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YANCEY, JIMMY (1894–1951). Known for his enthusiasm, Yancey began a career as an entertainer at an early age performing in vaudeville shows that toured the United States and Europe. Yancey was first a singer and tap dancer but decided to teach himself piano after he settled in Chicago. Yancey also attempted a career playing baseball in the African-American league but was unsuccessful. He did, however, land a job working as a groundsman for the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. This steady work allowed Yancey to continue to develop as a pianist and release records under his own name while also establishing himself as a prominent Blues player. He was not known as being an innovator or technician as many of his peers were, but he had a strong following thanks to his enthusiastic playing style.

YERBA BUENA JAZZ BAND. A jazz group formed in the late 1930s by San Francisco–based cornet player Lu Watters. The band primarily played Traditional and Dixieland jazz and performed regularly at the Dawn Club in San Francisco until 1950 when the group disbanded. The group sometimes went by the name “Lu Watters & the Yerba Buena Jazz Band.” Prior to disbanding, the group recorded several times, most notably The Complete Good Time Jazz Recordings (1947, Good Time Jazz). The Yerba Buena Jazz Band was an important group for musicians in later years who wished to emulate the Traditional or Dixieland jazz styles. See also EARLY JAZZ; JOHNSON, WILLIE GARY “BUNK.”

YOUNG, EUGENE EDWARD “SNOOKY” (1919–2011). Born in Dayton, Ohio, Young took up the trumpet at the early age of six and toured with his family, all of whom were musicians. At the age of 20, through a referral from pianist Gerald Wilson, Young was hired to play lead in Jimmie Lunceford’s band. Performing with Lunceford’s band was Young’s big break, and he quickly became a very popular trumpet player. He subbed in many of the other popular big bands of that time, including the groups of Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, and Count Basie. After his tenure with the Lunceford group ended in 1942, Young continued to freelance with many of these groups but did not stay with a single group for very long. Young did a few recordings under his own name during the 1940s and led his own small group back in his hometown of Dayton.

Young continued freelancing with bands until 1957 when he rejoined the Basie Band. He remained with the group for almost five years and was on many of Basie’s most famous records including April in Paris (1956, Verve) and Atomic Mr. Basie (1957, Roulette). In 1962, he landed a job as a NBC studio musician where he worked until he relocated to Los Angeles in 1972. He was also an initial member to the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra that was founded during the mid-1960s.

Young moved to Los Angeles in 1972 to join Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Show Band, a chair that he held until Johnny Carson left the show in 1992. In addition to performing with the band, Young also maintained steady freelancing work in Los Angeles, performing with groups like the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, the Capp-Pierce Juggernaut, and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. He is considered one of the greatest lead trumpet players in jazz history.

YOUNG, JAMES OSBORNE “TRUMMY” (1912–1984). Young began his professional career as a trombonist at the age of 16 performing with groups in Washington, D.C. One of these groups was led by the drummer Tommy Myles and featured arrangements by Jimmy Mundy, who would soon be hired by Earl Hines. Young followed Mundy into Hines’ band but not before receiving the nickname “Trummy” from Myles. This nickname would stick for the remainder of Young’s career. Hines’ band recorded and performed frequently during the 1930s, and many of Young’s best work were recorded during that time. Young also sang and assisted with arrangements for the band. In 1943, Young left the band to freelance and worked with Roy Eldridge and the Jazz at the Philharmonic group before deciding to move to Hawaii where he would live on and off over the next two decades.

Louis Armstrong hired Young in 1952 to join his newly formed All Stars, and Trummy would remain with the group until the group ended in 1964. Young faced some criticism for playing music that was simple and not up to the standard that he had achieved for himself with his fairly modern and advanced playing in the 1930s. After leaving Armstrong’s group, Young continued to tour the United States and Europe with various groups until his death in 1984.

YOUNG, LESTER WILLIS “PREZ” (1909–1959). Born close to New Orleans, Young’s family relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, when Lester was four years old. Young was born into a family of musicians and was well versed in several instruments by the age of 13, including violin, drum set, and most notably, alto saxophone. Young’s talents were constantly on display with his family’s bands, but Young felt that it was important for him to break away from those groups due to disagreements they had about touring in the southern United States. In 1927, Young toured with groups not affiliated with his family. During this time, Young also switched to the tenor saxophone, and it became the instrument he would use primarily for the remainder of his career. From 1929 to 1933, Young bounced between various groups, including the Blue Devils (led by Walter Page), the Count Basie Orchestra, and short stints back with his family band.

Basie gravitated toward Young’s approach and hired him to be in the band on a full-time basis in 1934. For a brief period, Young was hired by Fletcher Henderson to replace jazz saxophone pioneer Coleman Hawkins; however, Young’s approach was more appreciated by Basie and the members of his band. Young stayed with Basie until the late 1930s, when Young decided to relocate first to New York and then to Los Angeles to form his own groups. Young was drafted into the military in 1944, but his stay was not a good experience for him, and he was discharged for drug abuse. In addition to some performances with Basie’s band, Young resumed his jazz career performing with Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic. Young enjoyed a popular solo career in the 1950s, recording many times, including numerous live dates for the Pablo recording label and with Oscar Peterson’s famous trio on the Verve release, With the Oscar Peterson Trio (1952, Verve). Mental health setbacks stemming from his time in the army and an excessive drinking problem led to his untimely and unfortunate death at the age of 50.

Young’s time with Basie in the 1930s was considered his prime, and he was the ultimate musical complement to the innovations that were taking place with the saxophone and with players such as Coleman Hawkins. Using a much softer, whisper-like tone, Young crafted solos that were melodically strong and contrasted the harmonic inventiveness of Hawkins. Solos on The Lester Young Story, Volumes 1, 2, & 3 (1938, Columbia) are great examples of this approach. In addition to influencing other saxophonists, Young also provided a musical blueprint for the West Coast or Cool Jazz movement that swept jazz in the 1950s. See also JONES-SMITH INC.

YOUNG TUXEDO BRASS BAND. Created in 1938 in New Orleans, the Young Tuxedo Brass Band was influential in maintaining the brass band tradition of New Orleans. The band fluctuated in size between 8 and 11 players and was led by clarinetist John Casimir. Casimir remained the bandleader until 1963, at which time saxophonist Andrew Morgan took charge of the band. Clarinetist Herman Sherman became leader of the band after Morgan died in 1972 and was responsible for one of the records put out by the band, Jazz Continues (1983, 504 Records). Sherman’s death in 1984 led clarinetist Gregory Stafford to assume leadership of the band. The band remained very active throughout the 1990s and 2000s, performing at many jazz festivals in New Orleans.