Lester Young

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Lester Willis Young, nicknamed “Prez” (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. He is remembered as one of the finest of the players on his instrument and for much of the hipster ethos which came to be attached to jazz. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie’s orchestra, Young is remembered as one of the finest, most influential players on his instrument, playing with a cool tone and sophisticated harmonies.

Since the days of Joe “King” Oliver, jazz has bestowed lofty titles upon its ace practitioners. Bessie Smith graduated from “Queen of the Blues” to “Empress of the Blues,” Benny Goodman was proclaimed “King of Swing”, there was a “Duke” Ellington, a “Count” Basie, and Lester Young was dubbed Prez (short for president, a title given to him by Billie Holiday). “We called my mother ‘the Duchess,’” Holiday said in a 1959 interview, “so he named me ‘Lady Day’ and I called him ‘Prez’—we were the royal family.”[3] It has been suggested that Young was called “Prez” long before meeting her, but there is no evidence of this.

Young was viewed as an eccentric by those he chose to exclude from his circle (those he did not trust). He did so by creating his own language that his friends could understand, that might baffle outsiders. Those on the outside viewed it as a rococo and often inscrutable personal slang
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  • RaulLipschitz

    the Keynote recordings are just.....perfect music.

    Wednesday morning

  • ksjn

    The original black Prez of America.

    last month

  • mtw900

    Happy President's Day!

    February 2012

  • bernarducs

    I can to live just with his music.

    November 2011

  • Druid66

    Prez was one of the indelible ones -- watch "Round Midnight" to see a version of him.

    August 2011

  • strajnic

    Cool!

    March 2011

  • ginandjukes

    @ Mezzanine - Pick up some of his early stuff. I'd suggest either the Commodore or Keynote recordings. Many argue he was a different (better?) player before his 50s Verve (Norgran, Clef) recordings.

    February 2011

  • Mezzanine_

    i'd like a sugestion, i have only one cd by Prez, which is Prez and Teddy Wilson Quartet, which should i get next? I've listened to this one over and over again

    January 2011
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