ABSTRACT
American saxophonist, born in Woodville, Mississippi. His family settled in New Orleans, where his father taught him several instruments. He played drums in a touring band, then teamed with Art Bronson’s Bostonians, taking up the tenor saxophone. Young gained recognition in Minneapolis clubs (the city was his family home from 1919), and in 1933 with Bennie Moten’s band in Kansas City, Missouri. He left Kansas City in 1934 with Count Basie, then shifted to Fletcher Henderson-replacing Coleman Hawkinsand rejoined Basie in 1936. He made an important series of appearances with Billie Holiday, led his own band, saw military service, and became famous after World War II in the Jazz at the Philharmonic events staged by Norman Granz. He was a freelancer, struggling with poor health the rest of his life, gradually gaining the status of prime performer on his instrument, “the most influential artist after Armstrong and before Charlie Parker” [Schuller 1989]. His last major engagements were in Paris, and he died shortly after, in New York.
