Скачать или смотреть Lester Young in 3 Keys - Read along!

This is one of my favorite Lester Young Transcriptions written out in 3 keys.

Lester Willis Young, nicknamed Prez, was born in Woodville, Mississippi, on August 27, 1909. Lester was taught how to play music by his father, Willis Handy Young, who was a very good musician in his own right. Lester was first taught to play the violin, the trumpet, and the drums.(Early years). He later decided to stick to the alto saxophone, despite the fact that the drums were his favorite instrument to play. When he was eleven years of age, Lester and his father moved to Minneapolis where they formed a family band and Lester played alto saxophone with them at age 13.(Bennett). He had a long history of disagreements with his father, and this caused him to leave the band when he was 19 (Early Years).

After leaving his family’s band, Lester went on to play with Art Bronson in Phoenix, Arizona. He played with Bronson until 1930, when he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and played with various bands. He also took a brief trip back home to play with his family. In 1932, while playing at a club with Frank Hines, Young was signed as a member of “The Thirteen Original Blue Devils.” He and the other band members moved to Kansas City to join Bennie Moten near the end of 1933.

During the years following 1933, Lester Young played in bands with Bennie Moten, George Lee, King Oliver, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Andy Kirk, and many others. In 1936, when Young rejoined Count Basie, he rose to national fame for the first time. Lester’s rising fame was significant in making Kansas City a major jazz city at this time. Of all the places he played, Lester will probably always be remembered as a Kansas City jazz man. For the next several years he and Basie toured, and recorded. He recorded on recordings featuring Billie Holiday who gave him the nickname, “The Prez.” (She nicknamed him for president of the tenor saxophone, while he bestowed on her the name ‘Lady Day’.) In the early 1940’s, Young played in small bands in the Los Angeles area alongside his brother, Lee Young, and musicians such as Red Callender, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Al Sears. During this period he returned briefly to the Basie band, making some excellent recordings, and also worked with Dizzy Gillespie. Late in 1944 he was conscripted into the US Army but was discharged in mid-summer the following year, having spent part of his military service in hospital and part in an army prison. In the mid 40’s he was filmed by Gjon Mili in the classic jazz short, Jammin’ The Blues, a venture which was co-produced by Norman Granz. At this time he also joined Granz’s “Jazz At The Philharmonic,” package, remaining with the organization for a number of years. He also led small groups for club and record dates, toured the USA and visited Europe.

For more transcriptions and saxophone related items, visit www.stevekortyka.com