Yes, I know.
One of the Ten Commandments clearly states “Thou Shalt Not Covet”
But here I was, practicing my transcription of Lester Young’s 1937 solo on “Lester Leaps In” like I’ve been doing for the past 6 months and still not getting anywhere. Oh, I can play the notes, but not at the same tempo, and forget about feeling. And he pulled it off like it was nothing? Help me, Lord.
Then, this disc comes in the mail. A recently discovered collection of Prez back in 1951-52 from radio broadcasts. The sound isn’t bad at all-Young is amazingly clear. And then, the album opens up with his revisit to “Lester Leaps In” with John Lewis/p, Gene Ramey/b and Jo Jones/dr, and I’m wondering, “Why do I even bother?”. This solo is so warm, cool, sleek and lovely. He then oozes out “I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance” and swings the daylights out of “Up and Atom” and I start listing my Selmer Mark VI on Ebay.
Cyril Haynes and Earl Knight trade off on piano for the rest of the sessions, and Jesse Drakes brings in his trumpet as well. The read of “Indian” is definitively wonderful, and Young coos through “These Foolish Things” in glorious desultory form. The boppers like ‘How Hight The Moon” are celebrative, and “’Deed I Do” glows and glistens. This is how a sax is supposed to sound. Am I inspired or discouraged? YES!