Lester Young was one of the great jazz masters, and his impact on the course of the art form was profound. He fundamentally changed the way the saxophone was played--his long, flowing lines brought new levels of expressiveness and subtlety to the jazz language, setting the standard for all modern players.
In Being Prez, renowned British critic Dave Gelly follows Lester Young through his life in a rapidly changing world, showing how the music of this exceptionally sensitive man was shaped by his experiences. The reader meets a complicated, vulnerable, gentle individual who was brought up...

The creator of the unforgettable Girl from Ipanema tenor sax tone, Stan Getz, the son of Ukrainian immigrants, took his unique sound through five decades of swing, cool, bossa, and beyond. This new biography focuses on Getz's musical legacy, exploring the lightness of touch, lyricism, and warm glow that mark his sound. 100 photos, some in color.

The book follows the development of jazz over a decade and a half, paying particular attention to two outstanding figures: Humphrey Lyttelton and John Dankworth. It also seeks to convey a flavour of that now remote era and the frisson that jazz created.