Lazy Lester Lazy Lester Rides Again (LP)

Listen to sample now:

0:00

This article is deleted and can no longer be ordered!

Please inform me as soon as the product is available again.

Please enter the digits and letters in the following text field.

I hereby confirm that I have read and agree with the privacy policy.

catalog number: LPSJ577
weight in Kg 0.21

P Secure bonuspoints now

(Sunjay) 12 tracks Back in 1970 I had the pleasure of recording a host of Lousiana based... more

Close menu

Lazy Lester: Lazy Lester Rides Again (LP)

(Sunjay) 12 tracks

Back in 1970 I had the pleasure of recording a host of Lousiana based blues musicans for Nashville-based Excello Records. I had persuaded the President of that Company. Bud Howell. that such sessions could well produce some exciting downhome blues that might spark a real resurgence of interest in the Swamp Excello Sound of the Sixties — that famous Jay Miller period. With the help of local enthusiast Terry Pattison we assembled such names as Whispering Smith. Silas Hogan. Arthur 'Guitar' Kelly. Henry Gray and Clarence Edwards. Two names missing from the group were Lightnin' Slim and Lazy Lester, his recording partner. Two years later I was to record Otis Hicks in London but Lester slipped through the net I was later to discover of course that he had almost retired from the music scene and moved north to Detroit. And now the story really starts...

Imagine my surprise on reading in a recent edition of Juke Blues that Lazy Lester was now back on the scene and living and working in Pontiac and managed by Fred Reif. What's more, there was a genuine interest to record once again. I wasted no time in contacting Fred in Detroit to see if we could put together a deal. After a little bargaining we came up with an acceptable package and the stage was set. I arranged with Julian Piper of Blues South West to bring Lester to England to tour with his band, The Junkyard Angels. We would record him whilst he was here both with J.A. and Scottish outfit, Blues'n Trouble. In fact, the sessions were most enjoyable although there were one or two hiccups from time to time Lester's power of retention had grown a little rusty due to his long lay-off from the business and thus some of the new material written for the sessions did not get completed.

But then Lester himself sprang some wonderful surprises on us — pulling old songs out of the sky. some of which we had never heard before. He even picked up the guitar and played on Jimmy Rogers' "Out On The Road" and then proceeded to tell us that he hadn't played a guitar in some twenty years! Truly an amazing man with many a great stony to tell and an artist of some considerable importance. It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with him on this project. We needed that! Mike Vernon (October 1987)

Article properties: Lazy Lester: Lazy Lester Rides Again (LP)

Interpret: Lazy Lester
Album titlle: Lazy Lester Rides Again (LP)
Genre Blues
Label SUNJAY
Geschwindigkeit 33 U/min
Vinyl record size LP (12 Inch)
Record Grading Mint (M)
Sleeve Grading Mint (M)
Artikelart LP
EAN: 2500000608230
weight in Kg 0.21

Lazy Lester - Lazy Lester Rides Again (LP) LP 1
01	Sugar CoatedLove	Lazy Lester
02	Travelling Days	Lazy Lester
03	The Same Thing Could Happen To You	Lazy Lester
04	Can't Stand To See You Go	Lazy Lester
05	Out On The Road	Lazy Lester
06	Lester's Shuffle	Lazy Lester
07	I Hear You Knockin'	Lazy Lester
08	Irene	Lazy Lester
09	St. Louis Blues	Lazy Lester
10	Blowin' A Rhumba	Lazy Lester
11	Nothin' But The Devil	Lazy Lester
12	Hey Mattie	Lazy Lester

Lazy Lester Lazy Lester, born Leslie Johnson on June 20, 1933 in Torras, Louisiana, played... more

Close menu

"Lazy Lester"

Lazy Lester

Lazy Lester, born Leslie Johnson on June 20, 1933 in Torras, Louisiana, played harmonica and guitar and recorded for producer Jay Miller. His fantastic 1950s and 1960s sides were released on the famous Nashville-based Excello Records label, owned by Ernie Young.

Besides recording under his own name, Lazy Lester contributed to recordings by Lightnin’ Slim, Slim Harpo and Katie Webster, a.o. He will always be remembered for writing such beautiful Louisiana blues classics as ’I'm a Lover Not a Fighter,’ ’I Hear You Knockin', ’ and ’Sugar Coated Love. ’

By accident, Lazy Lester found himself a seat on a bus sitting next to Lightnin’ Slim who was on his way to a 1956 Excello recording session. The scheduled harmonica player for the session didn’t show up, so Lazy Lester could step in. Jay Miller was impressed by Lester’s cool, laidback style of playing the harmonica and recorded him as solo artist. He also used the multi-instrumentalist – Lester could play guitar, harmonica, bass and percussions - in sessions for other Excello artists.

Lazy Lester wrote great tunes, but most of his songs were credited to Jay Miller, or to Miller and Lester. He only only received few royalties, he stated and gave up on the music industry by the late 1960s and he took over manual work. In 1971 promoter Fred Reif organized a show with Lightnin’ Slim, and Lester was brought in to perform with his former partner. Lazy Lester was back on the scene! For the next three decades or so he played in the US and Europe, usually backed by pick-up bands. Record labels like Alligator, Telarc and Ace Records (UK) recorded him again, and once again Lester became an integral part of the international blues circus.

Among others the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Flamin' Groovies, Dave Edmunds, Dwight Yoakam, the Kinks, Anson Funderburgh and Freddy Fender recorded his songs. Most recently, Lester lived with his girlfriend in Paradise, California, he occasionally appeared at festivals and in documentary films. Lazy Lester died of cancer August 22, 2018. He lived to be 85.

Read, write and discuss reviews... more

Close menu

Customer evaluation for "Lazy Lester Rides Again (LP)"

Write an evaluation

Evaluations will be activated after verification.