Lester Leaps In
The improvisational devices of Lester Young
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/jazz.31107Keywords:
Count Basie, jazz improvisation, Lester Young, saxophone soloAbstract
Lester Young was a key figure in the early development of swing. In this article, I will discuss some of the more specific improvisatory elements he used regularly throughout his recorded solos in this time period. His famous solo on ‘Lester Leaps In' will be the starting point for this analysis, with a special focus on some of the innovations that Young brought to the world of jazz improvisation. Bebop, cool jazz, and free jazz all owe a debt to Lester for loosening the structures of swing, while creating a new vocabulary. We will take a look at how he did it, and what has made him a lasting icon of creativity to so many improvisers.
References
Berliner, Paul (1994) Thinking in Jazz: The Infinite Art of Improvisation. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226044521.001.0001
Büchmann-Møller, Frank (1990) You Just Fight for Your Life: The Story of Lester Young. New York: Praeger.
Clayton, Buck, and Nancy M. Elliot (1995) Buck Clayton’s Jazz World. London: Bloomsbury.
Dance, Stanley (1980) The World of Count Basie. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Daniels, Douglas Henry (2002) Lester Leaps In: The Life and Times of Lester ‘Pres’ Young. Boston: Beacon Press.
Gelly, David (2007) Being Prez: The Life and Music of Lester Young. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hamilton, Andy (2007) Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improviser’s Art. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.130264
Klopotowski, John (2015) John Klopotowski, A Jazz Life: Memoirs and Studies drawn from experiences as a student of Warne Marsh 1982–1987. Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Luckey, Robert A. (1981) A Study of Lester Young and His Influence upon His Contemporaries. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh.
Maggin, Donald L. (1996) Stan Getz: A Life in Jazz. New York: William Morrow.
Porter, Lewis (1985) Lester Young. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08570-5
——(2012) You Don’t Know Jazz with Dr. Lewis Porter: Slap-Tonguing. https://www.wbgo.org/blog/you-dont-know-jazz-with-dr-lewis-porter-slap-tonguing (accessed 24 October 2016).
Porter, Lewis, ed. (1991) A Lester Young Reader. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Ramsey, Doug (2005) Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond. Seattle: Parkside Publications.
Schuller, Gunther (1989) The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930–1945. New York: Oxford University Press.
Shim, Eunmi (2007) Lennie Tristano: His Life in Music. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Toch, Ernst (1948) The Shaping Forces in Music. New York: Dover Publications.
Yanow, Scott (2000) Bebop. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation.
Transcriptions
De Lucia, Jon (2016) Lester Leaps In. Unpublished.
Mankowski, Forrest (2004) ‘Woody’. The Lester Young Collection. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard.
Büchmann-Møller, Frank (1990) You Just Fight for Your Life: The Story of Lester Young. New York: Praeger.
Clayton, Buck, and Nancy M. Elliot (1995) Buck Clayton’s Jazz World. London: Bloomsbury.
Dance, Stanley (1980) The World of Count Basie. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Daniels, Douglas Henry (2002) Lester Leaps In: The Life and Times of Lester ‘Pres’ Young. Boston: Beacon Press.
Gelly, David (2007) Being Prez: The Life and Music of Lester Young. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hamilton, Andy (2007) Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improviser’s Art. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.130264
Klopotowski, John (2015) John Klopotowski, A Jazz Life: Memoirs and Studies drawn from experiences as a student of Warne Marsh 1982–1987. Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Luckey, Robert A. (1981) A Study of Lester Young and His Influence upon His Contemporaries. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh.
Maggin, Donald L. (1996) Stan Getz: A Life in Jazz. New York: William Morrow.
Porter, Lewis (1985) Lester Young. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08570-5
——(2012) You Don’t Know Jazz with Dr. Lewis Porter: Slap-Tonguing. https://www.wbgo.org/blog/you-dont-know-jazz-with-dr-lewis-porter-slap-tonguing (accessed 24 October 2016).
Porter, Lewis, ed. (1991) A Lester Young Reader. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Ramsey, Doug (2005) Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond. Seattle: Parkside Publications.
Schuller, Gunther (1989) The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930–1945. New York: Oxford University Press.
Shim, Eunmi (2007) Lennie Tristano: His Life in Music. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Toch, Ernst (1948) The Shaping Forces in Music. New York: Dover Publications.
Yanow, Scott (2000) Bebop. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation.
Transcriptions
De Lucia, Jon (2016) Lester Leaps In. Unpublished.
Mankowski, Forrest (2004) ‘Woody’. The Lester Young Collection. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard.
Published
2018-10-04
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
De Lucia, J. P. (2018). Lester Leaps In: The improvisational devices of Lester Young. Jazz Research Journal, 11(2), 153-176. https://doi.org/10.1558/jazz.31107
