Lee Young RIP

[Gordokae]

----- Original Message -----

From: Jack Tracy

To: 20s-to-50sPopMusic ; JazzWestCoast ; Songbirds

Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2008 4:17 PM

Subject: [JWC] Lee Young R.I.P.

Drummer Lee Young, West Coast jazz giant and brother of Lester, has died at 91, I was told today by his close friend, Dave Pell. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Jack Tracy

__._,_.___

Lee Young (born 7 March 1917) is an American jazz drummer and singer.

Young was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His older brother was famed saxophonist Lester Young.

In 1944 he was the drummer at Norman Granz's first Jazz at the Philharmonic concert, which also featured guitarist Les Paul, trombonist J.J. Johnson, and saxophonist Jean-Baptiste "Illinois" Jacquet, amongst others.

He played with such jazz and swing music notables as Mutt Carey, Fats Waller, Les Hite, Benny Goodman, and Lionel Hampton.

In the 1950s he played with Nat King Cole's trio.

From the 1960s on he worked as an artist & repertory man for such record labels as Vee-Jay and Motown.

[jazzbo]

We had him a long time. RIP Lee.

[Dan Gould]

We had him a long time. RIP Lee.

True but its extra sad to lose one of the last living, personal links to Pres.

[mmilovan]

RIP Lee.

He was marvelous drummer, but it seems no one really cared for it...

[mikeweil]

Couldn't say it better, Dan.

R.I.P.

[Chuck Nessa]

We have lost a solid member of an historical music family. We were all enriched and we all lose now. Thank you to the Young family from New Orleans.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

this is not enough information about this west coast jazz legend/// who else did he play with? was he active as late as the 60s/70s/beyond? famous lps hes on? etc?

[Durium]

LEE YOUNG

Lee Young (scroll down)

Keep swinging

Durium

[Big Beat Steve]

LEE YOUNG

Lee Young (scroll down)

Keep swinging

Durium

RIP Lee. I feel he was underrated as a drummer.

It seems some reviewers did not like his style of timekeeping at all. I remember reading rather lukewarm assessments of his playing in album notes to some of those early JATP concerts. Unfounded, I feel.

And it is to his credit that he was able to pull the strings together business-wise where his brother Prez, always the artist, was up in the clouds (as in their co-led combo of the 40s).

BTW, I wasn't aware he was on that recording with Frantic Fay Thomas. An extremely odd piece of R&B. Her singing at times sounds as if she was gargling underwater! :D

[king ubu]

Sad news, though to be honest I wasn't aware he was still around - I think I first heard him on Nat Cole's "After Midnight" sessions, several years before I first heard Pres...

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i knew he was around becasue i think a few yrs ago he participated in some of the WCJ conventions they have at the long beach convention center, like in one of the panel discussions or something like that. but i dont think i have him on many records--does anyone have any solid info re- lps he was on?

[mikeweil]

... and is(are) there any recording(s) that best represent(s) his playing style?

[Niko]

rip

time to link to his excellent oral history interview by steven isoardi again...

[mikeweil]

Great!!! Thanks, Niko!

[Big Beat Steve]

... and is(are) there any recording(s) that best represent(s) his playing style?

He was on lots of JATP sessions in the 40s; as for his other sideman appearances, somebody who can do a name search on arecent searchable version fo teh Bruynincks or Lord discographies will probably yield a lot.

IIRC the complaints about his playing style at those JATP sessions that I mentioned above were related to his timekeeping that relied on the drum instead of the cymbals (something that wasn't nearly as evident on other sessions with him that I've heard). To some it must have appeared a bit old-fashioned by the second half of the 40s (I prefer the Jo Jones/Kenny Clarke schools too, but if people can dig the on-the-beat clobbering of Gene Krupa then Lee Young definitely had a lighter and more sympathetic touch than THAT. ).

[king ubu]

Yes, he's indeed... special on the JATP sides. But on those Nat Cole albums (I think he's on "Penthouse Serenade" as well), he's perfectly fine! And "After Midnight" is highly recommended, some of the best later Cole, with guests Willie Smith, Sweets Edison, Stuff Smith and Juan Tizol (one at the time, each has three plus a CD bonus track, I think).

[king ubu]

and thanks Niko for that link - just made use of the fast (and paper-saving, 2-on-1 and double-sided) printer at work

[mmilovan]

@Big Beat Steve.

your point about Lee comparing to Krupa is so close to the real - I always thought that Krupa is not so far from his Chicago style influences.

Lee is lot more lightweight, and somewhere I've read people respect him for his brushwork!!!

[mmilovan]

There are some more photographs:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...mp;#entry739669

[mmilovan]

LEE YOUNG

Lee Young (scroll down)

Keep swinging

Durium

Durium,

is there some way we can hear that record? Thanks.

[Big Beat Steve]

LEE YOUNG

Lee Young (scroll down)

Keep swinging

Durium

Durium,

is there some way we can hear that record? Thanks.

It was reissued several times:

On an LP on the Solid Sender label (in a series called "Small Label Gems from the 40s", I think - will have to check at home), and also on various compilation CDs.

But check this first:

http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/ImInTown.htm

[mmilovan]

Thank you!!! Red Callender really cooks on these!

Edited August 4, 2008 by mmilovan

[JSngry]

... and is(are) there any recording(s) that best represent(s) his playing style?

He was on lots of JATP sessions in the 40s; as for his other sideman appearances, somebody who can do a name search on arecent searchable version fo teh Bruynincks or Lord discographies will probably yield a lot.

IIRC the complaints about his playing style at those JATP sessions that I mentioned above were related to his timekeeping that relied on the drum instead of the cymbals (something that wasn't nearly as evident on other sessions with him that I've heard). To some it must have appeared a bit old-fashioned by the second half of the 40s (I prefer the Jo Jones/Kenny Clarke schools too, but if people can dig the on-the-beat clobbering of Gene Krupa then Lee Young definitely had a lighter and more sympathetic touch than THAT. ).

Not just his style is...uh..."debatable", but sometimes his time makes those Dali melting watches seem like the atomic clock by comparison.

I've also read things implying that he had an inflated sense of of both drumming ability & self-importance. One quote (I forget who) refered to him as "a joke".

But then again...

His playing onthe Nat sides is always cool, and he was Nat's road drummer for many, many years. That wouldn't have happened if he really sucked.

Plus, his ongoing work on the business side of the business ( http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...knfrxqedldde~T1 ) must be noted, and, probably, respected overall.

So who knows? Maybe he went through a rough spell, or spells, and came out of it/them ok.

[Fer Urbina]

Cannot check at the moment, but IIRC he did a more than decent job with brushes on a very fast I Know That You Know with Nat King Cole in the After Midnight album.

Also, he's been reported to be 91 when he died, but have read elsewhere that he was born in 1914.

F

[mmilovan]

Not just his style is...uh..."debatable", but sometimes his time makes those Dali melting watches seem like the atomic clock by comparison.

Any records/recordings to listen to that?

Hear nothing wrong with his druming either on Lee&Lester Band, JATP, or Nat Cole dates.

Edited August 4, 2008 by mmilovan