After the Rain, on the albumn The Gentle side of John Coltrane.. is a great one in my opinion.. i enjoy when the legends take a break from the beats and solo their instruments, .. whether or not this is an example or not I don't know, but a great song

Megaupload uploads screwed up before I left, and I just got back, so I'll get them up for you soon.

Coltrane's greatness is undisputed, but I can't rate him as better than Charlie Parker and Lester Young, IMHO.

Honestly, I'd place him above Lester Young, some of his improvisation is TOO good, he's a genius, and not too overrated, either.

Then again, I'd probably also put sax. players like Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, and Michael Brecker infront of Lester Young.

If you want to rate Coltrane higher, fine. But there's no way the others you mentioned were better than Young.

"In 1944, he (Young) won first place in the Down Beat poll for tenor saxophonists, the first of many such honors. He also became the favorite of a new generation of jazz musicians, among them John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Stan Getz."

PBS - JAZZ A Film By Ken Burns: Selected Artist Biography - Lester Young

"During the years 1956 to 1958 Rollins was widely regarded as the most talented and innovative tenor saxophonist in jazz"
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/ar...ny_rollins.htm

"No saxophonist in jazz has had as pervasive an influence as Michael Brecker, since the death of John Coltrane in 1967"
Latest Global News & Views - Times and Sunday Times UK | Times Online

IMO, just because Young came first doesn't automatically make him the best saxophone player in the world.
Also, his playing style was too swing-oriented for my tastes, it almost made his improv. solos a little monotonous/conservative in comparison to Charlie Parker.
If you compare Parker to Young, their playing styles were very similar, though Parker's solos were much more sporadic while composing in a bebop style, in many recordings you can tell Bird had a little more creative backing/flow of ideas.
I think Lester Young opened the door to tenor saxophonists to truly experiment with their sound, style, and improvisation, like Coltrane, Rollins, and Brecker.
After the door was opened, the latter (like Bird) had a new foundation, on top of the constant evolution of jazz at the time, to construct masterpieces (with the help of their abilities of course) that Young wasn't able to perform at the peak of his career.
In no way am I saying that Lester Young wasn't one of the best saxophonists of all time, he was basically the pioneer of jazz improvisation on tenor saxophone, I'm just saying that some of the other saxophonists mentioned that came after him had a little more room to experiment and hone their abilities.

"During the years 1956 to 1958 Rollins was widely regarded as the most talented and innovative tenor saxophonist in jazz"

Your quote , even if true, does absolutely nothing to prove Rollins was "better" than Young, who died in 1959, and had suffered from severe alcoholism for years prior. If both men are compared in their respective PRIME, Young was definitely the better and more influential jazz saxophonist. All your quote is saying is that Rollins was the best for two short years in the 50's. It says nothing about him being better than Young and others who came before him (or after).

"No saxophonist in jazz has had as pervasive an influence as Michael Brecker, since the death of John Coltrane in 1967"

Another quote that does nothing to prove Brecker was "better" than Young. Even if true, all it proves is that Brecker is the best saxophonist since 1967. It says NOTHING about BEFORE 1967. Again, if both are compared in their respective PRIME, Young was without doubt the better and more influential saxophonist.

"IMO, just because Young came first doesn't automatically make him the best saxophone player in the world."

I never said he was the best jazz saxophonist of all time, so you're putting words in my mouth.

"Although Lester did play alto in his early days, he gravitated towards the tenor but maintained a higher and lighter, yet meaty, tonality than the big-toned and gruff sounding players of his day. That concept carried through time reaching Charlie parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Stan Getz and so many others."

"Charlie Parker was not known as a great player until after the summer he went into the hills armed with all of Lester Young's solos on record and learned, analyzed and absorbed them to come up with his unique style."

Hearing Is Believing

"Many decades after his death, Pres [Lester Young] is still considered (along with Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane) one of the three most important tenor saxophonists of all time."

allmusic ((( Lester Young > Biography )))

he's a legend. up there with miles davis.

great musician

Good Tray