Lester “Willis” Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959) American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist.

Lester Young, nicknamed “Pres” or “Prez”, came to prominence while a member of Count Basie’s orchestra, and became one of the most influential players on his instrument.  In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated harmonies, using “a free-floating style.  Young was also kKnown for his hip, introverted style, he invented or popularized much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with Jazz music.

Born in Woodville, Mississippi, Young grew up in a musical family.  His father, Willis Handy Young, was a respected teacher, his brother Lee Young was a drummer, and several other relatives performed music professionally.  His family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, when Lester was an infant and later to Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Willis taught his son to play the trumpet, violin, and drums in addition to the saxophone.

Young played in his family’s band, known as the Young Family Band, in both the vaudeville and carnival circuits but left in 1927 at the age of 18 because he refused to tour in the Southern United States, where Jim Crow laws were in effect and racial segregation was required in public facilities.

With the Count Basie Orchestra
In 1933 Young settled in Kansas City, where after playing briefly in several bands, but rose to prominence with Count Basie.  His playing in the Basie band was characterized by a relaxed style which contrasted sharply with the more forceful approach of Coleman Hawkins, the dominant tenor sax player of the day.

Young went on to play with many other bands but always returned to Basie’s group.  Playing with Fletcher Henderson’s orchestra, Billie Holiday and many others before leading small groups of his own.

Army Service
In September 1944 Young was inducted into the U.S. Army. Unlike many white musicians, who were placed in band outfits such as the ones led by Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw, Young was assigned to the regular army where he was not allowed to play his saxophone.  Based in Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Young was found with marijuana and alcohol among his possessions and was subsequently court-martialed.  Young did not fight the charges and was convicted.  Serving one year in a detention barracks, Young was dishonorably discharged in late 1945. His experience inspired his composition “D.B. Blues” (with D.B. standing for detention barracks).

Post-War Recordings
Young’s career after World War II was far more prolific and lucrative than in the pre-war years in terms of recordings made, live performances, and annual income. Young joined Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) troupe in 1946, touring regularly with them over the next 12 years.  He made a significant number of studio recordings under Granz’s supervision for his Verve Records label as well, including more trio recordings with Nat King Cole.  Young also recorded extensively in the late 1940s for Aladdin Records (1946-7, where he had made the Cole recordings in 1942) and for Savoy (1944, ’49 and ’50), some sessions of which included Basie on piano.

Lester Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959 with drummer Kenny Clarke at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and virtually drank himself to death.  He died in the early morning hours of March 15, 1959, only hours after arriving back in New York, at the age of 49.  He was buried at the Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn.  According to jazz critic Leonard Feather, who rode with Holiday in a taxi to Young’s funeral, she said after the services, “I’ll be the next one to go.”  Holiday died four months later at age 44.

Lester Young “Lester Leaps In”
Photographer: Unidentified
Year Photo Taken: c. 1944

Photo appeared in Metronome Magazine in the September, 1942 issue on page 10, in a news piece that read “Lester and Lee Young make their eastern debut with their new band at Café Society early this month.”  Also appeared in the April, 1947 issue on page 48, in an article entitled, “Jazz In Kansas City,” and in the February 1949 issue on page 18, in an article entitled, “Influences Of The Year.”

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