Well, the way I play, I try not to be a ‘repeater pencil’, ya dig? Originality’s the thing. You can have tone and technique and a lot of other things but without originality you ain’t really nowhere. Gotta be original.—Lester Young
When Lester plays, he almost seems to be singing; one can almost hear the words.—Billie Holiday
In some ways Lester Young is the most complex rhythmically of any musician. He does some things which are just phenomenal.—Lee Konitz
Anyone who doesn’t play like Lester Young is wrong.—Brew Moore