Lester Young’s Birthday

August 27 – It’s Lester Young‘s birthday today

Henry Ferrini‘s upcoming  film biography is our focus. More on that essential documentary here.

Drummer Tootie Heath recalls Lester’s lingo, Wayne Shorter recalls apprenticeship with Prez, George Wein recalls sitting-in, Monica Getz recalls travelling on the bus, David Amram, in 2009, speaking of the exuberance of Lester Young…

As Ralph J Gleason memorably put it, “If you don’t know who Pres was, you’ve missed a great part of America”.

Here‘s the original “Lester Leaps In” with Count Basie from 1939

Allen, in 1968, to interviewer Michael Aldrich:  “Lester Young was what I was thinking about..“Howl” is all “Lester Leaps In

Here’s more (an NPR report) from the 2009 centennial

Francois Postif’s legendary 1959 interview may be seen here,
but, more importantly, must be heard here.

August 27-29, WKCR’s annual Lester Young and Charlie Parker birthday broadcasts