Rated: Exempt
Artist: Lester Young

A Masterpiece Ruined, 2007-12-31
I recorded this great film off the TV in the 1980's. Unfortunately I did not fit it all on the tape. I bought this DVD hoping that I would not only have the whole film, but it would be better quality than my old VHS tape. It was not to be. The quality of the copy is awful with ghosting and details lost in too much contrast. The sound was actually worse than my old video. I sent it back.

If you can find no better copy, this DVD is better than nothing, but be warned. Digital does not necessarily mean better picture or sound quality.

Artist: Oscar Peterson, Lester Young, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Gene Krupa

Artist: Lester Young

An Almost Perfect Athology, 2009-11-14
As a basic collection of Lester Young's recordings, this set couldn't be bettered. The first eight CD's are a chronological survey of his studio recordings away from the Basie band. These include the Vocalion 'Jones-Smith Inc' session, the Glen Hardmann group, some of his recordings with Billie Holiday and sessions recorded by Commodore, Savoy, Signature, Keynote and Aladdin. Some of Lester's early Verve dates are included - most notably the session with the Oscar Peterson Trio and, although not a complete survey, these discs are a superb anthology. The ninth CD is a selection of the sides Young made as part of the Basie band and the tenth a group of live recordings made in the 1950's in a club setting. Alternate takes are not included and, sadly, the set contains no discographical detail at all!

However, the price is extremely reasonable, the remastering has been very well done, and this issue can be thoroughly recommended to serious collectors and neophites alike.

Artist: Lester Young

NJL6615 1994/1999 Tracks 1 Blues For Marvin 2 Midnight Symphony 3 On The Sunny Side Of The Street 4 One Hour 5 Sweet Georgia Brown 6 Jamming The Blues 7 Oh, Lady Be Good 8 I Can`t Get Started 9 Tea For Two

Artist: Lester Young

Essential Lester Young CD, 2010-07-30
As a saxophone player with a special interest in Lester Young I found thid CD to give a good selection of his best recordings covering his recording history. Very good value both musically and historically.

Artist: Lester Young, The Oscar Peterson Trio

pres and oscar - a combination made in Granz's heaven, 2009-11-05
Norman Granz made a habit of putting unlikely combinations of artists together. He often used Peterson in his early JATP days as almost the "house" rhythm section. This is one of those collaborations and it works perfectly with Young flitting in that transitory mainstream to post bop style that is almost impossible to categorise. He is lyrical where appropriate, powerful where appropriate, and always bluesy. A delightful "I can't get started", a super "On the sunny side of the street" where he breathes new life into the hackneyed old warhorse and a number of other class performances. Peterson is superb throughout, this is full of great melodies and blowing - and a slightly vulgar "Tea for Two" in which we have that unique event - Pres singing!! go buy

Artist: Lester Young

Artist: Lester Young

masterpiece, 2008-06-10
What a gigantic group!

Still very much in their prime, many of these jazz giants are old musical and personal friends. For instance, Jo Jones (dm) and Freddie Greene (g) were a vital part of Basie's rhythm machine in the hay-day of Young's tenure with the orchestra; Eldridge (tp) and Young both participated in beautiful Teddy Wilson-Billie Holiday recordings, Young made a perfect quartet album with Wilson (p), Ramey (b) and Jones (Pres and Teddy); Jones and Young (at one number joined by Eldridge) were guests on Count Basie rightly famous "At Newport" reunion album (Count Basie at Newport), Roy played with Young on numerous other occasions as well (including JATP encounters and Young's swan song "Laughin' to keep from cryin'"...

Lester Young had some of his peaks in the 50s (check out also his work with Oscar Peterson from the period - With the Oscar Peterson Trio, particularly when surrounded by the likeminded jazz giants of the previous era and Vic Dickenson is another reason to get this gem: he plays really beautifully throughout this fantastic album... If you're into hot and gentle mainstream, into swing, Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Vic Dickenson...YOU MUST HAVE THIS!

Why did I wait so long to buy it, I keep asking myself in disbelief. Lyrical and ballad-oriented component of this album prevails and, since these artists have beautiful sound, this will make this album quite accessible to audiences who otherwise don't necessarily concentrate on jazz (for instance to the Diana Krall and Norah Jones crowd).

Artist: Lester Young

The 40 tracks on these two discs include everything Lester Young recorded for the Aladdin Company in the 1940s. The opening trio titles with Young backed by Nat King Cole and bass player Red Callender date from 1942, the remainder from late 1945 to early 1948. Despite critical opinion that the US Army had robbed Young of his true musical talent during his military service, his playing is of a very high level here, especially so on the quintet dates with pianists Joe Albany and Dodo Marmarosa. In fact his version of "These Foolish Things" from the Marmarosa session is as great an improvisation as he ever created in his playing career. There are plenty of indications that Young was intrigued by the new wave then sweeping through jazz. Beboppers such as Marmarosa, Albany, Argonne Thornton and Gene DiNovi play piano on various sessions while trumpeter Howard McGhee and drummers Roy Haynes and Tiny Kahn are also present on some dates. For the sake of completeness the session under vocalist Helen Humes' name has been included on the strength of Young's presence in the backing group. The rare "Riffin' Without Helen" instrumental has also been included. --Steve Voce<...