FEBRUARY 8

                                                                                                             LESTER YOUNG

         Laughin' to Keep from Cryin'

                   Recording Date:
                       February 8, 1958

                        Personnel:
                       George Duvivier         B 
                       Harry "Sweets" Edison TP 
                       Roy Eldridge              TP 
                       Herb Ellis                   G 
                       Hank Jones                 P 
                       Mickey Sheen             D 
                       Lester Young              TS, CL 

                   LINK Retired

Review by Scott Yanow  

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.