The Kansas City Sessions (CD) ~ Lester Young (Artist) Cover Art

The Kansas City Sessions (CD)

By: Lester Young (Artist)

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Lester Young Artist Snapshot:

A man of poetic sensibilities, tenor saxophonist Lester Young was the instrument's most influential figure in the pre-bop era. A featured soloist with the great Count Basie band of the late 1930s, Young scaled the heights on classic recordings of "Taxi War Dance" and "Lester Leaps In." Although some claim that mental and physical abuse while in the military cast a shadow on his postwar work, there is ample evidence on record of unabated brilliance up until his premature death in 1959. His solo work, characterized by a light sound, asymmetrical, behind-the-beat phrasing, and a startling sense of originality, remains unsurpassed in its depth and delicacy of expression.

Product Description

Track Listing

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DISC 1 for The Kansas City Sessions (CD) Album By Lester Young (Artist)
1   Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - (take 2)
2   Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
3   Countless Blues
4   Countless Blues - (take 2)
5   Them There Eyes - (take 2)
6   Them There Eyes
7   I Want A Little Girl
8   I Want A Little Girl - (take 2)
9   Pagin' The Devil
10   Pagin' The Devil - (take 2)
11   Three Little Words - (take 2)
12   Three Little Words
13   Jo Jo
14   I Got Rhythm - (take 3)
15   I Got Rhythm - (take 2)
16   I Got Rhythm
17   Four O'Clock Drag
18   Four O'Clock Drag - (take 3)
19   Laughing At Life
20   Good Mornin' Blues
21   I Know That You Know
22   Love Me Or Leave Me
 

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Review

Q (5/97, p.144) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...the music swings with a casual grace that was never to be repeated, and it is the sound of the very best of an era-- Young, in particular, plays with a fresh-sounding musical invention, adding a lush, introspective, romantic gloss with every solo."
Down Beat (6/97, p.64) - 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) - "...the 1944 sides are prime, full-bodied Lester at his most outgoing...full of swoops and dives that punctuate long, broken-wave lines like knots in a sleek wood grain..."
JazzTimes (9/97, p.76) - "...one of several admirable collections....Young and Clayton performed creditably...Durham's electric guitar solos are full of ideas that partly presage the coming of Charlie Christian...Wells is in brilliant form and seems to stimulate the leader..."

Title Note

Personnel includes: Lester Young (tenor saxophone); Freddie Green (vocals, guitar); Buck Clayton, Bill Coleman (trumpet); Eddie Durham (trombone, electric guitar); Dicky Wells (trombone); Joe Bushkin (piano); Walter Page, John Simmons (bass); Jo Jones (drums).

Reissue producer: Orrin Keepnews.

Includes liner notes by Loren Schoenberg.

Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (1996, MCA Music Media Studios).

This CD is overflowing with legendary performances by Lester Young and members of the Count Basie Orchestra. Basie himself, however, does not appear on this release. Recorded in 1938 and 1944, this music reflects the style of jazz (swing) that came out of Kansas City early in the '30s. Young was an integral part of this scene, performing not just with Basie, but with Benny Moten, King Oliver, Walter Page's Blue Devils, and others. Still, don't be fooled, all of this music was actually recorded in New York City after Young and the Basie band left Kansas in search of greener pastures.

There are some very intriguing moments on this compilation. First of all, guitarist Freddie Green sings on "Them There Eyes" (Green, as Basie fans know, never soloed). Also, trombonist Eddie Durham plays electric guitar solos on a number of selections. Young himself plays classic tenor and clarinet solos throughout. Highlights include the trad sounding "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" and the uptempo swinger "I Know That You Know."

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