Lester Young Trio

Lester Young | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 19, 1994)
• Original Release Date: April 19, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000046T5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,785 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The entire 1946 sessions with Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich and an unreleased bonus track! Also here is the legendary Nat King Cole/Dexter Gordon Mercury session.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh So Good November 5, 2002

By George H. Soule

Format:Audio CD

The important recordings on this CD are derived from sessions for the Lester Young Trio recorded in 1946. The trio is perfectly balanced. Prez is at the peak of his powers as is Nat Cole, recording as "Aye Guy." Prez and Nat Cole complement one another so well that one could argue that this is a classic collaboration for both musicians. Certainly, Young is as comfortable with Cole as he was with Teddy Wilson or Count Basie years earlier. The two derive obvious pleasure from one anothers' playing. The drummer is Buddy Rich whose pyrotechniques are understated, and his brush work is tasteful and appropriate throughout. This is great music from the bluesy "Back to the Land" to the upbeat "I've Found a New Baby." These recordings show why Young's tone and improvisational skills were the model for saxophone players. Prez swings throughout; the ballads are models of the genre. Cole's piano is lyrical, and his solos are precise statements, reminiscent of Earl Hines in their inventiveness and control. This is Nat Cole the pianist, before his apotheosis as vocalist. And he was among the best jazz pianists--as interesting as Bud Powell and the obvious model for such cats as Hank Jones, Ahmad Jamal, and Red Garland. These are excellent examples of Cole's playing. The solo on the second "I Cover the Waterfront" is elegantly tasteful. The interplay between Young and Cole is especially fine on this number, on "Somebody Loves Me," and "I Want to be Happy." The music is fine--masterful in the true sense of the word. This is an important collaboration--a valuable and important addition to any jazz library. For some reason, the disc has been expanded to include four tracks from a 1943 session featuring Dexter Gordon and trumpet player Harry "Sweets" Edison with Nat Cole.... Good music, but I'm not sure why it's on this CD, except for Cole's playing and the obvious example of Young's influence on Gordon. Nevertheless, Young and Cole are masterful in the first ten tracks... Buy already!! Then listen. Read more ›

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Pres Album November 6, 2005

By Jazzman

Format:Audio CD

Lester Young is my favorite saxophone player and this is my favorite album of his. That wonderful Lester Young tone really comes through on this album. Pres' playing on songs like "Back To The Land" just puts chills down your spine. On top of Lester's great playing you also have two musicians who were superior players on their instruments and legends in their own right, and those are Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich. Nat King Cole, of course, was a great jazz pianist before he ever got into singing, but many people only know him as a vocalist. That's unfortunate, because there is a lot of great music that he made with his jazz trio. Of course, Buddy Rich is one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time, and he could accompany on a ballad just as well as he could play with fire. With a trio as powerful as Young, Cole, and Rich it's almost impossible not to make great music.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Two of a Mind September 7, 2008

By Richard W. Cutler

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Here is Lester Young in 1946, after his stint in the army supposedly destroyed his creative powers, attacking --yes, attacking-- "I Found a New Baby" with such easy control that a casual listener might not realize how the song has been utterly transformed. His pianist, the remarkable Nat King Cole, feeds harmonic and rhythmic ideas to the saxophonist with such grace that one could believe the entire performance had been composed beforehand, except for the obvious underlying excitement. On ballads --all taken at Lester's favorite tempo --just the slightest bit slower than medium-- the two carry on a delicious, sophisticated conversation: Listen particularly to the consecutive takes of "I Cover the Waterfront" for an idea of collaborative discovery within the most familiar material. Young and Cole had recorded together in 1942, four splendid pieces for Aladdin Records, and this later meeting can only make you wish they had played together as a regular duo. My favorite is "The Man I Love," which begins apparently simply and gradually becomes more and more complex as Young and Cole gently but firmly prod each other toward deeper, subtle insights. Buddy Rich, known to most as a dominating drummer, shows (as he does on his Art Tatum sessions) that he knows when restraint is real strength. This collection is a testament to the power of masterful understatement.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All-time Classic Pres April 11, 2007

By KeithCT

Format:Audio CD

This album is an unqualified masterpiece. Lester Young is exceptional and this is a rare opportunity to hear Nat "King" Cole play pure jazz. People who know him from singing "Unforgettable" etc may have no clue just how great a piano player he was and how great his jazz chops were. These two are a perfect match, and among all of Lester Young's wonderful albums I tend to agree with the reviewer who said this is the best. A word on sound quality: one of the reviewers downgraded this cd to 3-stars based on what he perceived to be awful sound. He exaggerates. This is a five star album, and the pops and scratches make this sound like an older jazz record. Jazz doesn't need to be squeaky clean to be enjoyed. Many jazz listeners still buy LP's specifically to hear the kind of sound quality captured on this CD. You want great music? Buy this cd

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pres At His Best June 5, 2005

By Jay

Format:Audio CD

This is not only one of Lester's best albums, but one of the best jazz albums out there. This should be a part of every serious jazz fan's collection. Pres plays with such emotion and such beauty in that warm, relaxed, wonderful tone that he is so well known for. But Pres isn't the only great player on this disc. The group in which he plays is a trio with Nat King Cole on piano and Buddy Rich on the drums. For a jazz fan, it doesn't get any better than that.