The Complete Savoy Recordings

The first to be explored is the recordings he did in a two-week period in 1944 as both a sideman and as a bandleader. The first twenty tracks are culled from sessions he did on April 18th of 1944 with the Johnny Guarnieri All-Star Orchestra and Earle warren Orchestra. Had it not been pointed out by the excellent and annotated liner note by Loren Schoenberg, there would be no real way of telling for sure that Young was even on these sessions. His solos are staid but true to the orchestra for which he recorded. However, the final six tracks on the first disk have Young leading his own Quintet (featuring Count Basie on piano) and while not as profound as he would become, the true character and tone of Young’s tenor begins to move forward. This is particularly evident on the master take of “Jump, Lester, Jump.”

Disk two offers a collection of two post-war recordings done by Young with his Sextet in the studio in 1949 and ‘in performance’ in 1950 with his Quintet. Due to natural artistic evolution, more freedom in the studio and confidence in his abilities to lead his own group, Young truly stretches out and fires all cylinders into the microphone and to the audience in attendance. As soon as you purchase this CD, immediately play Young’s live recording of “Body and Soul,” (Track #12), as it is nothing short of a dynamic piece of ear candy from this fearless tenor sax-man and his quintet.

Savoy does another great job with their re-issue campaign, as they fully explore many aspects of an artists career recording for the historic label and provide wonderful insights in the liner notes.

Visit Lester Young on the web.
Lester Young at All About Jazz.

Track listing: Disk One With Johnny Guarnieri’s All-Star Orchestra 1. These Foolish Things Remind Me of You 2.-5. Exercise in Swing (Takes 1-4) 6.-10. Salute to fats (Takes 1-5) 11.-12. Basie English (Takes 1 and 2) With Earle Warren Orchestra 13. Empty Hearted 14.-16. Circus in Rhythm (Takes 1-3) 17.-18. Poor Little Plaything (Takes 1-2) 19.-20. Tush (Takes 1-2) With Lester Young quintet 21. Blue Lester 22.-23. Ghost of a Chance 24.-25. Indiana (Takes 1 and 2) 26. Jump, Lester, Jump Disk Two With Lester Young Sextet 1.-3. Crazy Over J-Z (Takes 1-3) 4.-6. Ding Dong (Takes 1-3) 7.-9. Blues N Bells (Takes 1-3) 10. June Bug With Lester Young Quintet (in performance) 11. Neenah 12. 12. Body and Soul 13. Up and Adam 14. Big Blue Eyes 15. One O’Clock Blues 16. Lester’s Mop Mop Blues 17. Pennies from Heaven 18. I Can’t Get Started 19. How High the Moon 20. Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid

Personnel: Lester Young - sax Count Basie - piano Johnny Guarnieri - piano Sweets Edison - trumpet Earle Warren - alto sax Jo Jones - drums Roy Haynes - drums and many others