Lester Young - Laughin' To Keep From Cryin'
Lester Young – clarinet, tenor saxophone [click here to see more vinyl featuring Lester Young]
Harry "Sweets" Edison – trumpet [click here to see more vinyl featuring Harry "Sweets" Edison]
Roy Eldridge – trumpet
Hank Jones – piano
Herb Ellis – guitar
George Duvivier – bass
Mickey Sheen – drums
Written by Lester Young (A1, B1), George & Ira Gershwin (A2), Clay Boland (B2), Moe Jaffe (B2), Sam H. Stept (B3), Sidney Clare (B3)
1 LP, tip-on gatefold jacket by Stoughton Printing
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12’’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Quality Record Pressings (QRP)
Label : Verve - Acoustic Sounds Series
Original Label : Verve
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City, on February 8, 1958
Produced by Norman Granz
Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab
Series supervised by Chad Kassem
Photography by Burt Goldblatt
Design by Sheldon Marks (art direction)
Originally released in 1958
Reissued in 2026
Tracks:
Side A:
- Salute To Benny
- They Can't Take That Away From Me
Side B:
- Romping
- Gypsy In My Soul
- Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
Reviews :
“One of tenor-saxophonist Lester Young's final studio sessions (he died a year later), this date apparently had a lot of difficulties but the recorded results are excellent. Prez was joined by two great swing trumpeters (Roy Eldridge and Harry "Sweets" Edison) and a fine rhythm section for two standards, two originals and the ballad "Gypsy in My Soul." Young takes rare clarinet solos on two of the selections with his emotional statement on "They Can't Take That Away from Me" being one of the highpoints of his career.” AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.49 / 5