Lester Young and Friends

This performance clip was shot in 1950 with Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, trumpet; Bill Harris, trombone; Lester Young and Flip Phillips, tenor sax; Hank Jones, piano; Ray Brown, bass; and Buddy Rich, drums; with scat vocals provided by Ella Fitzgerald.

“Blues For Greasy” is part of an unreleased film short produced by Gjon Mili and Norman Granz.

*In 1944 Life Magazine photographer Gjon Mili joined with jazz producer and Verve-label owner Norman Granz to produce the short film “Jammin’ the Blues” the sars of which were Lester Young, Red Callendar, Harry Edison, “Big” Sid Catlett, Illinois Jacquet, Barney Kessel, Jo Jones and Marie Bryant. It was nominated for Best Short Subject at the 1945 Academy Awards but didn’t win.

*The pair came together again in 1950 to shoot footage (some of which is inclued here) of leading Jazz artists of the day, but when funding dried up, the film ceased production and was shelved and forgotten for 50 years.

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