve- US Import)Lester Young: With The Oscar Peterson Trio (CD: Verve- US Import)
 


Price:  £13.99 


Lester Young & Teddy Wilson Quartet: Pres And Teddy (CD: Essential Jazz Classics)
This edition presents the complete original 1956 album 'Pres & Teddy' (Verve MG V-8205), reuniting Lester with his old musical companions Teddy Wilson, Gene Ramey and Jo Jones. Produced by Norman Granz, this was one of the last albums by Lester in his "swinging" prime. Includes 12 bonus tracks from two other quartet sessions by Lester. Recorded in 1951, they also feature Ramey and Jones, with John Lewis replacing Wilson on piano. The 12-page booklet features rare photos, memorabilia and updates, as well as the original liner notes. (Proper Music) 


Price:  £12.99 

Lester Young & Teddy Wilson Quartet: Pres And Teddy (CD: Essential Jazz Classics)


Lester Young & Harry Edison: Going For Myself (CD: Essential Jazz Classics)Lester Young & Harry Edison: Going For Myself (CD: Essential Jazz Classics)
This release presents the complete original LP 'Going for Myself' (Verve MGV-8298), recorded in 1957-58 and reuniting Lester Young and Harry "Sweets" Edison. This was one of Pres' last studio albums ever. Backing Pres and Sweets are superb musicians like Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones and Herb Ellis. 5 bonus tracks have been added to the contents of the original album, including three alternate takes and two tunes not included on the originally issued set. Includes an 8-page booklet with rare photos, memorabilia and updates, as well as the original liner notes. (Proper Music) 


Price:  £12.99 


Lester Young: Pres In Europe (CD: Highnote)
 


Price:  £13.99 

Lester Young: Pres In Europe (CD: Highnote)


Lester Young: In Washington, Vol.2 (CD: Pablo- US Import)Lester Young: In Washington, Vol.2 (CD: Pablo- US Import)
If Lester Young never duplicated his revolutionary artistry of 1936, neither was he a burnt-out case in 1956; far from it. He ended an active and successful year with a week at Olivia's Patio Lounge in Washington, D.C. Bill Potts, who led the accompanying trio, coaxed, cajoled, and bribed the great tenor saxophonist into letting him record much of the engagement for private use. When the music was finally put on LP records 24 years later, it was a revelation to those who had dismissed Young's later work. Circumstances, not ability, sometimes led Pres to play by rote. At Olivia's, the circumstances let him relax. He opened all of his mastery of melody, swing, tone, and rhythmic nuance to produce some of the best playing of his final decade. This second compact disc of the four volumes includes superb versions of pieces from Young's standard repertoire and his only known full-scale treatment of "Lullaby of Birdland." (Fantasy, Inc.) 


Price:  £15.49 


Lester Young: In Washington, Vol.3 (CD: Pablo- US Import)
One of the delights of the last phrase of Lester Young's career is the cache of recordings made during his 1956 engagement at Olivia's Patio Lounge in Washington, D.C. The rhythm section led by pianist Bill Potts was just the kind Pres liked and too seldom had in his latter years. Potts, bassist Norman Williams, and drummer Jim Lucht were content to provide Young a supply of correct chords and a firm delineation of the time. They thrust upon him none of the rhythmic complications with which other young musicians of the bop era sometimes frustrated Young, causing him to retreat into rote playing. Here, his solos often recall the freshness and daring of Pres's early days. The tunes come from Young's more or less constant repertoire and include "Sometimes I'm Happy" with a reprise of the tag from his famous 1943 recording. (Fantasy, Inc.) 


Price:  £15.49 

Lester Young: In Washington, Vol.3 (CD: Pablo- US Import)

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