Lester Leaps In: Live At Birdland 1951 - 1952

[nighthawk68]

There's a new release for Record Store day on Liberation Hall. Is this really unissued? From the blurb:

This never-before-released set captures one of the most influential tenor saxophonists of all time, live at NYC’s iconic jazz venue Birdland. It features eight tracks recorded on four different dates in 1951 and 1952 for ABC Radio’s infamous “Jumpin with Symphony Sid”program. Host Sid Torin introduces several of the tracks, one of which, “Neenah,” includes a shoutout to audience member Billie Holiday who originated the bebop legend's nickname “Prez” (for “President of the Tenor Sax”). The backing bands feature pianists John Lewis, Cyril Haynes, and Earl Knight; percussionists “Papa” Jo Jones and Lee Abrams; bassist Gene Ramey; and trumpeter Jesse Drakes. The album will be pressed on 180-gram vinyl and features rare photos with extensive liner notes from jazz historian Scott Yanow. 

Tracklist
Side A
1. Lester Leaps In 2. Ghost Of A Chance 3. Up And Atom 4. These Foolish Things 5. Neenah Side
Side B
1. Indiana 2. How High the Moon 3. ‘Deed I Do

[Big Beat Steve]

These tracks, the location and the line-ups read uncannily like what's been discussed "in extenso" here:

"Indiana" and "These Foolish Things" not mentioned in that thread did get recorded at Birdland during 1951 too (according to the "Lestorian Notes" discography). 
The "odd man out" is the presence of Cyril Haynes who according to that discography never got recorded with Lester Young. And according to the brief biographies of him I've  been able to ceck at a quick glance the Lester Young Birdland groups would not have been the most likely company he moved in. But who knows ...?

 

[Big Beat Steve]

 

Also pointed out here, FWIW:

In the "New Releases" section, though IMO it remains to be seen how much of it is actually "new". 

[John L]

On 10/5/2025 at 9:28 AM, Big Beat Steve said:

These tracks, the location and the line-ups read uncannily like what's been discussed "in extenso" here:

"Indiana" and "These Foolish Things" not mentioned in that thread did get recorded at Birdland during 1951 too (according to the "Lestorian Notes" discography). 
The "odd man out" is the presence of Cyril Haynes who according to that discography never got recorded with Lester Young. And according to the brief biographies of him I've  been able to ceck at a quick glance the Lester Young Birdland groups would not have been the most likely company he moved in. But who knows ...?

 

The Lord Discography has one session with Cyril Haynes

 

Lester Young Quartet : Lester Young (ts) Cyril Haynes (p) Gene Ramey (b) Jo Jones (d)

WNEW radio broadcast, "Birdland", New York, February 24, 1951

	Up `n' Adam	Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]
	These foolish things	Session Disc 104
	Neenah	Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]
	Lester leaps in	Session Disc 104, Giant Steps (E)GIST001 [CD]
		Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]

Edited 17 hours ago by John L

[bichos]

here are the dates:

http://www.liberationhall.com/index.php?id_product=391&controller=product

keep boppin´

marcel

[John L]

Thanks, Marcel.  As suspected, nothing new here.  

[Niko]

Thanks! Will stick to my Ambrosia LPs then...

[Big Beat Steve]

11 hours ago, John L said:

The Lord Discography has one session with Cyril Haynes

 

Lester Young Quartet : Lester Young (ts) Cyril Haynes (p) Gene Ramey (b) Jo Jones (d)

WNEW radio broadcast, "Birdland", New York, February 24, 1951

	Up `n' Adam	Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]
	These foolish things	Session Disc 104
	Neenah	Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]
	Lester leaps in	Session Disc 104, Giant Steps (E)GIST001 [CD]
		Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]

Thanks John!

"Lestorian Notes" lists the above session with most of the LP and Cd releases indicated by Lord but says the pianist is "unknown". So I take it that the Lord disco has the most up-to-date info. 

So in the end there is nothing that's "never before released". What puzzles me is whether Lester Young live dates really are considered such hot items today that the (incorrect) "unreleased" claim needs to be made to lure unsuspecting buyers into shelling out. Not that I'd imagine the Session Disc 104 or Ambrosia AMB-10, 20 and 30 LPs are that common among collectors. But they are out there, and at least from what I've observed over here, if this sort of "Boris Rose" vinyls come up they sell for almost next to nothing. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Big Beat Steve

[romualdo]

The four titles from the May 19, 1951 Birdland date were released on the double Storyville CD "100 Years - Forever Young" not that long ago (2010)

https://www.discogs.com/release/14877906-Lester-Young-100-Years-Forever-Young?srsltid=AfmBOorOKWj8YAP1b4YX6cWQE7RLvfcg7ipRPmiq2OpnxHDPgkgmAk7u

[optatio]

12 hours ago, John L said:

The Lord Discography has one session with Cyril Haynes

 

Lester Young Quartet : Lester Young (ts) Cyril Haynes (p) Gene Ramey (b) Jo Jones (d)

WNEW radio broadcast, "Birdland", New York, February 24, 1951

	Up `n' Adam	Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]
	These foolish things	Session Disc 104
	Neenah	Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]
	Lester leaps in	Session Disc 104, Giant Steps (E)GIST001 [CD]
		Ambrosia AMB-10, Jazz View (Eu)COD-029 [CD]

I'm listening now ...

[Niko]

That was one of my very first CDs as a kid 30 years ago, back then I didn't get it... But following our recent discussion, I bought a handful of those Boris Rose LPs and it didn't set me back by much (except shelf space)

[Big Beat Steve]

28 minutes ago, optatio said:

I'm listening now ...

Don't have that one, but it seems like that (P.D.) CD reissue wasn't quite up to snuff in its personnel listings for Tracks 8,9,10? No John Lewis.   
But OTOH - so there was no trumpet (Jesse Drakes) on tracks 11 to 14 after all? Evensmo says so too in his solography. If so, time to correct the "Lestorian Notes" discography there. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Big Beat Steve

[Niko]

That CD is an exact copy of Ambrosia 010 I believe... One big plus of those Ambrosia LPs is that on the back cover there is a nice overview of the contents of about 20 different bootleg LPs of this type (Ambrosia, Session Disc, CP records, ESP Disk, Session Disc, Queen Disc etc etc). Unfortunately, that list does not come with lineups... So those must have been added later and with possible mistakes

[romualdo]

12 minutes ago, Niko said:

That CD is an exact copy of Ambrosia 010 I believe... 

yes it is with a slight order modification

[optatio]

29 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Don't have that one, but it seems like that (P.D.) CD reissue wasn't quite up to snuff in its personnel listings for Tracks 8,9,10? No John Lewis.   
But OTOH - so there was no trumpet (Jesse Drakes) on tracks 11 to 14 after all? Evensmo says so too in his solography. If so, time to correct the "Lestorian Notes" discography there. 

I have all six volumes of these "Historical Masters" with broadcasts with "Lester Young, The President" ...

[Big Beat Steve]

7 minutes ago, optatio said:

I have all six volumes of these "Historical Masters" with broadcasts with "Lester Young, The President" ...

I guess I must admire you for looking beyond that off-putting front "artwork" that is so out of tune (literally) with the music and is not far from detracting from the contents.  Not a highlight in cover artwork creativity ... (What were they thinking ?) 

Edited 4 hours ago by Big Beat Steve

[Niko]

I remember when the entire series was on display at the big Saturn store in Cologne, as a group they actually looked kind of nice... that label made some pretty weird choices for cover art... 

here's more (often you need to click on the record to find the cover in this design)

https://www.discogs.com/label/59478-Jazz-View

 

[Big Beat Steve]

5 minutes ago, Niko said:

I remember when the entire series was on display at the big Saturn store in Cologne, as a group they actually looked kind of nice... that label made some pretty weird choices for cover art... 

here's more (often you need to click on the record to find the cover in this design)

https://www.discogs.com/label/59478-Jazz-View

 

I would have just about (just barely) understood THAT cover "artwork" for a reissue of some down-home country blues. But this??? Booker Little? 

Edited 3 hours ago by Big Beat Steve

[optatio]

10 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

I guess I must admire you for looking beyond that off-putting front "artwork" that is so out of tune (literally) with the music is not far from detracting form the contents.  Not a highlight in cover artwork creativity, that ... 

Agreed, that's why I scanned the back insert. All the other five front covers are just as irrelevant ...

[optatio]

27 minutes ago, Niko said:

I remember when the entire series was on display at the big Saturn store in Cologne, as a group they actually looked kind of nice... that label made some pretty weird choices for cover art... 

here's more (often you need to click on the record to find the cover in this design)

https://www.discogs.com/label/59478-Jazz-View

 

I also have this CD, as 'LIMITED EDITION NO. 1642 OF 2000" 😂

[optatio]

This is my only 'limited' Lester Young ... 😂

[Niko]

I have the limited edition of Lester Young Vol 1, the number is somewhere in the 1200s iirc... good to know it also exists in an unlimited version in case I lose it

[John L]

I bought all of the historical masters CDs too, but they were superseded by the great Japanese box set: