Where do I start with Lester Young?

[hutch head]

I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I don't own any Lester Young recordings. What's the best CD to start with (no box sets and no compilations, please)?

[BruceH]

I'd recommend a single-disc CD called "Kansas City Sessions," a collection of the tracks Prez recorded for the Commodore label. Despite the name, they were recorded in New York City and many of them feature simpatico players from the ranks of the Count Basie Orshestra, but in a small-group setting. If this doesn't get you into Lester Young, I don't know what will.

[wolff]

I have 4 from his later Verve years and I think "Pres and Teddy....The Lester Young - Teddy Wilson Quartet"(MGV-8205) is very good.

[jazzbo]

Good selections as suggestions. Either would serve, the Kansas City Sessions being the one I would favor to recommend.

If you could find it, the Keynote cd would be great, but it can be hard to get one's hands on these days.

And easy to find and not too expensive: any of the Savoy cds out right now would be a good introduction. (Though if you do become the Pres fan I think you will, you'll want the complete two cd set!)

[king ubu]

My collection is not strong on early Prez, but I would heartily recommend that Kansas City disc, as well as the Complete Aladdin set (available from Blue Note, two CDs).

The later Verve recordings are a mixed bag, yet I like many of them very much.

The box is sure NOT the place to start with Young, but it includes some sessions not (yet?) available as single CD reissues (those quartet dates with John Lewis and Gildo Mahones).

ubu

[EKE BBB]

Easy to get and cheap*:

The complete 1936-51 small group sessions (2 box-sets, 4 CD each) on Blue Moon. Only small ensembles (except those with Billie Holiday -they put out another set of Complete Billie Holiday sessions-). Only master takes. Only studio recordings.

Sound´s OK for me (I´m not an audiophile) but I don´t know which is the source for it. Poor booklet -if you can call it booklet-. In the discography-sessionography, there´s no reference to previous releases from other labels.

They sell them as well as separate CDs:

etc...

B) But it smells like Definitive Records, doesn´t it?

* sorry if you think this is for completists and not for newbies on Pres, but as it´s cheap and easily available...

EDIT: ooops, I made some research on freshsoundrecords site and the box-sets are not available at this moment!

And I found it on other on-line merchants... and it´s not so cheap. So, maybe it´s just a bargain at Spanish stores! I picked the two box-sets a year ago for only 50€ (in total).

Edited November 13, 2003 by EKE BBB

[skeith]

Well, you have put a lot of restrictions in your post Hutch head.

The best single Cd on lester young is, in my opinion, the Ken Burns Jazz series - it's a compilation but great picks and the sound is excellent, to my ears.

my favorite Lester Young is with Count Basie 1936-40, but this necessarily involves multi-disc sets either the Decca Box or the Hep labels volumes 1 and 2.

Next favorite is the Aladdin Years, but that is a two disc set - great stuff.

[pryan]

When it comes to guys like Prez who recorded a lot in the pre-Lp days, it's hard to avoid getting compilations or box sets. Sony has a nice comp. out entitled LESTER YOUNG 1936-1943, which features Young in a variety of sessions (some in support of Billie, others with Basie's orchestra, and tracks in smaller combos comprised mainly of "Basieites").

One album that has yet to be discussed is the trio session with Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich, which is available on a Verve cd, called simply LESTER YOUNG TRIO. Also included on this disc is Dexter Gordon's first session as a leader, with LTD sounding very much like the Prez.

Edited November 13, 2003 by pryan

[P.D.]

Pres seems to fall into two categories.. Early with Basie, and Basie small groups and the later verve period.

I have no doubt you will end up wanting more than one CD

SO EKE's Blue Moon suggestion is good for early sessions.. I think there were 5 CDs in all

For the Verve period an absolute must is

Jazz Giants 56

a sextet with Roy Eldridge and Vic Dickenson ( if you are not into those two this CD should convert you to them)

and the companion disc by Pres and the Jazz Giants Rhythm section recorded the following day.. mentioned above

Pres and Teddy

[BruceH]

One album that has yet to be discussed is the trio session with Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich, which is available on a Verve cd, called simply LESTER YOUNG TRIO.

I've got to second this. A fantastic session. (I've got it on LP but couldn't remember the name of the CD issue.)

The complete Aladdin sessions is great too, if you care to stretch a point and get a 2-disc set.

[JSngry]

As a bonus on that Trio CD, you also get Dexter Gordon's first date as leader, from 1944, when he was VERY much under the sway of Prez.

[BeBop]

Lots of good advice/recommendations. Whatever you do, get SOMETHING. Some of the best music ever, IMHO.

My preferences are toward the Kansas City sessions and anything with Basie. Oh yeah, and the stuff with Billie. It's all great.

[pryan]

As a bonus on that Trio CD, you also get Dexter Gordon's first date as leader, from 1944, when he was VERY much under the sway of Prez.

As I previously noted...

[JSngry]

Did I do that?

Sorry.

[catesta]

For the Verve period an absolute must is

Jazz Giants 56

a sextet with Roy Eldridge and Vic Dickenson ( if you are not into those two this CD should convert you to them)

and the companion disc by Pres and the Jazz Giants Rhythm section recorded the following day.. mentioned above

Pres and Teddy

Hell yeah!

These will do it.

[Brad]

The first 2 Pres cds I had were Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio on Verve and the aforementioned KC Sessions, which is simply awesome. So why not start there?