Lester Young • 100 Years - Forever Young

 

You can’t overestimate Lester Young’s importance on the development of modern jazz. His superb melodic gift and logical phrasing and smooth, flowing lines were the inspiration for most of the jazz musicians regardless of instruments born after 1920. (Lester Young born 1909) As Johnny Griffin said to Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis: There are five tenor saxophonists that have made the styles we all get our inspiration from: Chu Berry, Don Byas, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. All the tracks on these two CD’s are from the fifties. Three of the sessions are unissued and on one track Oh! Lady Be Good young Miles Davis is on trumpet. It was recorded on a European tour Lester and Miles did in 1956.
https://www.storyvillerecords.com/products/forever-young-1038414



 In October 1944, Lester Young, one of the most influential saxophonists in jazz, was inducted into the US army. In the 15 months that followed he was subjected to blatant racial prejudice then court martialed for possession of marijuana and alcohol and sentenced to a year in a detention barracks. He returned to civilian life severely traumatized. As a result, the received wisdom is it's not worth listening to recordings made by Young after his discharge.

This 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 on trumpet and backed by a rhythm section led by John Lewis on piano. There follows a rather shrill "Too Marvellous For Words," recorded at Birdland two years later, with Horace Silver on piano.

The next six tracks come from George Wein's Storyville Club in Boston, with Gildo Mahones on piano. Mahones, who played with Young for two years, has his moments, in particular on "Just You, Just Me" and "It's Only A Paper Moon." Young approaches the latter in rather desultory fashion but picks up considerably for his two solos. He goes on to turn in excellent versions of "I Cover The Waterfront" and "Up And At 'Em."

All 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 on trumpet.

Young is on very good form too on three numbers with Idrees Sulieman, recorded at Cafe Bohemia, again in 1956.

Forever young he wasn't. The Prez was only human... but always interesting.
By CHRIS MOSEY - May 15, 2010
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/100-years-forever-young-lester-young-storyville-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

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No se puede sobrestimar la importancia de Lester Young en el desarrollo del jazz moderno. Su magnífico don melódico, su fraseo lógico y sus líneas suaves y fluidas fueron la inspiración para la mayoría de los músicos de jazz, independientemente de los instrumentos, nacidos después de 1920. (Lester Young nació en 1909) Como dijo Johnny Griffin a Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis: Hay cinco saxofonistas tenores que han creado los estilos en los que todos nos inspiramos: Chu Berry, Don Byas, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins y Lester Young. Todos los temas de estos dos CD son de los años cincuenta. Tres de las sesiones son inéditas y en una de ellas, Oh! Lady Be Good, el joven Miles Davis toca la trompeta. Se grabó en una gira europea que Lester y Miles hicieron en 1956.
https://www.storyvillerecords.com/products/forever-young-1038414



 En octubre de 1944, Lester Young, uno de los saxofonistas más influyentes del jazz, fue reclutado por el ejército estadounidense. En los 15 meses que siguieron, fue sometido a flagrantes prejuicios raciales y luego sometido a un consejo de guerra por posesión de marihuana y alcohol y condenado a un año en un cuartel de detención. Regresó a la vida civil gravemente traumatizado. Por ello, la opinión generalizada es que no merece la pena escuchar las grabaciones realizadas por Young después de su licenciamiento.

Este doble álbum de programas de radio y conciertos demuestra lo contrario. Es cierto que el sonido es variable y que hay algunos anuncios irritantes y mal cortados, pero hay muchas pruebas de que, si bien en los años 50 Lester no siempre saltaba con la misma habilidad que antes de que el Tío Sam se apoderara de él, todavía podía cortar... y cortar bastante bien.

Los primeros cinco temas son de Birdland en 1951. En todos ellos, especialmente en el primero, "Indiana", y en su propio "D.B. Blues" (D.B. significa "detention barracks"), Young da buena cuenta de sí mismo. Está ayudado por el competente pero poco destacable Jesse Drakes a la trompeta y respaldado por una sección rítmica liderada por John Lewis al piano. Le sigue un "Too Marvellous For Words" bastante estridente, grabado en Birdland dos años después, con Horace Silver al piano.

Los siguientes seis temas proceden del Storyville Club de George Wein en Boston, con Gildo Mahones al piano. Mahones, que tocó con Young durante dos años, tiene sus momentos, en particular en "Just You, Just Me" y "It's Only A Paper Moon". Young aborda esta última de forma bastante desordenada, pero mejora considerablemente en sus dos solos. Continúa con excelentes versiones de "I Cover The Waterfront" y "Up And At 'Em".

Todos los demás temas fueron grabados en 1956, cuando Young estaba en buena forma, tras el tratamiento hospitalario por una crisis nerviosa. Los temas grabados en Zurich incluyen una encantadora y perezosa versión de "Polka Dots And Moonbeams", seguida de enérgicas tomas de "Three Little Words" y "Lester Leaps In" y culminan con una versión más bien apagada de "Oh, Lady Be Good" con Miles Davis a la trompeta.

Young también está en muy buena forma en tres números con Idrees Sulieman, grabados en el Café Bohemia, de nuevo en 1956.

No era joven para siempre. El Prez era sólo humano... pero siempre interesante.
Por CHRIS MOSEY - 15 de mayo de 2010
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/100-years-forever-young-lester-young-storyville-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php


www.storyvillerecords.com ...

 

Tracklist
1-1 - Indiana -
1-2 - A Ghost Of A Chance -
1-3 - How High The Moon -
1-4 - D.B. Blues -
1-5 - Lullaby Of Birdland / Up And At'em -
1-6 - Too Marvellous For Words -
1-7 - Lullaby Of Birdland -
1-8 - Just You, Just Me -
1-9 - It's Only A Papermoon -
1-10 - Speak -
1-11 - I Cover The Waterfront -
1-12 - Up And At'Em -
1-13 - Three Little Words -
1-14 - I Cover The Waterfront -
1-15 - D.B.Blues -
2-1 - Lester's Mop Mop Blues -
2-2 - Tea For Two -
2-3 - Polka Dots And Moonbeams -
2-4 - Three Little Words -
2-5 - Lester Leaps In -
2-6 - Oh, Lady Be Good -
2-7 - Oh, Lady Be Good -
2-8 - Lester's Mop Mop Blues -
2-9 - Jumpin' With Symphony Sid -
2-10 - Lullaby Of Birdland -
2-11 - Lester Leaps In -
2-12 - These Foolish Things -
2-13 - Three Little Words -
2-14 - Pennies Form Heaven -
2-15 - Polka Dots And Moonbeams -
2-16 - Indiana


Credits:
 CD1
(a)  Jesse Drakes (tp) Lester Young (ts) John Lewis (p) Gene Ramey (b) Jo Jones (dr)
(b)  Jessie Drakes (tp) Lester Young (ts) Horace Silver (p) Franklin Skeets (b) Connie Kay (dr)
(c) Jesse Drakes (tp) Lester Young (ts) Gildo Mahones (p) Connie Henry (b) Connie Kaydr)
(d)Lester Young (ts) Rene Urtreger (p) Pierre Michelot (b) Christian Garros (dr)

CD2
(a)  Unknown (tp) Lester Young (ts) Bill Triglia (p) Gene Ramey (b) Gus Johnson (dr)
(b)  Miles Davis (tp) Lester Young (ts) Rene Urtreger (p) Pierre Michelot (b) Christian Garros (dr)
(c) Lester Young (ts) Earl Swope (tb)Bill Pots (p) Norman Williams (b) Jim Lutch (dr)
(d)Idrees Sulieman (tp) Lester Young (ts) Sinclair Raney (p) Gene Ramey (b) Willie Jones (dr) (e)Lester Young (ts) Sinclair Raney (p) Gene Ramey (b) Willie Jones (dr)


Label: Storyville Records ‎– 103 8414
Country: Europe
Released: 2010
Genre: Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/Lester-Young-100-Years-Forever-Young/release/14877906

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