Collates

While Lester Young’s recordings from his nal years were erra c due to his in- creasing dependence on alcohol (he died in 1959 at the age of 49), his playing was s ll brilliant on these 1949-51 quartet sessions for Norman Granz.

Presented here are his complete original 10” LPs Lester Young Collates (Clef Records MGC-108) and Lester Young Collates No.2 (Clef Records MGC-124), on which he was backed alternatively by pianists John Lewis and Hank Jones. Nine more songs from the same sessions have been added as a bonus.

Lester Young, Tenor Sax Plus: Collective Personnel: Hank Jones, John Lewis, Piano; Ray Brown, Joe Shulman, Gene Ramey, Bass; Jo Jones, Buddy Rich, Bill Clark, Drums. New York, September 1949-march 1951.

1-8: Originally issued as ‘Lester Young Collates’,
9-16: Originally issued as ‘Lester Young Collates No.2’.

Bonus tracks (17-25): From the same sessions, but not included on the origi- nal LPs. All original sessions produced by Norman Granz.

Tracks: Too Marvellous for Words / Encore / Polka Dots and Moonbeams / Up ‘n Adam / Three Little Words / Neenah / Undercover Girl Blues / Frenesi / A Foggy Day / Down ‘n Adam / In a Little Spanish Town / ‘Deed I Do / Let’s Fall in Love / Little Pee Blues / Thou Swell / Jeepers Creepers / Count Every Star* / It All Depends on You* / September in the Rain* / Pete’s Caf * / Lester Swings* / Slow Mo on Blues* / Too Marvellous for Words [alt tk]* / Count Every Star [alt tk]* / Thou Swell [alt tk]*