BEING PREZ: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

Dave Gelly | 192 pages | 05 Aug 2010 | | 9780195334777 | English | Oxford, United Kingdom Being Prez: The Life and Music of Lester Young PDF Book

By the end of a biography that is surely definitive in the true sense, I felt the glow experienced after viewing a sensitive and beautifully-constructed documentary. They lacked preconceptions. In the film Round Midnight , the fictional main character Dale Turner, played by , was partly based on Young — incorporating flashback references to his army experiences, and loosely depicting his time in and his return to New York just before his death. Recordings made during this and subsequent periods suggest Young was beginning to make much greater use of a plastic reed, which tended to give his playing a somewhat heavier, breathier tone although still quite smooth compared to that of many other players. He reveals how as a saxophonist--and as major contributor to the band--Young created a strong personal voice, a cool modernism, and a new rhythmic flexibility in the freely dancing rhythms of 4-beat swing. This was not the first communication the Draft Board had sent him, but he had taken no notice. In other words, just another quiet, hospitable Southern town. The split came as a terrific surprise to followers of Basie and the band. Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March with drummer at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. Following these events, Young grew increasingly withdrawn and suspicious, changes in his character reflected in the darkening mood of his music. Skip to content. Table of Contents Preface Preface ix — xi. Live recording of Young and Potts in Washington were issued later. Retrieved October 19, Buy Now. He is also professional saxophonist. His father was a teacher and band leader, and several other relatives performed professionally. Show Hide Table of Contents. Please contact our Customer Service Team if you have any questions. From Satchmo to Miles. Jammin' the Blues 8. The History of 2 ed. While Hawkins was harmonically sophisticated and much more predictable rhythmically, Young was the opposite, often implying more than he stated and creating speechlike improvisations that were the epitome of cool. Exact matches only. It could be said that with the book running only pages in the Equinox edition that I read , there was plenty of room for more musical discussion, but the recordings Gelly chose make his points well. Back in , when Lester had been under pressure in the band, with Mrs Henderson breathing down his neck in her efforts to turn him into an imitation , had tried to cheer him up by assuring him that, one day, people would be copying him. Since it came originally from Denver, Colorado, was now based in Salina, Kansas, and had no known connection with Boston or New England, the reason for its name remains a mystery. Search in excerpt. Young also recorded extensively in the late s for Aladdin Records , where he had made the Cole recordings in and for Savoy , '49 and '50 , some sessions of which included Basie on piano. Young played as well as tenor in these sessions. In Young settled in Kansas City , where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. Gelly reasons that the format of a group led by a solo saxophonist was still new at the time, and Young was testing new waters. Small record labels not bound by union contracts continued to record and he recorded some sessions for Harry Lim's Keynote label in New Atlantis John Swenson. His experience inspired his composition "D. Instead of taking advantage of his fame, he stopped eating in and essentially drank himself to death. In Being Prez , renowned British critic Dave Gelly follows Lester Young through his life in a rapidly changing world, showing how the music of this exceptionally sensitive man was shaped by his experiences. After Young's clarinet was stolen in , he abandoned the instrument until about Old and new fans alike will find illumination in Gelly's first-rate discussion of 'Shoe Shine Boy,' his account of Young's dealings with Fletcher Henderson and , and his description of Young's notorious stint in the army. Recorded on a home recorder. Do be advised that shipments may be delayed due to extra safety precautions implemented at our centers and delays with local shipping carriers. Namespaces Article Talk. Gelly uses all of the publicly available documents to reconstruct what happened to Young while he was an Army private, but even Gelly admits that the full truth may never be known. Young's solo was brilliant, acclaimed by some observers as an unparalleled marvel of economy, phrasing and extraordinarily moving emotion; , one of the show's producers, later commented, "Lester got up, and he played the purest blues I have ever heard Verve , Commodore , Savoy , Pablo , Victor. Early "in person" recordings. New York: Oxford University Press. Being Prez: The Life and Music of Lester Young Writer

This contract came to an end after Lester had been on board for a couple of weeks and Sears signed up for a long tour under the auspices of the United Services Organisation USO , a partly state-funded voluntary body which provided entertainment for the troops. Racial segregation was rigidly enforced, disputes might be settled with a bullet, and lynchings were not unknown. He made a habit of leaving, working, then going home. His first marriage was to Beatrice Tolliver, in Albuquerque , on 23 February Following these events, Young grew increasingly withdrawn and suspicious, changes in his character reflected in the darkening mood of his music. Young's career after World War II was far more prolific and lucrative than in the pre-war years in terms of recordings made, live performances, and annual income. We may use cookies to collect information about your computer, including where available your IP address, operating system and browser type, for system administration and to report aggregate information for our internal use. Young made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March with drummer Kenny Clarke at the tail end of an abbreviated European tour during which he ate next to nothing and drank heavily. Straub was inspired by Young's appearance on the CBS-TV show , which he watched repeatedly, wondering how such a genius could have ended up "this present shambles, this human wreckage, hardly able to play at all". While he never abandoned the cane reed, he used the plastic reed a significant share of the time from until the end of his life. New York: Bonanza Books. Old and new fans alike will find illumination in Gelly's first-rate discussion of 'Shoe Shine Boy,' his account of Young's dealings with Fletcher Henderson and Norman Granz, and his description of Young's notorious stint in the army. The work was subsequently adapted for the theater, and was staged in November of that year at the Manhattan Theater Club , , with a four-piece jazz combo led by Dwight Andrews. Gelly discusses several of the Basie and Holiday recordings with minimal jargon. Two decades after his commercial breakthrough, Harry Connick Jr. Search in title. She was also in physical decline, near the end of her career, yet they both gave moving performances. According to jazz critic , who rode with Holiday in a taxi to Young's funeral, she said after the services, "I'll be the next one to go. Tells the story of the saxophonist who spanned minstrelsy and . In Young settled in Kansas City , where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. In so doing, Gelly shows his own modernist stripes: playing only the right noes, embracing contextual space, emphasizing the song above all esle. Lester Young Rev. Lester Willis Young August 27, — March 15, , nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Download as PDF Printable version. Search in posts. By the time he was ten, he had learned the basics of trumpet, violin, and drums, and joined the Young Family Band touring with carnivals and playing in regional cities in the Southwest [6] [2] In his teens he and his father clashed, and he often left home for long periods. Gelly uses all of the publicly available documents to reconstruct what happened to Young while he was an Army private, but even Gelly admits that the full truth may never be known. Inform My Library. Back in , when Lester had been under pressure in the Fletcher Henderson band, with Mrs Henderson breathing down his neck in her efforts to turn him into an imitation Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday had tried to cheer him up by assuring him that, one day, people would be copying him. Lester Young with the Trio 2. Young played clarinet as well as tenor in these sessions. I Agree. Knopf , p. As a global organization, we, like many others, recognize the significant threat posed by the coronavirus. With the . Views Read Edit View history. Our distribution centers are open and orders can be placed online. Wikimedia Commons. He emerged from this treatment improved. Recorded on a home recorder. The reader meets a complicated, vulnerable, gentle individual who was brought up in his father's traveling carnival band. Namespaces Article Talk. Biography portal Music portal. Retrieved August 5, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. His current, thirteen-strong outfit had been formed the previous October for a residency at the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom on West th Street. Allmusic's Scott Yanow, reviewing one of the albums, , said:. Being Prez: The Life and Music of Lester Young Reviews

Search in excerpt. Lester Young was one of the great jazz masters, whose tenor playing brought new levels of expressiveness and subtlety to the jazz language. This produced a vast bubble of tiny enterprises run by dreamers, sharp operators, would-be tycoons and ambitious fans, few of them with any real expertise. An outstanding book, covering the life and music of a truly unique musician, by one of the most perceptive and literate jazz writers. Straub was inspired by Young's appearance on the CBS-TV show The Sound of Jazz , which he watched repeatedly, wondering how such a genius could have ended up "this present shambles, this human wreckage, hardly able to play at all". Lester W. Then I went straight to my record shelves to listen again, with ears eager and refreshed, to all the lovely music. Become a Patreon member of JHO! He fundamentally changed the way the saxophone was played--his long, flowing lines brought new levels of expressiveness and subtlety to the jazz language, setting the standard for all modern players. Previously unavailable recordings and a new bio illuminate the legend of bassist Scott LaFaro. DaCapo Press, p. According to jazz critic Leonard Feather , who rode with Holiday in a taxi to Young's funeral, she said after the services, "I'll be the next one to go. Woodville, in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, is the birthplace of two famous Americans — Jefferson Davis — 89 , President of the Confederacy, and Lester Young — , saxophonist. Young's career after World War II was far more prolific and lucrative than in the pre-war years in terms of recordings made, live performances, and annual income. Bernstein Meets Broadway Carol J. How come? While fully aware of the musical and biographical details, Gelly wears his knowledge lightly in a way that will appeal to general readers as well as specialists. Young is described as playing the clarinet in a "liquid, nervous style. His playing in the Basie band was characterized by a relaxed style which contrasted sharply with the more forceful approach of Coleman Hawkins , the dominant tenor sax player of the day. However, none of the existing biographies of Young save the one under review here have taken that approach. Nilsson Alyn Shipton. In this, despite his best efforts, he failed. He is also professional saxophonist. From around , Young's level of playing declined more precipitously as his drinking increased. Gelly dismisses this story out of hand, and offers a compelling set of reasons why Young went out on his own. Verve , Commodore , Savoy , Pablo , Victor. Old and new fans alike will find illumination in Gelly's first-rate discussion of 'Shoe Shine Boy,' his account of Young's dealings with Fletcher Henderson and Norman Granz, and his description of Young's notorious stint in the army. In Young settled in Kansas City , where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. Porter, Lewis, Gelly uses all of the publicly available documents to reconstruct what happened to Young while he was an Army private, but even Gelly admits that the full truth may never be known. Young did not fight the charges and was convicted. More Than Bollywood Gregory D. He left home permanently in when he became a member of the Blue Devils led by . Knopf , p. By widening the focus to take in detail of the fascinating jazz world that Lester inhabited, all described with a lightness of touch that leads to many smiles — and a few lumps in the throat. But at the height of his powers, he was drafted into the US Army, where racism and his own unworldliness landed him in military prison. Born in Woodville, Miss. By all accounts, Young was happiest when he was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. Humphrey Lyttelton. Young Jr. Just before the shoot he had received his call-up papers. Following these events, Young grew increasingly withdrawn and suspicious, changes in his character reflected in the darkening mood of his music. The Territory 3. Young left the family band in at the age of 18 because he refused to tour in the , where Jim Crow laws were in effect and racial segregation was required in public facilities. Retrieved December 20,

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The book follows Lester Young through his life in a rapidly changing world, showing how the music of this exceptionally sensitive man was affected by his experiences. Since it came originally from Denver, Colorado, was now based in Salina, Kansas, and had no known connection with Boston or New England, the reason for its name remains a mystery. Al Sears was a tenor saxophonist, a few months younger than Lester, who had been leading a series of bands over most of the preceding decade. To purchase, visit your preferred ebook provider. Nate Chinen makes the argument that Kurt Elling is the most influential jazz vocalist of our time. Holiday always insisted their relationship was strictly platonic. In December Young returned to the Basie fold for a month stint, cut short by his being drafted into the army during World War II see below. If, as humanists assert, our personalities survive in the memories of other people, in the work we do, the emotions we stir and the effect we have on the world in general, then we must conclude that he is still very much with us. New Atlantis John Swenson. Dave Gelly is the weekly jazz critic for The Observer and contributes to many other British periodicals. Eminently readable from the first page to the last, Being Prez is an essential addition to the jazz library. Young's solo was brilliant, acclaimed by some observers as an unparalleled marvel of economy, phrasing and extraordinarily moving emotion; Nat Hentoff , one of the show's producers, later commented, "Lester got up, and he played the purest blues I have ever heard He fundamentally changed the way the saxophone was played--his long, flowing lines brought new levels of expressiveness and subtlety to the jazz language, setting the standard for all modern players. Choose your country or region Close. He is rumored to have refused to play with the band on Friday, December 13 of that year for superstitious reasons spurring his dismissal, [10] although Young and drummer would later state that his departure had been in the works for months. Apart from their place of birth, they seem to have had only one thing in common, namely that they both served time in jail. They lacked preconceptions. After Young's clarinet was stolen in , he abandoned the instrument until about Search Start Search. Series : Popular Music History. Gelly reasons that the format of a group led by a solo saxophonist was still new at the time, and Young was testing new waters. Basie said he would not comment. Towards the end of the war, small record labels seemed to be springing up almost daily. They were married towards the end of Young is a major character in English writer Geoff Dyer 's fictional book about jazz, But Beautiful. Become a Patreon member of JHO! Lester Young was born in Woodville , Mississippi, on August 27, https://cdn.starwebserver.se/shops/aaronhermanssoniv/files/a-concise-history-of-australia-894.pdf https://cdn.starwebserver.se/shops/ronjajohanssonhk/files/basic-anatomy-for-the-manga-artist-everything-you-need-to-start-drawing-authentic- manga.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9583787/UploadedFiles/86CC60DE-6328-435F-104B-4CADC8E8D105.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9583659/UploadedFiles/BBC74BF6-51C0-04E5-AB2E-8D66A2D80B9C.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9582834/UploadedFiles/6FC59C33-3210-BEF0-4F72-FBDA4B44100B.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9583799/UploadedFiles/97636C71-6B0F-CDE6-124B-940D7C1E0033.pdf