Weekend Extra: Lester Young

David Meeker's filmography entry for Art Ford, October 2, 1958, at the Library of Congress does not mention "Polka Dots…", but it looks as though it's the same program, which would mean that Paretti is the drummer (Barry Miles was about 11 years old at the time).

21. "Blues in the night" by Johnny Mercer,
Harold Arlen, "Just one of those things" by
Cole Porter (SS).

21. Rex Stewart, cornet; Nick Travis, trumpet;
Wilbur De Paris, trombone; King Curtis, Lester
Young, tenor sax; Rolf Kuhn, Bob McGarry,
clarinet; Ray Bryant, piano; Harry Sheppard,
vibraphone; Vinnie Burke, acoustic double
bass; John Paretti, Barry Miles, drums; Sylvia
Sims, vocal.

I really enjoyed your bit with Lester, and the link to jazz in the 1950s. It brought back memories. This was the time when jazz captured me. I wonder if people realize how much creativity was occuring then at all levels,- TV with its live shows, art with Pollock, and of course the Beat poets and writers. I believe David Halberstram wrote a book about this era. Great stuff

I might have to disagree with you here. Not sure if a clip like this of Lester proves anything except how far he had fallen from his previous greatness. His story is indeed a sad one. I saw him once at the Washington Social and Athletic Club. I only wish I could remember more of the music and not just the experience.

Thanks for the heads-up on the Lester Young clip; as you say, every little bit of him performing is precious (in spite of the horrible, tinny piano - you'd think a TV station could afford a piano tuner). I didn't recognize the drummer, either, by the way.

John Paretti?