Thursday, August 27
from 5:30-6:30pm

Written, produced, and narrated
by Simon Rentner.

Featured speakers: Douglas Henry Daniels,
Roy Haynes, Junior Mance, Lewis Porter,
and Lester Young.

There’s plenty of jazz royalty, but
only one president - Lester Young.
“Pres” was a universally elected
figure. Peers idolized him. Fans
revered him. Europeans worshipped
him. Young modernized the tenor
saxophone. He signaled a new
way for jazz improvisers. Yet his
artistic contributions, often
shrouded by the secrecy of his
personal life, remain underappreciated.  

WBGO celebrates the Lester Young centennial with
“Pres: His Own Words,” a one-hour documentary produced by Simon Rentner.

“Pres” tells the story of a 20th century American who lived hard but brought a softness to everything he touched, bridged old and new, and personified “cool,” a musical style he virtually invented. Douglas Henry Daniels and Lewis Porter, two leading scholars of Lester Young, provide insight about the saxophonist’s complicated life, his music, and his only taped interviews.  In addition to hearing Lester’s personal testimony, Junior Mance and Roy Haynes – two of Young’s sidemen – bring to light the career an elusive, original musician who influenced every horn player after him.

Click the link below to listen On Demand.