Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio is a 1954 studio album by American jazz saxophonist Lester Young, accompanied by Oscar Peterson's working trio of the time (featuring Ray Brown and Barney Kessel), plus drummer J. C. Heard. The music on this album was originally released as three separate albums: Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio #1 and Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio #2, both released in June 1954 (MGN 5 & 6), and The President (August 1954, MGN 1005). It was collated for this 1997 reissue by Verve Records.
Reception C. Michael Bailey of All About Jazz wrote, "All of Young's performances are transplanted from a different era. [...] The harmonic advances of be-bop had already been introduced and assimilated into the jazz vernacular by this time. Yet Young, while adopting (or pioneering) some be-bop practices, remains a melodic, horizontal performer, in sharp contrast to the harmonic, vertical performers of classic be-bop. [...] Young's playing is wispy, understated, and very, very clever. [...] The Oscar Peterson Trio provides a hand in glove accompaniment for Young on these recordings."
Scott Yanow for AllMusic, "Prez performs definitive versions of "Just You, Just Me" and "Tea for Two," and plays a string of concise but memorable ballad renditions [...] This is essential music from a jazz legend."
Track listing
Personnel Musicians Lester Young – tenor saxophone, vocals on "(It Takes) Two to Tango" Oscar Peterson – piano Barney Kessel – guitar Ray Brown – double bass J. C. Heard – drums Technical Norman Granz – producer Nat Hentoff – liner notes
References