Young, Lester
Allegro, 2003, CD
Instrument: Saxophone
Issue: 9.3
Jazz Ruler Type: Swing
Performance: 4
Sound: 3
Score: 
O’s Notes: This is large ensemble swing in the 1936-1948 time frame. When you said sax to a jazz fan, Lester Young, The President, was the answer. Not everyone liked his lighter floating sound initially but all came to respect his signature. He had an unpleasant stay in the Army that led to a year in military prison. When he re-entered the music world, he was depressed and drank heavily. He was recognized for his genius and inspired many young sax players in the 1950s (Getz, Sims…). He died at 49 but left us a lot, chronicled nicely on this collection.