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A Lester Young Reader
Book by Porter, Lewis
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 28, 2025
This is an excellent collection of articles about the great jazz saxophonist Lester Young - interviews, biography, reminiscences, and musical criticism. As with any such collection, the quality varies somewhat; I was particularly impatient with those articles that dismiss all of his later work out of hand. (These are balanced with pieces that review that music more favorably.)
Particularly valuable is the definitive transcription of Young's famous late-in-life interview with Francois Postif. The errors which were in every previous printed version of this interview are corrected here. Other favorites are pianist/singer Bobby Scott's touching memoir of Young, Martin Williams' overview of Young's musical contributions, and Ralph Gleason's short obituary, which Lester's brother Lee recommended to anyone interested in Lester Young and his music.
Particularly valuable is the definitive transcription of Young's famous late-in-life interview with Francois Postif. The errors which were in every previous printed version of this interview are corrected here. Other favorites are pianist/singer Bobby Scott's touching memoir of Young, Martin Williams' overview of Young's musical contributions, and Ralph Gleason's short obituary, which Lester's brother Lee recommended to anyone interested in Lester Young and his music.
April 29, 2008
Interviews with, and essays and critiques of, Pres. A lot of info here.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews