Jack Lesberg

Jack Lesberg (February 14, 1920 – September 17, 2005) was an American jazz double-bassist.

Lesberg performed with many famous jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Jack Teagarden, Sarah Vaughan and Benny Goodman, with whom he went on several international tours. He also performed in the New York City Symphony under Leonard Bernstein in the 1940s.

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, Lesberg had the misfortune of playing in that city's Cocoanut Grove on the night in 1942 when 492 people lost their lives in a fire. His escape was memorialized by fellow bassist Charles Mingus in an unpublished section of Mingus's autobiography Beneath the Underdog; this passage was read by rapper Chuck D. on the Mingus tribute album, Weird Nightmare.

Lesberg continued to tour in the 1980s and was interviewed for KCEA radio in 1984, following a performance in Menlo Park, California. During the taped interview he spoke of the many bands and performers he worked with and expressed his feelings that he felt blessed to be a musician.

He died of Alzheimer's in Englewood at the age of 85.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 14, 1920 (Boston), Died September 17, 2005 (Englewood)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1962

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass, guitar

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-073671 10-in. 4/1/1942 Pennsylvania polka André Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E0FB-3282 10-in. 2/23/1950 Chug-a-lug Continental Capers ; Merrie Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with vocal ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E0VB-3283 10-in. 2/23/1950 The Chalet in the valley Continental Capers ; Merrie Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with vocal ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E1VB-2966 10-in. 8/10/1951 I remember when Eddie Fisher Male vocal solo, with orchestra and vocal sensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D5VB-0620 10-in. 9/20/1945 Homesick-that's all Russ Case ; Murphy Sisters Female vocal group, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D5VB-0621 10-in. 9/20/1945 Will the angels play their harps for me? (A beggar's lament) Russ Case ; Murphy Sisters Female vocal group, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2659 10-in. 12/11/1947 April in Paris Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2660 10-in. 12/11/1947 How strange Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2661 10-in. 12/11/1947 Half step down, please Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72933 10-in. 6/14/1945 Lady be good-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72934 10-in. 6/14/1945 Swanee-2 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73480 3/27/1946 Farewell blues Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73481 3/27/1946 Improvisation for march of time Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73482 3/27/1946 She's funny that way-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73483 3/27/1946 Stars fell on Alabama Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73646 7/17/1946 Some sunny day Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73647 7/17/1946 Just you, just me-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73648 7/17/1946 Atlanta blues -1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73649 7/17/1946 The way you look tonight Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74023 8/5/1947 My melancholy baby Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74024 8/5/1947 Tulip time in Holland Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74025 8/5/1947 Nobody knows Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74026 8/5/1947 We called it music Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75227 9/6/1949 That lucky old sun Louis Armstrong ; Gordon Jenkins and his Chorus and Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75228 9/6/1949 Blueberry hill-1 Louis Armstrong ; Gordon Jenkins and his Chorus and Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75421 10/19/1949 You're my thrill Billie Holiday instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75422 10/19/1949 Crazy he calls me Billie Holiday instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75423 10/19/1949 Please tell me now Billie Holiday instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75424 10/19/1949 Somebody's on my mind Billie Holiday instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75866 2/16/1950 If I knew you were comin', I'd 've baked a cake Georgia Gibbs instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75867 2/16/1950 Stay with the happy people Georgia Gibbs instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75988 3/20/1950 Maple leaf rag-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75989 3/20/1950 Dill pickles-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75990 3/20/1950 Sweet cider time, when you were mine Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75991 3/20/1950 At the jazz band ball Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 76000 3/22/1950 At the jazz band ball Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 76001 3/22/1950 Jazz me blues Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 76002 3/22/1950 Everybody loves my baby Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 76473 6/9/1950 Black bottom Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 76474 6/9/1950 Original Charleston Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 76475 6/9/1950 Yellow dog blues Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 76476 6/9/1950 Ragging the scales Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81513 9/6/1951 Ain't we got fun Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81514 9/6/1951 After the ball Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81515 9/6/1951 All by myself Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81516 9/6/1951 Dancing with tears in my eyes Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81521 9/10/1951 I wonder what's become of Sally Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81522 9/10/1951 Oh by Jingo (Oh by Gee.you're the only girl for me) Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81523 9/10/1951 When your old wedding ring was new Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81524 9/10/1951 If I had a girl like you Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82613 4/3/1952 Forgive me Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82614 4/3/1952 Be anything (but be mine) Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82615 4/3/1952 I'm glad there is you Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82616 4/3/1952 You go to my head Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84144 3/9/1953 Clarinet marmalade Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84145 3/9/1953 Singin' the blues Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84736 6/22/1953 Memphis blues Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84737 6/22/1953 Ol' shanks mare Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84738 6/22/1953 Rhythm-a-tic Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84739 6/22/1953 Long gone Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 85816 2/2/1954 Fernandez of the Andes Pearl Bailey instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 85817 2/2/1954 He's gone Pearl Bailey instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86473 6/29/1954 Don't talk to me about Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86474 6/29/1954 Thou swell Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86475 6/29/1954 $ 500 reward Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86476 6/29/1954 Baby's lullaby Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87963 5/8/1954 Swing that music Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87964 5/8/1954 The only man blues Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87965 5/8/1954 That's a plenty Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87966 5/8/1954 Long gone Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87967 5/8/1954 I can't get started Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87968 5/8/1954 When the Saints go marching Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87969 5/8/1954 Blues Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87970 5/8/1954 Basin Street blues Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87971 5/8/1954 Lover-1 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87972 5/8/1954 At sundown-2 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87973 5/8/1954 St. James infirmary-3 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87974 5/8/1954 Whistling cow blues-4 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87975 5/8/1954 Big town boogie-5 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87976 5/8/1954 South Rampart Street parade Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 111948 3/22/1962 Jazz me blues Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 111949 3/22/1962 Basin Street blues Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 111950 3/22/1962 I'm confessin' Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2703 10-in. 9/29/1944 Black and blue Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2704 10-in. 9/29/1944 [Unknown title(s)] Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2705 10-in. 9/29/1944 Wrap your troubles in dreams Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2706 10-in. 9/29/1944 Dippermouth blues Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2706[a] 10-in. 9/29/1944 Black and blue Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2708 10-in. 9/29/1944 Old fashioned love Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2708[a] 10-in. 9/29/1944 Jazz me blues Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2710 10-in. 9/29/1944 Someday sweetheart Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2710[a] 10-in. 9/29/1944 Home Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lesberg, Jack," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

Lesberg, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

"Lesberg, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783

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