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 His escape was memorialized by fellow bassist Charles Mingus in an unpublished section of Mingus's autobiography Beneath the Underdog; this passage was read by rapper Chuck D. on the Mingus tribute album, Weird Nightmare.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 (Results 26-50 of 92 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 26-50 of 92 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lesberg, Jack," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

Lesberg, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

"Lesberg, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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