Lester Young

thumb|Young (left) in 1944 Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was 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 what one critic called "a free-floating style, wheeling and diving like a gull, banking with low, funky riffs that pleased dancers and listeners alike". Known for his hip, introverted style, he invented or popularized much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with the music. Quotes about Lester Young While saxophonists of the '30s and '40s opted for more of biting, edgier tone, tenor player Lester Young opted for a warmer, more relaxed tone. But while his tone might have been laid-back, he was clearly a hell of an improviser, as evidenced by a lot of his recordings with Count Basie, as well as the small-group recordings with Teddy Wilson, Harry "Sweets" Edison or Billie Holiday, who gave Young his nickname "President" (or "Pres" for short). Jon Solomon of Westword (August 7, 2013) External links