Lester Young

Lester Young (1909-1959) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. He was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the swing era, and was an influence on many of the greatest jazz musicians of the 20th century, including Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis.

Young's first big break came when he joined the Count Basie Orchestra in 1936. He remained with Basie for the next five years, and his playing was featured prominently on some of Basie's most iconic albums, including "One O'Clock Jump" (1937) and "The Count Basie Story" (1956).

Young recorded several classic albums as a leader, including "Lester Young With The Oscar Peterson Trio" (1952), "Pres and Teddy" (1955) with Teddy Wilson, and "Lester Young with the Modern Jazz Quartet" (1957). He is best known for his songs "Tickle Toe" and "Lester Leaps In," which have become jazz standards.

An interesting fact about Lester Young is that he was the first musician to refer to his instrument as a "saxophone," instead of its proper name, the "saxaphone." This name has since become standard.