Lester Leaps In
{{Infobox song
| name = Lester Leaps In
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Count Basie's Kansas City Seven
| album =
| released = 1939
| recorded = September 5, 1939, New York City, NY
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| venue =
| genre = Jazz
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=12}}
| label = Vocalion
5118
| writer = Lester Young
| producer =
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"Lester Leaps In" is a jazz standard originally recorded by Count Basie's Kansas City Seven in 1939.Brian Rust, [http://www.mainspringpress.com/book_rust.html Jazz and Ragtime Records, 1897-1942] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209144311/http://mainspringpress.com/book_rust.html |date=2009-02-09 }}, [http://www.mainspringpress.com/ Mainspring Press], 2008. The composition, credited to the group's tenor saxophone player Lester Young, is a contrafact based on the chord progression of "I Got Rhythm", and serves as a vehicle for interweaving solos by Young and Basie.
Eddie Jefferson, pioneer of vocalese, wrote lyrics for the composition, calling his version "I Got the Blues".[http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-2/lesterleapsin.htm "Lester Leaps In (1940)"], JazzStandards.com.
Critical acclaim
- "Lester Leaps In" is listed among the Milestone Recordings in American Music at the Three Perfect Minutes site.[http://www.threeperfectminutes.com/2010/10/lester-leaps-in-1939.html "Lester Leaps In (1939)"], at [http://www.threeperfectminutes.com/p/notes.html Three Perfect Minutes], retrieved 2013-10-23.
- jazz.com gives "Lester Leaps In" a 98, on a scale of 100 – "Classic performance. A 'must have' for jazz fans."[http://www.jazz.com/music/lester-young-lester-leaps-in-1939 Lester Leaps In (1939)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927143724/http://www.jazz.com/music/lester-young-lester-leaps-in-1939 |date=2013-09-27 }}, at [http://www.jazz.com/ jazz.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121140931/http://www.jazz.com/ |date=November 21, 2015 }}, retrieved 2013-10-23.
Personnel (original 1939 recording)
- Count Basie - piano
- Lester Young - tenor saxophone
- Buck Clayton - trumpet
- Dicky Wells - trombone
- Freddie Green - guitar
- Walter Page - bass
- Jo Jones - drums
Other recordings
In 1960 Harry James released a version on his album Harry James...Today (MGM E-3848).
References
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Category:Songs about musicians
Category:Cultural depictions of jazz musicians
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