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 His escape was memorialized by fellow bassist Charles Mingus in an unpublished section of Mingus's autobiography Beneath the Underdog; this passage was read by rapper Chuck D. on the Mingus tribute album, Weird Nightmare.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 51-75 of 101 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 76476 6/9/1950 Ragging the scales Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81513 9/6/1951 Ain't we got fun Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81514 9/6/1951 After the ball Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81515 9/6/1951 All by myself Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81516 9/6/1951 Dancing with tears in my eyes Frank Froeba instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 81521 9/10/1951 I wonder what's become of Sally Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81522 9/10/1951 Oh by Jingo (Oh by Gee.you're the only girl for me) Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81523 9/10/1951 When your old wedding ring was new Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81524 9/10/1951 If I had a girl like you Frank Froeba instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82613 4/3/1952 Forgive me Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82614 4/3/1952 Be anything (but be mine) Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82615 4/3/1952 I'm glad there is you Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 82616 4/3/1952 You go to my head Peggy Lee instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84144 3/9/1953 Clarinet marmalade Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84145 3/9/1953 Singin' the blues Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84736 6/22/1953 Memphis blues Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84737 6/22/1953 Ol' shanks mare Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84738 6/22/1953 Rhythm-a-tic Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 84739 6/22/1953 Long gone Ray McKinley Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 85816 2/2/1954 Fernandez of the Andes Pearl Bailey instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 85817 2/2/1954 He's gone Pearl Bailey instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86473 6/29/1954 Don't talk to me about Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86474 6/29/1954 Thou swell Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86475 6/29/1954 $ 500 reward Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 86476 6/29/1954 Baby's lullaby Jerry Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
(Results 51-75 of 101 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lesberg, Jack," accessed September 15, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

Lesberg, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

"Lesberg, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 15 September 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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