About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 37. Chapters: Wardell Gray, Lester Young, Clark Terry, Louie Bellson, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Buck Clayton, Don Byas, Illinois Jacquet, Curtis Fuller, Paul Gonsalves, Hot Lips Page, Charles Turner, Sweets Edison, Frank Wess, Snooky Young, Fred Wesley, Oscar Brashear, Bill Hughes, Derrick Gardner, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Buddy Tate, Vi Redd, Lucky Thompson, Jo Jones, Jimmy Forrest, Freddie Green, Joe Newman, Dennis Mackrel, Al Grey, Butch Miles, Charles Fowlkes, Serge Chaloff, Marshall Royal, Vic Dickenson, Billy Mitchell, Herschel Evans, Dicky Wells, Walter Page, Benny Morton, Tab Smith, Gus Johnson, Reunald Jones, Sonny Payne, Earle Warren, Emmett Berry, Paul Quinichette. Excerpt: Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 - March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Prez," was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. He also played trumpet, violin, and drums. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument, playing with a cool tone and using sophisticated harmonies. He invented or popularized much of the hipster ethos which came to be associated with the music. Lester Young was born in Woodville, Mississippi and grew up in a musical family. Young's father, Willis Handy Young, was a respected teacher, his brother Lee Young was a drummer, and several other relatives played music professionally. His family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana when Lester was an infant and later to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Although at a very young age Young did not initially know his father, he learned that his father was a musician. Later Willis taught his son to play the trumpet, violin, and drums in addition to the saxophone. Lester Young played in his family's band in both the vaudeville and carnival circuits. He left the family band in 1927 at the age of 18 because he refused to ...
