Young, Lester

Young, Lester (Willis)

Lester Young, c. 1955.

(credit: Reprinted with permission of down beat magazine)

(born Aug. 27, 1909, Woodville, Miss., U.S.—died March 15, 1959, New York, N.Y.) U.S. tenor saxophonist. Young joined Count Basie's band in 1936 and was recognized as a major new stylist on the instrument. His small-group recordings from the late 1930s with Basie and vocalist Billie Holiday are classics. He was nicknamed Prez by Holiday (short for “President of the saxophone”). Young's subtle harmonies and unconventional rhythmic independence influenced both bebop and cool-jazz musicians; his gentle tone and ethereal lyricism inspired an entire school of jazz saxophone playing.

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Young, Lester (Willis) “Prez” (1909–59) jazz musician; born in Woodville, Miss. He was an innovative tenor saxophonist who inspired the bebop movement and a new school of saxophone playing. After extensive sideman work, he gained prominence with Count Basie from 1936 to 1940 and appeared on numerous recordings with Billie Holiday. He led his own groups thereafter, but his later performances were markedly diminished by his alcoholism.