Lester Young | |
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![]() Young (left) in 1944 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Lester Willis Young |
Also known as | "Pres" or "Prez" |
Born | Woodville, Mississippi, U.S. | August 27, 1909
Died | March 15, 1959 New York City, U.S. | (aged 49)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet |
Years active | 1933–1959 |
Labels |
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".[1]
Known for his hip, introverted style,[2] he invented or popularized much of the hipster jargon which came to be associated with the music.[3]