We've already outlined a general history of jazz by strolling down the many highways and byways of its different styles during the first fifty years of its life; now we're going to propose another approach to this music, the most popular and creative of the 20th century, and incidentally, one that's still continuing to develop, though in a different manner. We'll be offering a chronological approach to the life and music of some great jazzmen. There are already several anthologies and compilations in this world to do with jazz and those who are part of it, but we wanted to take a different approach and go one step further if possible. We'll be following our selected artists into every corner of their life, their critical and popular successes, anything unusual or innovatory they introduced, all in their order of composition; another "extra" with us will be the sound which will be cleaned and restored. So here goes. Jazz to listen to, accept, listen to again, appreciate, think about. For these are the high points of a musical story belonging to the 20th century that's still relevant fifty years later. Andre Francis (Jazz Characters creator)

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Oh! Lady Be Good (G.-I.Gershwin) Jones-Smith Incorporated 9 octobre 1936 3'05
2. Honeysuckle Rose (Waller-Razaf) Count Basie And His Orchestra 21 janvier 1937 2'50
3. I've Found A New Baby (S.Williams-J.Palmer) Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra
4. Time Out (E.Durham) Count Basie And His Orchestra 9 ao t 1937 2'53
5. Georgiana (McKenzie-Carle-Groom-Johnson) Count Basie And His Orchestra
6. Don't Be That Way (Sampson-Goodman-Parish) Count Basie Quintet 3 juin 1938 4'00
7. Texas Shuffle (H.Evans) Count Basie And His Orchestra 22 ao t1938 3'07
8. 'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans (Layton-Creamer) Kansas City Six 27 sept.1938
9. Them There Eyes (Pinkard-Tracey-Tauber) Kansas City Six 27 septembre 1938 2'53
10. After You've Gone (Layton-Creamer) Kansas City Six 23 d cembre 1938 4'37
11. China Boy (Boutelje-Winfree) Glenn Hardman And His Hammond Five 26 juin 1939
12. Louisiana (Johnson-Schafer-Razaf) Count Basie And His Orchestra 19 mars 1940 2'25
13. Tickle-Toe (L.Young) Lester Young Band 15 f vrier 1941 5'26
14. Just Jivin' Around (S.Price) Sammy Price And His Texas Bluesicians 3 avril 1941 2'51
15. Tea For Two (Youmans-Caesar) Lester Young / Nat King Cole Trio 15 juillet 1942 4'45
16. Body And Soul (Green-Heyman-Sour) Lester Young / Nat King Cole Trio 15 juil. 1942
17. Jumpin' At The Woodside (C.Basie) Count Basie And His Orchestra 6 ou 8 d c.1943
18. Linger Awhile (V.Rose-H.Owens) Dicky Wells & His Orchestra 21 d cembre 1943 3'02
19. Just You, Just Me (J.Greer-R.Klages) Lester Young Quartet 28 d cembre 1943 3'08
20. Afternoon Of A Basie-ite (L.Young) Lester Young Quartet 28 d cembre 1943 3'05
21. Lester Leaps Again (B.Clayton) Kansas City Five 22 mars 1944 4'24
22. Destination K.C. (B.Clayton) Kansas City Seven 22 mars 1944

Disc 2:

1. Three Little Words (H.Ruby-B.Kalmar) Kansas City Six 28 mars 1944 2'52
2. Exercise In Swing (J.Guarnierri) Johnny Guarnieri Swing Men 18 avril 1944 3'00
3. Jump Lester Jump (L.Young) Lester Young Quintet 1er mai 1944 3'15
4. These Foolish Things (Strachey-Link-Marvell) Lester Young And His Band 20 d c.1945
5. D.B. Blues (L.Young-K.Pleasure) Lester Young And His Band 20 d cembre 1945 2'57
6. Riffin' Without Helen (L. Young-M.Davis-D.Barbour) Lester Young And His Band 22
7. Lester Leaps In (L.Young) Lester Young & Nat King Cole 20 mars 1946 3'27
8. I Want To Be Happy (Youmans-Caesar) Lester Young & Buddy Rich Trio
9. Sweet Georgia Brown (Bernie-Pinkard-Casey) Jubilee All-Stars 22 avril 1946 8'14
10. She's Funny That Way (Moret-Whiting) Lester Young And His Band ao t 1946 3'17
11. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid (L.Young) Lester Young And His Band octobre 1946 3'08
12. Easy Does It (L.Young) Lester Young And His Band 18 f vrier 1947 2'30
13. I'm Confessin' (Neiburg-Daugherty-Reynolds) Lester Young And His Band 2 avril 1947
14. East Of The Sun (Brooks-Bowman) Lester Young And His Band 29 d cembre 1947 3'07
15. How High The Moon (Lewis-Hamilton) Lester Young And His Band 4 d cembre 1948
16. Up 'n' Adam (L.Young) Lester Young Quartet 17 septembre 1949 3'47
17. Neenah (L.Young) Lester Young Quartet juin 1950 3'26
18. September In The Rain (Warren-Dubin) Lester Young Quartet 16 janvier 1951 3'05
19. Ad Lib Blues (L.Young-O.Peterson) Lester Young With The Oscar Peterson Trio
20. New D.B. Blues (L.Young) Lester Young And His Band 21 d cembre 1953 3'17
21. Big Top Blues (L.Young) Lester Young And His Band 10 d cembre 1954