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 His escape was memorialized by fellow bassist Charles Mingus in an unpublished section of Mingus's autobiography Beneath the Underdog; this passage was read by rapper Chuck D. on the Mingus tribute album, Weird Nightmare.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 51-75 of 92 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 51-75 of 92 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lesberg, Jack," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

Lesberg, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

"Lesberg, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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