Lester Young Four Classic Albums (2-CD)

AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Lester Young, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details 'Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio'; 'The Lester Young and Buddy Rich Trio'; 'Pres & Sweets' and 'Pres & Teddy' Finally and not before time (you might say), AVID welcomes one of the true giants of jazz to its catalogue, Mr Lester Young, or 'Pres' (as named by his long-time friend and musical collaborator, Billie Holiday), as he was known to fellow musicians and fans alike. There is not much to say about Lester Young that has not been said before, he was certainly one of the most influential jazz musicians who ever lived and he really did exemplify the image of the cool jazz musician with his heavy lidded appearance, his famed pork pie hat and the ever present, fag smoke wafting into view. His playing was cool and mellow and brilliant and we have chosen to highlight it in our four albums where he can be heard in collaboration with other great musicians including Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Nat King Cole, Teddy Wilson and Harry 'Sweets' Edison. The list of players he has influenced would have to include Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Al Cohn and Paul Quinichette.