Jack Lesberg

Jack Lesberg (February 14, 1920 – September 17, 2005) was an American jazz double-bassist.

Lesberg performed with many famous jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Jack Teagarden, Sarah Vaughan and Benny Goodman, with whom he went on several international tours. He also performed in the New York City Symphony under Leonard Bernstein in the 1940s.

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, Lesberg had the misfortune of playing in that city's Cocoanut Grove on the night in 1942 when 492 people lost their lives in a fire. His escape was memorialized by fellow bassist Charles Mingus in an unpublished section of Mingus's autobiography Beneath the Underdog; this passage was read by rapper Chuck D. on the Mingus tribute album, Weird Nightmare.

Lesberg continued to tour in the 1980s and was interviewed for KCEA radio in 1984, following a performance in Menlo Park, California. During the taped interview he spoke of the many bands and performers he worked with and expressed his feelings that he felt blessed to be a musician.

He died of Alzheimer's in Englewood at the age of 85.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 14, 1920 (Boston), Died September 17, 2005 (Englewood)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1962

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass, guitar

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 101 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-073671 10-in. 4/1/1942 Pennsylvania polka André Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E0FB-3282 10-in. 2/23/1950 Chug-a-lug Continental Capers ; Merrie Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with vocal ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E0VB-3283 10-in. 2/23/1950 The Chalet in the valley Continental Capers ; Merrie Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with vocal ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E1VB-2966 10-in. 8/10/1951 I remember when Eddie Fisher Male vocal solo, with orchestra and vocal sensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D5VB-0620 10-in. 9/20/1945 Homesick-that's all Russ Case ; Murphy Sisters Female vocal group, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D5VB-0621 10-in. 9/20/1945 Will the angels play their harps for me? (A beggar's lament) Russ Case ; Murphy Sisters Female vocal group, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor PD6VB-1429 10-in. 4/10/1946 Jazz me blues Brad Gowans' New York Nine Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor PD6VB-1432 10-in. 4/10/1946 Singin' the blues (till my daddy comes home) Brad Gowans' New York Nine Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-0660 10-in. 3/14/1947 St. Louis blues Jack Teagarden's Big Eight Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance octet instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-0661 10-in. 3/14/1947 Blues after hours Jack Teagarden's Big Eight Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance octet instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2659 10-in. 12/11/1947 April in Paris Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2660 10-in. 12/11/1947 How strange Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2661 10-in. 12/11/1947 Half step down, please Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 238 10-in. 5/25/1949 It's raining Ruth Brown ; Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 239 10-in. 5/25/1949 So long Ruth Brown ; Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 411 10-in. 4/26/1950 Crazy words - crazy tune - vo-do-de-o Tommy Reynolds ; The Tom Cats instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 412 10-in. 4/26/1950 Did you come back to say goodbye? Tommy Reynolds ; The Tom Cats instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 413 10-in. 4/26/1950 Oceana roll Tommy Reynolds ; The Tom Cats instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72933 10-in. 6/14/1945 Lady be good-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72934 10-in. 6/14/1945 Swanee-2 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73480 3/27/1946 Farewell blues Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73481 3/27/1946 Improvisation for march of time Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73482 3/27/1946 She's funny that way-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73483 3/27/1946 Stars fell on Alabama Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73646 7/17/1946 Some sunny day Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
(Results 1-25 of 101 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lesberg, Jack," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

Lesberg, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

"Lesberg, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783

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