The Language of Lester Young

**brent.h** · 12-02-2024, 05:06 AM

Sorry I've been away for so long. Been busy with work/life/preparing for jam sessions. Anyway, I thought I'd update you guys that I might have discovered quite an important 5-note melodic cell that Prez uses to create super interesting rhythms. (I haven't recorded the video to this yet, but I'll get to it soon when I can.) To make this cell playable, you might need to use a bit of Chuck Wayne's system.

**brent.h** · 12-10-2024, 01:23 AM

Video #13: An important 5-note cell

This was a major breakthrough for me, and I think this is quite critical in understanding how Prez thinks/phrases.

The lick starts on the downbeat of 1, but do try repeating this lick or combining this with other phrases to bring out super cool rhythms. This is played in Bb major and Bb minor.

**pshin** · 12-10-2024, 03:03 PM

The trad guys and swings guys really do have a lot to offer for many players. Something I have found that is oftentimes ignored is that many clarinet players played very beautiful and melodic lines. Pee Wee Russell, Jimmie Noone, and Albert Nicholas are some of my favorites. Lester young also played some great clarinet as well!

**brent.h** · 12-11-2024, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by pshin

The trad guys and swings guys really do have a lot to offer for many players. Something I have found that is oftentimes ignored is that many clarinet players played very beautiful and melodic lines. Pee Wee Russell, Jimmie Noone, and Albert Nicholas are some of my favorites. Lester young also played some great clarinet as well!

Yup, Prez played MEAN clarinet with the Kansas City Five!

One of my favourite clarinet players is Johnny Dodds. Incredible melodist.

**brent.h** · 02-11-2025, 05:17 AM

Video #14: ii-V-I line (ascending with whole tone scale)

The lick starts on the downbeat of 3. Played in the keys of Bb, Eb.

**brent.h** · 02-11-2025, 04:25 PM

I'm also starting to notice another pattern, after listening to his collaboration with Teddy Wilson and Billie Holiday. In many of his solos on slow to medium tempo tunes, he almost always uses some form of iv-6 or V+ or VII when he's going back to the tonic.

On up-tempo tunes with Count Basie or Glenn Hardman, he doesn't use the V+ or VII too much.

I'm guessing he associates the sound more with 'sweet' tunes than with fast swing tunes.

**pamosmusic** · 02-11-2025, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by brent.h

I'm also starting to notice another pattern, after listening to his collaboration with Teddy Wilson and Billie Holiday. In many of his solos on slow to medium tempo tunes, he almost always uses some form of iv-6 or V+ or VII when he's going back to the tonic.

On up-tempo tunes with Count Basie or Glenn Hardman, he doesn't use the V+ or VII too much.

I'm guessing he associates the sound more with 'sweet' tunes than with fast swing tunes.

I love that iv to I sound … I was working on an Ed Bickert solo on I Should Care recently and he uses that sound a lot over V. Which works because that iv minor is in the tune too.

**buduranus2** · 02-12-2025, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

I love that iv to I sound … I was working on an Ed Bickert solo on I Should Care recently and he uses that sound a lot over V. Which works because that iv minor is in the tune too.

This has been my new toy for the last couple of months. For a iv-I move (in C for example) I'm looking at it as Fmi6>C, which says melodic minor to me. In the alternative I'll look at the Fmi6 as Dmi7b5 (>G7b9>C) in which case W/H diminished seems to work quite nicely, at least to my ears.

**brent.h** · 02-14-2025, 11:35 AM

Video #15: Re-purposing Prez's VI7 to iv line.

This line comes from Prez's solo on The Man I Love, the 1939 recording with Billie Holiday.

**Mick-7** · 02-14-2025, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

I love that iv to I sound … I was working on an Ed Bickert solo on I Should Care recently and he uses that sound a lot over V. Which works because that iv minor is in the tune too.

You have the common half step movement there: Bb-Db-F-G (Bbm6) > A-C-E-F (Fmaj7/A), and Bbm6 = C7b9sus. Doesn't sound dominant though if the tonic chord is minor.

**AllanAllen** · 02-14-2025, 12:40 PM

Wow what a great thread! Lot's of great stuff here.

**brent.h** · 06-29-2025, 11:54 AM

I've been listening to Prez's disciples for a bit now. Brew Moore, Stan Getz, Wardell Grey, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Paul Quinichette. These guys all have that sound and tone. But Allen Eager was the greatest pre-war Prez imitator, in my opinion. I felt I was listening Lester Young in his prime again with better recording technology.

**AllanAllen** · 07-01-2025, 09:45 AM

Allen Eager is really great! I listen to a few Paul Quinichette albums often because they have Freddie Green on them and he's up in the mix, more so than the Count Basie recordings.

Interestingly, the Allen Eager compilation on Spotify has every track marked Explicit Content.

**brent.h** · 12-13-2025, 07:44 AM

While Frankie Trumbauer and Jimmy Dorsey influenced Lester Young's conception of tone and storytelling, this man, Bud Freeman, is the one that Prez got his licks and melodic devices from. Pre-Lester, many players listened to Freeman as an alternative model to Coleman Hawkins.

Bud Freeman: Profile in Jazz - The Syncopated Times

Lester Young Blindfold Test | Leonard Feather Blindfold Tests (Lester Young interview)

Freeman is the missing link! Prez sounds so much like him.