Lester Young was one of the true giants of jazz, a tenor saxophonist, who had a different approach in which to play his horn, floating over bar lines with a light tone rather than adopting Coleman Hawkins’ then-dominant forceful approach. As non-conformist, Young (nicknamed “Prez” by Billie Holiday) had the ironic experience in the 1950s of hearing many young tenors try to emulate him.

He spent his early days near New Orleans, Louisiana. Lester Young lived in Minneapolis by 1920 and was playing in a legendary family band. He studied violin, trumpet, and drums, starting on alto saxophone at age 13. Because he refused to tour in the South, Young left home in 1927 and instead toured with Art Bronson’s Bostonians. He switched to tenor saxophone.

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Coltrane grew up in High Point NC, moving to Philadelphia PA in June, 1943. He was inducted into the Navy in 1945, returning to civilian life in 1946. Coltrane worked a variety of jobs through the late forties until when he joined Dizzy Gillespie’s big band in 1949. He stayed with Gillespie through the band’s breakup in May 1950 and worked with Gillespie’s small group until April 1951, when he returned to Philadelphia to go to school.

In early 1952 he joined Earl Bostic’s band, and in 1953 he joined Johnny Hodges’s small group, staying until mid 1954. Although there are recordings of Coltrane from as early as 1946, his real career spans the twelve years between 1955 and 1967, during which time he reshaped modern jazz and influenced generations of other musicians.

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