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 His escape was memorialized by fellow bassist Charles Mingus in an unpublished section of Mingus's autobiography Beneath the Underdog; this passage was read by rapper Chuck D. on the Mingus tribute album, Weird Nightmare.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 76-100 of 101 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 87963 5/8/1954 Swing that music Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87964 5/8/1954 The only man blues Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87965 5/8/1954 That's a plenty Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87966 5/8/1954 Long gone Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87967 5/8/1954 I can't get started Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87968 5/8/1954 When the Saints go marching Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87969 5/8/1954 Blues Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87970 5/8/1954 Basin Street blues Billy Butterfield Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87971 5/8/1954 Lover-1 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87972 5/8/1954 At sundown-2 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87973 5/8/1954 St. James infirmary-3 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87974 5/8/1954 Whistling cow blues-4 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87975 5/8/1954 Big town boogie-5 Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 87976 5/8/1954 South Rampart Street parade Billy Butterfield Jazz Band ; Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 111948 3/22/1962 Jazz me blues Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 111949 3/22/1962 Basin Street blues Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 111950 3/22/1962 I'm confessin' Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2703 10-in. 9/29/1944 Black and blue Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2704 10-in. 9/29/1944 [Unknown title(s)] Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2705 10-in. 9/29/1944 Wrap your troubles in dreams Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2706 10-in. 9/29/1944 Dippermouth blues Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2706[a] 10-in. 9/29/1944 Black and blue Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2708 10-in. 9/29/1944 Old fashioned love Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2708[a] 10-in. 9/29/1944 Jazz me blues Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 2710 10-in. 9/29/1944 Someday sweetheart Max Kaminsky and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
(Results 76-100 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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