Lester Young

August 27th - Lester Young’s birthday.  In 2012 there are 103 years since he was born.


Lester Young was a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist - a fine musician.
He had invented his own style playing cool jazz melodic compositions.
Although Lester was criticized, he never compromised his individuality.
He favored in musician innovation, novelty, differentiation, originality.

Lester was different in his distinctive style, cool timbre, rhythm vibration.
He needed freedom, experimentation, creative exploration, improvisation.
Young had composed his harmonies and played it with deep emotionality.
Free thinking, spirit and use of sharp, light tones made him in jazz a rarity.

He played his “phrased legato,” and his sounds were soft, slow and smooth.
People nowadays appreciate Lester’s novel approach, unraveled inner truth.
Young played his music with exquisite taste, mastery and human sensitivity.
He outstands in jazz community in his inventive style, skill, talent and ability.

Instead of playing complicated harmony, he simplified and sharpened sound.
Young was a musician who was visible, intelligent, insightful and profound.
He was eccentric, which had added to originality and made him well known.
Lester had gradually evolved in state-of-the-art craft and, significantly grown.

On August 27th falls Lester Young’s birthday, we are remembering him today.
In short lived life, he had a message to deliver and mission, vision to convey.
He had developed, carried out, advocated for his unique, novel musical style.
A jazz genius, Lester was a person with sensitivity, reflection, humor, smile.


Copyright©2012 Mila Alper


* Photo is from the Internet