Pres - Lester Young

I Cover The Waterfront

"Pres"
Lester Young
Design: Reiss Art Studio
Charlie Parker Records PLP-402
Manufactured by Apex Records Corporations - Hollywood, California
1961

From the back cover: Jazz is full of half-stars, that is musicians whose personal contribution has been just one particular aspect of their playing, some because of their 'sound', others because of some harmonic device that they use as a basis for their whole approach and it often follows that after a short time, having carved their niche because of a mannerism, they clutch on to this and continue to play exactly the same way for year after year.

This certainly cannot be said of Lester Young. His playing changed, in a lot of ways not for the better, but it confirmed that his personal feelings were very much involved in his music. However, the main reason that the finger cannot be pointed at Res, is that even on his recording debut his solos indicated that he had everything. Originality, of course, but also a beautiful clear sound, complete control of his horn which he played with a joyous expansive feeling.

This was in 1936, he was twenty-seven and the occasion was a small band session with other members of the Count Basie orchestra, including Basie himself. The titles recorded included "Lady Be Good" and "Shoe Shine Swing" and if you, the reader, are not familiar with these recordings or any of the others mentioned in these notes, then it is essential you listen to them, for these form the foundation for the bulk of post war modern jazz.

Following that session, Lester spent several years as a sideman with Basie, and with the band he made many recordings. At first, he was one of several soloist, including Buck Clayton, Dickie Wells, Harry Edison, Hershal Evans, but by the time he left the band, he had become the star soloist.

It is difficult to pick one or two of the countless tracks that featured Pres with Basie, but the famous side include "Tickle Toe" (his own composition) "Broadway" (his last record with the band) "Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie", "Pound Cake" and "Easy Dose It" (which demonstrates his ease with the sound all over the instrument).

Of course he made other recordings during the period he was in the Basie band and all should be heard. There were other small band sessions with Basie members, "Lester Leaps In" (probably the record that gave him most fame) "Dickies Dream", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" and "Them There Eyes" (playing with a sound that later Stan Getz was to adopt), the last two titles with a group that made several sessions over later years under the name "Kansas City Five" Six... or Seven, according to the number of musicians involved.

Still in the Basie period were many recording with Billie Holiday, and many people refer to Billie and Pres as the greatest partnership in Jazz. I don't feel that is too much of an exaggeration as the record show a tremendous rapport, especially "Sailboat In The Moonlight", "I Can't Get Started" and "The Man I Love", just to mention three.

Prior to joining Count Basie, Lester had worked extensively in the Mid-West, having had an upbringing with a musical family. His first instrument was drums and obviously this laid a strong foundation for his immaculate time feeling. After several years at this, he switched first to alto saxophone, which, together with his admitted admiration for Frankie Trumbauer, who played the C Melody saxophone (which is pitched between the tenor and alto horns), must have influenced his later sound on tenor. Baritone followed the alto saxophone and then Pres finally turned to tenor.

Before Basie, he was associated with the King Oliv er (!), Benny Moten, Walter Page (who later played bass with Count Basie and was present on many of the later Young recordings). Just how much of an influence he was on the head arrangements of Basie's band has never been classified, but on various small band recordings where he was the only saxophonist present, he would play figures that had distinct similarity to the saxophone sections work on many big band sides.

It appears that in spite of his ability, recognition did not really come from the Jazz Scene in general until the forties, understandable maybe in light of the fact that almost all saxophonists played with a thick vibrato filled sound, whereas Pres had a light, clear sound.

He left Basie in 1941 and tried to make a go of being a leader and remained so until the time of his death (except for a very short period in 1944, when he rejoined Basie). Whether or not the responsibility of being the leader caused the change in his playing will never be known. Some say it was the Army. However, recordings made prior to his Army career do show distinct changes. One session in Los Angeles with Nat King Cole in 1942, produced some very melodic solos, but there was a change in intensity and although he continued to make many outstanding recordings until his death, the majority were mid tempo or ballad tunes.

The forties saw Lester recording with many different groups, outstanding are "These Foolish Things", "You're Driving Me Crazy" and "Indiana". There were appearances with Jazz At The Philharmonic, and the effect of so much applause for so little music must have caused Pres a certain amount of chagrin. However, there were some good moments, especially the ballads, listen to "I Can't Get Started", "The Man I Love", "Slow Drag". By being selective one can find beautiful music from Lester Young right up until his death, even if it is one chorus out of four, or a bridge passage here or there, when you find them they are gems.

Probably, the saddest loss, was the vital sound he had earlier in his career. It was replaced by a sad, wistful feeling and at times, uncertain intonation and doubt especially at the top and bottom of his horn. But, in spite of all this, all his solos have tremendous 'presence', often akin to a human voice, a consistency of feeling throughout all his phrases, a virtue that was probably present more in the earlier and simpler forms of Jazz than today, due no doubt, to the pre-occupation of many modern jazzmen with harmony.

There are young jazzmen who have acknowledged the importance of Lester Young's melodic approach, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Allan Eager and countless others of the 'Brothers' school and also he plays an important part to any musicians who have studied at any time with Lennie Trsitano, for example Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Ted Brown and others. And also let us not forget that the early records of Charlie Parker reveal certain Pres-like ideas, not to mention the influence of Charlie Parker.

It is obvious from all his recordings that Pres loved to play, and it was this quality that enabled him to play beautifully despite whatever ghastly sounds surrounded him, for example, certain recordings he made in the early forties with a Hammond Organ player (who shall be nameless) on paper at least, should have been musical disasters, turn out to have very enthusiastic and vital sounding Lester.

European tours followed with JATP. I witnessed his first appearance in England. He walked almost hunched up and looked incredibly shy. On one up tempo tune, I remember him standing at the microphone, his eyes staring into the spotlight and just one finger moving up and down, producing just one of many trick fingerings that produced that 'OOH WAA' sound, which apparently has so much commercial value, whilst the rest of the troupe performed behind him. You could tell his love for playing in the ballad medley, and his "These Foolish Thing" and "I Cover The Waterfront" were very moving and seemed so personal and out of place in such a businesslike situation.

That is really the bulk of the Lester Young Story, luckily we still have the recordings and in Pres' case there are many, unlike others such as Charlie Christian and Roy Eldridge who didn't get to make enough records in the late thirties.

And we do have some collectors who have either carried a tape machine to parties or taped broadcasts, and from this source the enclosed album is derived.

With an album such as this, there have to be reservations, recorded on a home recorder, the sound has to be less than high fidelity, but if you approach purely for musical reasons and not electronically, there is somewhere on this record something about Pres that you love and when you find it, forget the parts you dislike, its the best way to approach most things anyway.

This recording is somewhat unique in that it is the first commercially issued collection of his "in person" performances (barring concert recordings). Unfortunately, no information is available concerning the identity of the accompanying musicians.

Many of the compositions included were featured and recorded by Lester Young consistency throughout his career. However, these performance differ substantially from previous versions. Happily, the majority are either medium or slow, highlights being "Destination Moon" and "I Cover The Waterfront". – John McKellen

From Billboard - June 12, 1961: As in the case of the Charlie Parker record reviewed elsewhere in this issue, Charlie Parker Records in conjunction with their selling agent, Carlton, have done an exceptional job of tape editing to bring the sound of Lester Young clearly and succinctly out of a tape that was made on a home machine. The tenor sax sound of the late and inimitable "Pres" comes through in previously unreleased performances of tunes like "Lester Leaps In," and "Sunday." He is accompanied by rhythm and trumpet. A solid item for the collector who must have everything.

Blue
I Cover The Waterfront
These Foolish Things
Lester Leaps In
Sunday
Destination Moon