Lester Young was the most influential jazz artist after Louis Armstrong and before Charlie Parker. Lester's first recorded solos on "Shoe Shine Boy" and "Oh, Lady Be Good" sent shockwaves through the jazz world of 1936. He was a tenor saxophonist with a light and buoyant tone, playing hopscotch with bar lines and beat in solos that power along without melodrama. These 85 tracks tell the story of one of jazz's great story-tellers.
 

The Lester Young Story - Young, Lester  

Disc 1

1. Shoe Shine Boy 2:58
2. Oh, Lady Be Good 3:07
3. This Year's Kisses 3:07
4. Easy Living 2:59
5. My, Myself And I 2:30
6. A Sailboat In The Moon Light 2:46
7. One O'clock Jump 3:01
8. When You're Smiling 2:36
9. Every Tub 3:10
10. Swinging The Blues 2:42
11. Doggin' Around 3:01
12. Jumpin' At The Woodside 3:06
13. I Can't Get Started 3:06
14. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans 2:55
15. Countless Blues 2:57
16. I Want A Little Girl 2:50
17. Shorty George 2:46
18. Pannassie Stomp 2:47
19. You Can Depend On Me 3:11
20. Cherokee, Pt 1 & 2 6:11
21. Jive At Five 2:54
22. Taxi War Dance 2:47
23. Pound Cake 2:41
24. Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie 2:26

Disc 2

1. Dickie's Dream 3:06
2. Lester Leaps In 3:10
3. Tickle Toe 2:37
4. Ad-Lib Blues 3:19
5. I Never Knew 2:53
6. Lester's Dream 3:17
7. Broadway 2:55
8. Tickle Toe 6:19
9. Taxi War Dance 5:31
10. Blitzkrieg Baby (You Can't Bomb Me) 3:23
11. Beautiful Eyes 3:06
12. Things About Coming My Way 3:01
13. Just Jivin' Around 2:53
14. All Of Me 3:58
15. I Can't Get Started 4:53
16. Tea For Two 4:45
17. Body And Soul 5:08
18. Hello Babe 3:04
19. Just You, Just Me 3:04
20. Afternoon Of A Basie-Ite 3:07

Disc 3

1. Sometimes I'm Happy 3:05
2. After Theatre Jump 4:47
3. Six Cats And A Prince 5:15
4. Lester Leaps Again 4:24
5. Destination K.C. Clayton 4:49
6. I Got Rhythm 3:05
7. Poor Little Plaything 2:55
8. Exercise In Swing 3:00
9. Salute To Fats 3:21
10. Blue Lester (Lester's Blues) 3:20
11. Ghost Of A Chance 3:20
12. Jump, Lester Jump 3:15
13. Midnight Symphony 1:57
14. D.B. Blues 2:57
15. Lester Blows Again 2:30
16. These Foolish Things 3:06
17. Jumpin' At Mesner's 2:40
18. Back To The Land 3:52
19. I Cover The Waterfront 3:41
20. I've Found A New Baby 5:04
21. I Want To Be Happy 3:57

Disc 4

1. It's Only A Paper Moon 3:04
2. Lover Come Back To Me 2:37
3. You're Driving Me Crazy 3:02
4. Lester's Be-Bop Boogie 3:11
5. She's Funny That Way 3:17
6. Sunday 2:22
7. S.M. Blues 3:00
8. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid 3:10
9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street 2:57
10. Sax-O-Be-Bop 2:57
11. Just Cooling 2:56
12. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) 2:30
13. East Of The Sun 3:07
14. The Sheik Of Araby 2:28
15. Something To Remember You By 2:43
16. Ding Dong 2:25
17. Blues 'N' Bells 2:22
18. Lester Leaps In 12:14
19. Embraceable You 10:22 Discography

Disc One

Jones - Smith Incorporated : Carl Smith, tp; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

Chicago, October 9, 1936.

C1657-1 SHOE SHINE BOY Vocalion 3441

C1660 LADY BE GOOD Vocalion 3459

Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Lester Young, ts; Teddy Wilson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.

New York, January 25, 1937.

20569-2 THIS YEARâ??S KISSES Brunswick 7824

Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Buster Bailey, cl; Lester Young, ts; Teddy Wilson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.

New York, June 1, 1937.

21218-2 EASY LIVING Brunswick 7911

Billie Holiday & her Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Edmond Hall, cl; Lester Young, ts; James Sherman, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.

New York, June 15, 1937.

21249-2 ME, MYSELF AND I Vocalion 3593

21250-1 A SAILBOAT IN THE

MOONLIGHT Vocalion 3605

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Bobby Moore, tp; George Hunt, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Herschel Evans, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Harry "Buster" Smith, arr.

New York, July 7, 1937.

62332-A ONE ONâ??CLOCK JUMP Decca 1363

Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Benny Morton, tb; Lester Young, ts; Teddy Wilson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.

New York, January 6, 1938.

22194-3 WHEN YOUâ??RE SMILING Brunswick 8070

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, tp; Eddie Durham, George Hunt, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Herschel Evans, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, February 16, 1938.

63287-A EVERY TUB Decca 1728

63289-A SWINGING THE BLUES Decca 1880

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above, but Benny Morten, tb replaces Hunt, Herschel Evans, arr.

New York, June 6, 1938.

63920-A A DOGGINâ?? AROUND Decca 1965

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above, but Dickie Wells, td, replaces Durham.

New York, August 22, 1938.

64474-A A JUMPINâ?? AT THE WOODSIDE Decca 2212

Billie Holiday & her Orchestra : Buck Clayton, tp; Dickie Wells, ts; Lester Young, ts; Queenie Johnson, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Billie Holiday, voc.

New York, September 15, 1938.

23468-1 I CANâ??T GET STARTED Vocalion 4457

Kansas City Six : Buck Clayton, tp; Lester Young, cl, ts; Eddie Durham, el-g; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, September 27, 1938.

23421-2 WAY DOWN YONDER IN
NEW ORLEANS Commodore 512

23422-2 COUNTLESS BLUES Commodore 509

23424-1 I WANT A LITTLE GIRL Commodore 509

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, tp; Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Herschel Evans, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, November 16, 1938.

64747-A SHORTY GEORGE Decca 2325

64750-A PANNASSIE STOMP Decca 2224

Count Basie Sextet : Shad Collins, tp; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Jimmy Rushing, voc.

New York, February 2, 1939.

64978-A YOU CAN DEPEND ON ME Decca 2631

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Shad Collins, tp; Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Lester Young, Chu Berry, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, February 3, 1939.

64979-A CHEROKEE, PT 1. Decca 2406

64980-A CHEROKEE, PT 2. Decca 2406

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above.

New York, February 4, 1939.

64982-A JIVE AT FIVE Decca 2922

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Shad Collins, Harry Edison, tp; Dickie Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor, ts; Earl Warren, as; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, March 19, 1939.

24242-1 TAXI WAR DANCE Vocalion 4748

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above, but add Ed Lewis, tp.

Chicago, May 19, 1939.

WC-2597-C POUND CAKE Vocalion 5085

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Same as above; Jimmy Mundy, arr.

New York, August 4, 1939.

24981-A CLAP HANDS, HERE COMES CHARLIE Vocalion 5085

Disc Two

Count Basieâ??s Kansas City Seven : Buck Clayton, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, September 5, 1939.

25296-1 DICKIEâ??S DREAM Vocalion 5118

25297-1 LESTER LEAPS IN Vocalion 5118

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Harry Edison, Al Killian, tp; Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Andy Gibson, arr.

New York, March 19, 1940.

26656-1 TICKLE TOE Columbia 35521

Benny Goodman Octet : Buck Clayton, tp; Benny Goodman, cl; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, October 28, 1940.

AD-LIB BLUES Jazz Archives JA-6

I NEVER KNEW Jazz Archives JA-6

LESTERâ??S DREAM Jazz Archives JA-6

Count Basie & his Orchestra : Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Harry Edison, Al Killian, tp; Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson, Dan Minor, tb; Earl Warren, as; Buddy Tate, Lester Young, ts; Jack Washington, bs; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d; Henry Woods, arr.

New York, November 19, 1940.

29090-1 BROADWAY Okeh 6065

Lester Young Band : Shad Collins, tp; Lester Young, ts; John Collins, g; Nick Fenton, b; Harold "Doc" West, d.

WNYC Broadcast, Manhattan Centre, New York, February 15, 1941.

TICKLE TOE

TAXI WAR DANCE

Una Mae Carlisle, voc, acc. by : Shad Collins, tp; Lester Young, ts; Clyde Hart, p; John Collins, g; Nick Fenton, b; Harold "Doc" West, d.

New York, March 10, 1941.

BS 62747-1 BLITZKRIEG BABY

(YOU CANâ??T BOMB ME) Bluebird B11120

BS 62748-1 BEAUTIFUL EYES Bluebird B11096

Sammy Price and his Texas Bluesicians : Shad Collins, Bill Johnson, tp; Don Stovall, as; Lester Young, ts; Sammy Price, p; Harold "Doc" West, d; Yack Taylor, voc.

New York, April, 3, 1941.

68921 THINGS ABOUT COMING MY WAY Decca 8557

68923 JUST JIVINâ?? AROUND Decca 2557

Billie Holiday & her Orchestra : Shad Collins, tp; Eddie Barefield, cl; Les Johnakins, as; Lester Young, ts; Eddie Heywood, p; John Collins, g; Ted Sturges, b; Kenny Clarke, d; Billie Holiday, voc.

New York, March 21, 1941.

29990 ALL OF ME Okeh 6214

Lester Young/Nat King Cole Trio : Lester Young, ts; Nat King Cole, p; Red Callender, b.

Los Angeles, July 15, 1942.

VAN 1001 I CANâ??T GET STARTED Philo 1001

VAN 1002 TEA FOR TWO Philo 1001

VAN 1003 BODY AND SOUL Philo 1000

Dickie Wells & his Orchestra : Bill Coleman, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Ellis Larkins, p; Freddy Green, g; Al Hall, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, December 21, 1943.

T 1920 HELLO BABE Signature 28115

Lester Young Quartet : Lester Young, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Slam Stewart, b; Sid Catlett, d.

New York, December 28, 1943.

HL 1-2 JUST YOU, JUST ME Keynote K 603

HL 3-2 AFTERNOON OF A BASIE-ITE Keynote K 604



Disc Three

Lester Young Quartet : Lester Young, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Slam Stewart, b; Sid Catlett, d.

New York, December 28, 1943.

HL4-1 SOMETIMES Iâ??M HAPPY Keynote K 604

Kansas City Seven : Buck Clayton, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, March 22, 1944.

HL21-2 AFTER THEATRE JUMP Keynote 1302

HL22-3 SIX CATS AND A PRINCE Keynote 1303

HL23-1 LESTER LEAPS AGAIN (Clayton,

Wells Out) Keynote 1302

HL24-2 DESTINATION K.C. Keynote 1303

Kansas City Six : Bill Coleman, tp; Dickie Wells, tb; Lester Young, ts; Joe Bushkin, p; John Simmons, b; Jo Jones, d.

New York, March 28, 1944.

4748 I GOT RHYTHM Commodore 355

Earl Warren & his Orchestra : Joe Newman, Ed Lewis, Al Killian, Harry Edison, tp; Eli Robinson, Dickie Wells, Ted Donelly, Lou Taylor, tb; Earl Warren, as, voc; Jimmy Powell, as; Lester Young, Buddy Tate, ts; Rudy Rutherford, bs; Clyde Hart, p; Freddy Green, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Jo Jones, d; Tadd Dameron, arr.

New York, April 18, 1944.

S5442-1 POOR LITTLE PLAYTHING Savoy 508

Johnny Guarnieriâ??s Swing Men : Billy Butterfield, tp; Hank Dâ??Amico, cl; Lester Young, ts; Johnny Guarnieri, p; Dexter Hall, g; Billy Taylor, b; Cozy Cole, d.

New York, April 18, 1944.

S5447-1 EXERCISE IN SWING Savoy 509

S5448-5 SALUTE TO FATS Savoy 511

Lester Young Quintet : Lester Young, ts; Count Basie, p; Freddy Green, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Shadow Wilson, d.

New York, May 1, 1944.

5754-1 BLUE LESTER Savoy 581

5455-1 GHOST OF A CHANCE Savoy 551

5757-1 JUMP, LESTER JUMP Savoy NG 9002

Harry Edison, tp; Lester Young, ts; Marlowe Morris, p; Barney Kessel, g; Red Callender, b; Sid Catlett, d.

Los Angeles, Summer 1944.

MIDNIGHT SYMPHONY (From the film

"Jamminâ?? The Blues") Jazz Archives JA-18

Lester Young and his Band : Vic Dickenson, tb; Lester Young, ts; Dodo Marmarosa, p; Red Callender, b; Henry Tucker Green, d.

Los Angeles, December 1945.

123A D.B. BLUES Aladdin 123

123B LESTER BLOWS AGAIN Aladdin 123

124A THESE FOOLISH THINGS Aladdin 124

124B JUMPINâ?? AT MESNERâ??S Aladdin 124

Lester Young - Buddy Rich Trio : Lester Young, ts; Nat King Cole, p; Buddy Rich, d.

Los Angeles, December 1945.

348-1 BACK TO THE LAND Norgran 1074

349-2 I COVER THE WATERFRONT Norgran 1074

351-1 Iâ??VE FOUND A NEW BABY Norgran 1074

354-1 I WANT TO BE HAPPY Norgran 1074



Disc Four

Lester Young and his Band : Howard McGhee, tp; Vic Dickenson, tb; Willie Smith, as; Lester Young, ts; Wesley Jones, p; Curtis Counce, b; Johnny Otis, d.

Los Angeles, January 1946.

127A ITâ??S ONLY A PAPER MOON Aladdin 127

128A LOVER COME BACK TO ME Aladdin 128

Lester Young, ts; Joe Albany, p; Irving Ashby, g; Red Callender, b; Chico Hamilton, d.

Los Angeles, August 1946.

137A YOUâ??RE DRIVING ME CRAZY Aladdin 137

138A LESTERâ??S BE-BOP BOOGIE Aladdin 138

138B SHEâ??S FUNNY THAT WAY Aladdin 138

Shorty McConnell, tp (-1); Lester Young, ts; Argonne Thornton, p; Fred Lacey, g; Rodney Richardson, b; Cyndele Marshall, d.

Chicago, February 18, 1947.

46 SUNDAY (-1) Aladdin 162

S.M. BLUES (-1) Aladdin 162

JUMPINâ?? WITH SYMPHONY SID Aladdin 163

51 ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE

STREET Aladdin 164

50 SAX-O-BE-BOP Aladdin 164

Shorty McConnell, tp (-1); Lester Young, ts; Argonne Thornton, p; Fred Lacey, g; Ted Briscoe, b; Roy Haynes, d.

New York, December 28/30, 1947.

JUST COOLING (-1) Aladdin 3057

141 Iâ??M CONFESSINâ?? Aladdin 212

Lester Young, ts; Gene Di Novi, p; Chuck Wayne, g; Curly Russell, b; Tiny Kahn, d.

New York, December 29, 1948.

1021 EAST OF THE SUN Aladdin 3016

1022 THE SHIEK OF ARABY Aladdin 3016

1023 SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

YOU BY Aladdin 3057

Jesse Drakes, tp; Jerry Elliott, tb; Lester Young, ts; Junior Mance, p; Leroy Jackson, b; Roy Haynes, d.

New York, June 23, 1949.

5241-3 DING DONG Savoy 786

5242-3 BLUES â??Nâ?? BELLS Savoy 786

Jazz at the Philharmonic : Roy Eldridge, tp; Tommy Turk, tb; Charlie Parker, as; Flip Phillips, Lester Young, ts; Hank Jones, p; Ray Brown, b; Buddy Rich, d.

Carnegie Hall, New York, September 18, 1949.

C305/C386/C387 LESTER LEAPS IN Mercury/Cleff 11054,

11055, 11056

EMBRACEABLE YOU JATP/CLEF VOL.13