The Kansas City Sessions Lester Young Artist

This is a CD overflowing with classic performances. The great {|Lester Young|} is heard with the 1938 version of {|the Kansas City Six|}, a group also including trumpeter {|Buck Clayton|} (in prime form), {|Eddie Durham|} on electric guitar (where he... Read more

This is a CD overflowing with classic performances. The great {|Lester Young|} is heard with the 1938 version of {|the Kansas City Six|}, a group also including trumpeter {|Buck Clayton|} (in prime form), {|Eddie Durham|} on electric guitar (where he preceded {|Charlie Christian|}) and trombone, the rhythm guitar of {|Freddie Green|}, bassist {|Walter Page|}, and drummer {|Jo Jones|}. The four selections (all of which are joined by an alternate take apiece) are most notable for {|Young|}'s switching to clarinet on some of the pieces. His clarinet solo on {|I Want a Little Girl|} sounds eerily like {|Paul Desmond|}'s alto of 15 years later. These classic {|cool jazz|} performances have delightful interplay between the two horns. The second part of the reissue features the 1944 {|Kansas City Six|} in which {|Young|} (sticking to tenor) and trumpeter {|Bill Coleman|} are joined by a three-piece rhythm section and trombonist {|Dickie Wells|}. {|Wells|}, who takes some very colorful and nearly riotous solos, rarely sounded better, and the four selections are highlighted by three equally rewarding versions of {|I Got Rhythm|} and two of {|Three Little Words.|} The CD concludes with the four titles by 1938's {|Kansas City Five|}, which was essentially the early {|Kansas City Six|} without {|Young|}. {|Clayton|} is once again in top form, and {|Durham|}'s guitar solos were among the first worthwhile examples of the electric guitar on record. This gem is highly recommended for all {|jazz|} collections. ~ Scott Yanow Less