Artist page · 04/07/2026

Lester Young

WoodvilleBorn in 1909Bebop5 vinyl albums
Lester Young (1909–1959), American saxophonist and composer from Mississippi, revolutionized jazz with his silky tenor sax style blending bebop and swing during the mid-20th century.
Explore the discography The 3 must-haves
5Albums on Vinyles.com
1655Discogs releases
612kLast.fm listeners

About

Five notable vinyl albums including rare original French 1959 pressing selling up to €800.

Lester Young, nicknamed "Prez," emerged from Woodville, Mississippi, and became a defining tenor saxophonist in jazz history. His playing offered an airy counterpoint to the dominant, aggressive saxophone style of the 1930s, contributing significantly to bebop and later cool jazz movements.

Young’s career included influential collaborations with Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic. Despite personal struggles, his recorded legacy remains a key reference for jazz vinyl collectors, with editions issued by labels such as BMG, Verve, Barclay, and Decca, spanning mono, stereo, and reissues.

Discography

Lester Young discography

Studio albums, EPs and notable live records, from newest to oldest. Drag the timeline to browse.

Tenor KingPrestige Records Ltd. · 1997
1997
Tenor King
CD, Album
Studio
Jazz At The Philharmonic-Frankfurt 1952Pablo Records · 1997
1997
Jazz At The Philharmonic-Frankfurt 1952
CD, Album, Mono
Studio
Carnegie BluesVerve Records · 1985
1985
Carnegie Blues
Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue
Studio
The Trumpet Battle 1952Verve Records · 1983
1983
The Trumpet Battle 1952
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Live At The Savoy BallroomCharlie Parker Records · 1981
1981
Live At The Savoy Ballroom
Vinyl, LP, Album
Live
Pablo Live · 1981
1981
"Pres" Vol. III
Vinyl, LP, Album, Remastered, Mono
Studio
Pres Vol. IVPablo Live · 1981
1981
Pres Vol. IV
Vinyl, LP, Album
Studio
Pablo Live · 1980
1980
"Prez" Vol. II
Vinyl, LP, Album
Studio
Pablo Live · 1980
1980
"Pres" – In Washington, D.C. 1956
Vinyl, LP, Album, Remastered, Mono
Studio
Vol. 3 - Live Recording - 1949 / Royal Roost New-York CityMusidisc · 1978
1978
Vol. 3 - Live Recording - 1949 / Royal Roost New-York City
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Pres Lives!Savoy Records · 1977
1977
Pres Lives!
Vinyl, LP, Album
Studio
Grand Concert Gravé En 1945Locomotive · 1977
1977
Grand Concert Gravé En 1945
Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue
Studio
Count Basie Featuring Lester YoungSwing Treasury · 1974
1974
Count Basie Featuring Lester Young
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Jammin With LesterJazz Archives · 1974
1974
Jammin With Lester
Vinyl, LP, Album
Studio
Battle Of Tenor SaxesIAJRC · 1973
1973
Battle Of Tenor Saxes
Vinyl, LP, Album
Studio
Nat King Cole And Lester YoungCrown Records · 1964
1964
Nat King Cole And Lester Young
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
A Date With GreatnessImperial · 1962
1962
A Date With Greatness
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
An Historical Meeting At The SummitCharlie Parker Records · 1961
1961
An Historical Meeting At The Summit
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Studio
Just You, Just MeCharlie Parker Records · 1961
1961
Just You, Just Me
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Charlie Parker Records · 1961
1961
"Pres"
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Le Dernier Message De Lester YoungBarclay · 1959
1959
Le Dernier Message De Lester Young
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Going For Myself...Verve Records · 1958
1958
Going For Myself...
Vinyl, LP, Album
Studio
Laughin' To Keep From Cryin'Verve Records · 1958
1958
Laughin' To Keep From Cryin'
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Pres And TeddyVerve Records · 1957
1957
Pres And Teddy
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
PresNorgran Records · 1956
1956
Pres
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
And His Tenor Sax Vol. 2Aladdin · 1956
1956
And His Tenor Sax Vol. 2
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
Pres & SweetsNorgran Records · 1956
1956
Pres & Sweets
Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Studio
The PresidentNorgran Records · 1954
1954
The President
Vinyl, LP, Album
Studio
Lester Young With The Oscar Peterson Trio (#2)Norgran Records · 1954
1954
Lester Young With The Oscar Peterson Trio (#2)
Vinyl, LP, 10", Album
Studio
Battle Of The SaxesAladdin · 1951
1951
Battle Of The Saxes
Vinyl, LP, 10", Album
Studio
King Cole, Lester Young, Red Callender TrioPhilo Recordings · 1945
1945
King Cole, Lester Young, Red Callender Trio
Shellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album
Studio
The President Volume Six Of SixAmbrosia ·
The President Volume Six Of Six
Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo, Mono
Studio
Nat Cole* - Buddy Rich - Giants 3VSP ·
Nat Cole* - Buddy Rich - Giants 3
Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
Studio
Archives Of Jazz Vol-4 Lester Young...AgainAJ Records ·
Archives Of Jazz Vol-4 Lester Young...Again
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Studio
The President Volume One Of SixAmbrosia ·
The President Volume One Of Six
Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo, Mono
Studio
The President Volume Five Of SixAmbrosia ·
The President Volume Five Of Six
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Mono
Studio
The President Volume Four Of SixAmbrosia ·
The President Volume Four Of Six
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Mono
Studio
The President Volume Two Of SixAmbrosia ·
The President Volume Two Of Six
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Mono
Studio
The President Volume Three Of SixAmbrosia ·
The President Volume Three Of Six
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Mono
Studio
Newly Discovered Performances, Vol.1ESP-Disk' ·
Newly Discovered Performances, Vol.1
Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress
Studio
Studio album Live / EP

Playlist

Signature tracks

The tracks that sum up Lester Young's career.

01
There Will Never Be Another You
·
02
I Can't Get Started
·
03
These Foolish Things
These Foolish Things
Just You, Just Me · 1961
04
These Foolish Things - Remastered 1995
·
05
Stardust
·
06
Blue Lester
·
07
Almost Like Being In Love
Almost Like Being In Love
Le Dernier Message De Lester Young · 1959
08
On The Sunny Side Of The Street
On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Tenor King · 1997

The essentials

The 3 Lester Young albums you absolutely need

Our pick, validated by the editorial team.

#1 · 1961
LP, Album, Mono
Just You, Just Me

A seven-track 1961 mono LP, showcasing Lester's smooth and inventive bebop tenor sax.

7 tracksMonoCharlie Parker Records labelMultiple Japanese and US pressings
Discover the album
#2 · 1959
LP, Album, Mono
Le Dernier Message De Lester Young

Rare 1959 French original pressing on Barclay label, highly sought after by collectors for its full 12-track session.

12 tracksMonoBarclay labelOnly 2 original copies on sale
Discover the album
#3 · 1958
LP, Album, Stereo
Laughin' To Keep From Cryin'

An energetic 1958 Verve stereo album featuring 5 tracks, including the tribute "Salute To Benny."

5 tracksStereoVerve RecordsMultiple US pressings
Discover the album

Go further

Artists similar to Lester Young

Artists who share part of Lester Young's musical DNA.

Coleman Hawkins
Ben Webster
Ben Webster
Johnny Hodges
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Zoot Sims
J.J. Johnson
Gene Ammons
Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan

Face B

Side B: the hidden stories of Lester Young

Studio secrets, touring anecdotes and B-sides worth the whole album.

He was known for never repeating a solo, a jazz ideal unparalleled at the time.
— Jazz historians
01Biographical

Born in Woodville, Mississippi, 1909

Lester Willis Young was born on August 27, 1909, in Woodville and raised in a musical family with his father directing a minstrel band, eventually moving to New Orleans and Minneapolis during childhood.

1909Woodville
02Collaborations

Formed a significant musical friendship with Billie Holiday

In the late 1930s and 1940s, Young developed a close friendship with singer Billie Holiday, sharing a notable musical rapport that influenced many recordings and live performances together.

1937-1947United States
03Recording

Recorded 'DB Blues' in 1945 reflecting his military prison experience

Following imprisonment for insubordination and narcotics during WWII military service, Young wrote "DB Blues (Detention Barracks Blues)" revealing his struggles and shaping his art post-war.

1945Los Angeles
04Legacy

Influenced the cool jazz movement

Young’s light, fluid tenor sax contrasted with harsher jazz styles, inspiring the 1950s cool jazz sound promoted by figures like Miles Davis.

1950sUnited States

Records by Lester Young

See all
Laughin' To Keep From Cryin' - Front Cover Laughin' To Keep From Cryin' - Back Cover

Laughin' To Keep From Cryin'

Lester Young
Bebop Jazz/Blues
DECCA
From $39.99 2 offers
Blue Lester - Front Cover

Blue Lester

Lester Young
Bebop Jazz/Blues
BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT
From $46.70 1 offer
Just You, Just Me - Front Cover

Just You, Just Me

Lester Young
Contemporary Jazz / Cool Jazz/Blues
BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT
View details
Le Dernier Message De Lester Young - Front Cover

Le Dernier Message De Lester Young

Lester Young
Bebop Jazz/Blues
SAM RECORDS
From $69.10 1 offer
Live In Europe 1956 - Front Cover

Live In Europe 1956

Miles Davis
Contemporary Jazz / Cool Jazz/Blues
Intermusic
View details
JAZZ GIANT - Front Cover

JAZZ GIANT

Lester Young
Bebop Jazz/Blues
Jazz Images
View details

Recommended accessories

To protect, store and clean your records.

All accessories

FAQ

FAQ

The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.

Who was Lester Young and why is he called 'Prez'?

Lester Young was an American jazz saxophonist nicknamed "Prez" by Billie Holiday, reflecting his status as a leading tenor sax player.

What genre of music did Lester Young mainly play?

He was primarily a jazz musician associated with bebop and swing, influencing cool jazz as well.

What are Lester Young's essential vinyl albums to collect?

Key albums include "Just You, Just Me" (1961), "Le Dernier Message De Lester Young" (1959, French pressing), and "Laughin' To Keep From Cryin'" (1958).

Are original pressings of Lester Young’s LPs valuable?

Yes, especially the 1959 French original pressing of "Le Dernier Message De Lester Young" which can sell around €800.

Did Lester Young’s recordings get reissued on vinyl?

Many of his recordings have seen various mono and stereo reissues on labels like Verve, Barclay, and BMG.

Where was Lester Young born and where did he spend his early years?

He was born in Woodville, Mississippi, and grew up partly in New Orleans and Minneapolis.

How does Lester Young's music relate to French vinyl collectors?

His 1959 original album "Le Dernier Message De Lester Young" pressed in France is a rare collector’s item highly sought after by French audiophiles.

What should I look for when buying a Lester Young LP in France?

Look for original Barclay Mono pressings, such as the 1959 "Le Dernier Message De Lester Young," which have high collector interest and limited availability.

Transparency

Sources & method

This page is compiled by the vinyles.com editorial team from public sources and our marketplace.

  • WP
    Wikipedia
    Encyclopaedic data and biography
    ↗
  • MB
    MusicBrainz
    Artist metadata, dates, type
    ↗
  • DG
    Discogs
    Discography, pressings and market prices
    ↗
  • LF
    Last.fm
    Listeners, plays, similar artists
    ↗
  • VC
    Vinyles.com
    In-house catalog, prices and availability
    ↗

Our method

  1. Discographic data from MusicBrainz (dates, countries, activity period).
  2. Tracklists, artwork and genres retrieved via Discogs Masters.
  3. Values (low / median / high) and stock from the Discogs Marketplace.
  4. Audience and similar artists via Last.fm.
  5. Page updated automatically and reviewed by the editorial team.
Last updated: 04/07/2026