The Lester Young Story is a masterly selection from the work of a great tenor saxophonist, excellently packaged, with an informative booklet. This four-disc box set of classic recordings follows his career from his very first session, a small band date with Count Basie in 1936, to a star-studded live concert with, among others, Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge, Buddy Rich, in 1949. This isn't the whole story, of course, because Young lived and worked for a further 10 years, but it covers the period when he was at the height of his powers and is packed with glorious music.

To pick out just a few gems--there is the amazing "Lady Be Good"; the record that first announced his arrival to an astonished jazz world and five numbers in which he partners the young Billie Holiday with exquisite delicacy and taste. Elsewhere there are most of his show-stopping solos with Basie's band, in numbers like "Tickle Toe"; and "Taxi War Dance" and a generous selection from his informal small-band sessions with players such as Buck Clayton, Dickie Wells and Charlie Christian, including a rare extract from the soundtrack of the movie Jammin' The Blues. The last disc consists of tracks from Young's early post-war career, when, unlike many of his contemporaries, he was enjoying the stimulus provided by the younger generation of bebop musicians. Because the tracks are arranged in chronological order, it is fascinating to follow Lester through his life during these 13 years and hear him responding to the rapidly changing world around him. The 15 months he spent in the US army affected him badly, but they certainly did not destroy his talent, as some commentators have claimed. The final, joyful rendition of "Lester Leaps In" with Charlie Parker and the Jazz At The Philharmonic team proves that beyond a doubt.--Dave Gelly