Well, the way I play, I try not to be a 'repeater pencil', ya dig? Originality's the thing. You can have tone and technique and a lot of other things but without originality you ain't really nowhere. Gotta be original.--Lester Young
The trouble with most musicians today is that they are copycats. Of course you have to start out playing like someone else. You have a model, or a teacher, and you learn all that he can show you. But then you start playing for yourself. Show them that you're an individual. And I can count those who are doing that today on the fingers of one hand.--Lester Young
When Lester plays, he almost seems to be singing; one can almost hear the words.--Billie Holiday
In some ways Lester Young is the most complex rhythmically of any musician. He does some things which are just phenomenal.--Lee Konitz
Anyone who doesn't play like Lester Young is wrong.--Brew Moore
And, in case you haven't seen it in a while, here are Prez and a few of his friends in Gjon Mili's classic 1944 short film Jammin' The Blues. The cast credits run at the top. Do yourself a favor and watch it full screen.
