Lester Young

Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist.

Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument. In contrast to many of his hard-driving peers, Young played with a relaxed, cool tone and used sophisticated harmonies, using what one critic called "a free-floating style, wheeling and diving like a gull, banking with low, funky riffs that pleased dancers and listeners alike".

Known for his hip, introverted style, he invented or popularized much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with the music.

Birth and Death Data: Born Woodville (town in Wilkinson County, Mississippi;city in Greene County, Georgia, United States), Died March 15, 1959 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1957

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone, clarinet, saxophone, composer

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 130 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-062747 10-in. 3/10/1941 Blitzkrieg baby Una Mae Carlisle ; Les Young Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-062748 10-in. 3/10/1941 Beautiful eyes Una Mae Carlisle ; Les Young Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-062749 10-in. 3/10/1941 There'll be some changes made Una Mae Carlisle ; Les Young Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-062750 10-in. 3/10/1941 It's sad but true Una Mae Carlisle ; Les Young Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, saxophone  
Columbia C1657 10-in. 10/9/1936 Shoe shine boy Jones-Smith, Incorporated Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia C1658 10-in. 10/9/1936 Evenin' Jones-Smith, Incorporated Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia C1659 10-in. 10/9/1936 Boogie woogie Jones-Smith, Incorporated Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia C1660 10-in. 10/9/1936 Lady, be good Jones-Smith, Incorporated Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2636 10-in. 6/26/1939 China boy Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2637 10-in. 6/26/1939 Exactly like you Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2638 10-in. 6/26/1939 On the sunny side of the street Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2639 10-in. 6/26/1939 Uptight organ blues Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2640 10-in. 6/26/1939 Who Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2641 10-in. 6/26/1939 Jazz me blues Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2642 10-in. 6/26/1939 Tiger rag Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC2643 10-in. 6/26/1939 Put on your old grey bonnet Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC3156 10-in. 6/27/1940 Stumbling Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia WC3157 10-in. 6/27/1940 Picadilly jive Hammond Five ; Glenn Hardman Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia W26341 10-in. 12/13/1939 Night and day Billie Holiday Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia W26342 10-in. 12/13/1939 The man I love Billie Holiday Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia W26343 10-in. 12/13/1939 You're just a no account Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia W26344 10-in. 12/13/1939 You're a lucky guy Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia W26900 10-in. 6/7/1940 I'm pulling through Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia W26901 10-in. 6/7/1940 Tell me more and more (and then some) Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Columbia W26902 10-in. 6/7/1940 Laughing at life Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
(Results 1-25 of 130 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Young, Lester," accessed January 4, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/211293.

Young, Lester. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 4, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/211293.

"Young, Lester." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 4 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/211293

External Sources

Wikipedia: Lester Young

Discogs: Lester Young

Allmusic: Lester Young

Grove: Lester Young

IMDb: Lester Young

Britannica: Lester Young

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Young, Lester, 1909-1959 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81023212

Wikidata: Lester Young - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q110714

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/46948203

MusicBrainz: Lester Young - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/d613e4ae-093a-49a1-b06a-579480f7f7e8

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/68798 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/68798

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