Lester Young in Washington, D.C., 1956, Vol. 2

• Artist: Lester Young
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1980
• Total Time: 38:08
• Type: Compilation (best of), Live
• Genre: Jazz

Review

The second installment of four projected volumes, this once again captures latter-day Lester Young in top form, relaxed and playing with impeccable phrasing and swing. Ably backed by the Bill Potts Trio during his week-long stand at Olivia's Patio Lounge in Washington, these live tapes put the lie to the longstanding jazz myth that Young was well past his prime in the final decade of his life.

If anything, this second volume captures even more adventurous playing by Prez, with fast paced takes on his "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" and "Lester Leaps In." But, as always, Young positively shines on midtempo and ballad material like "Three Little Words," "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)," "These Foolish Things" and "Almost Like Being In Love." Lester shares much of the soloing space with all three members of the trio, and his swapping of four-bar phrases with drummer Jim Lucht can get a little wearing on repeated listens, but the group provides such a comfortable cushion for him to relax and stretch out that it's a minor niggle at best. This also includes Young's only known full-length treatment of "Lullaby of Birdland," almost worth the price of admission alone. Nobody could swing like Lester Young, and given the right setting and circumstances like he was on these dates, he was evidently swinging right to the end. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Lester Leaps In	Lester Young	Lester Young	(5:33)
These Foolish Things	Harry Link, Jack Strachey, Holt Marvell	Lester Young	(3:20)
I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)	Al J. Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds, Doc Daugherty	Lester Young	(6:06)
Three Little Words	Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby	Lester Young	(5:22)
Jumpin' With Symphony Sid	Lester Young	Lester Young	(5:24)
Almost Like Being in Love	Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe	Lester Young	(6:37)
Lullaby of Birdland	George Shearing, George David Weiss	Lester Young	(5:46)

Credits

Bill Potts (Producer), Lester Young (Sax (Tenor)), Jack Towers (Transfers), Eric Miller (Digital Transfers), Bill Potts (Engineer), Bill Potts (Piano), Phil Carroll (Art Direction), Angel Balestier (Digital Transfers), Jim Lucht (Drums), Dan Morgenstern (Liner Notes), Norman Williams (Bass), Phil Stern (Photography), Phil DeLancie (Remastering), Gilles Margerin (Design), Norman Williams (Guitar (Bass))