The following article appeared in the Fall, 2008, issue of the British magazine, Jazz Review. By Doug Ramsey Lester Young drew on Louis Armstrong, Frank Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke and his own genius to create one of the most personal styles in music. In the 1930s he provided an evolutionary step between Armstrong and Charlie Parker. Flying weightlessly over bar lines, Young helped to free the jazz soloist from the arbitrary restrictions of time divisions and showed the way to the rhythmic and … [Read more...]

Everything is fine with the horn..play it everyday...recording a new CD, and it records sensationally, with Johnny Vana. Did a concert tonight in Palm Desert with Med Flory and Don Shelton..and we sounded just like 3 brothers. Am booked at Sweet and Hot Festival with my tribute to Lester Young in August with Bonnie Bowden singing Billy Holiday songs and Prez Conference. It was kinda hard trying to make friends with the horn because of the problems of 56 years of rust. However it sounds so … [Read more...]

For a project connected with his Jazz At The Philharmonic operation, the impresario Norman Granz filmed Lester Young with trombonist Bill Harris, Pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Buddy Rich. Although they bypass the melody, the piece is "Pennies From Heaven." For decades, there has been speculation, but no proof, that because of technical audio requirements, they are lip-synching to a performance they previously recorded. That could account for the general amusement and for a … [Read more...]