Jack Lesberg

A premier bassist of the postwar era, Jack Lesberg's rock-solid and versatile playing supported a who's-who of jazz giants including Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, and Billie Holiday. In addition, he served a lengthy tenure with the New York City Symphony Orchestra under conductor Leonard Bernstein. Born in Boston on Valentine's Day, 1920, Lesberg first studied violin and earned notoriety on the Beantown club scene. He moved permanently to double bass in the late 1930s and landed with Muggsy Spanier's band in 1940. After surviving the November 28, 1942 nightclub fire that killed 492 patrons at Boston's Coconut Grove, Lesberg relocated to New York in 1943 and hired on with Eddie Condon the following year. In 1945, he began a three-year stint under Bernstein, concurrently studying under double bass master Fred Zimmerman and playing on record with everyone from Coleman Hawkins to Sarah Vaughan (her first studio date, no less). During this busy time, Lesberg also began playing with Louis Armstrong, a collaboration inaugurated in 1947 and resumed often in the years to follow. After parting ways with Bernstein, Lesberg backed Sidney Bechet, Tommy Dorsey, Kai Winding and Jimmy McPartland. In 1956, he toured Australia, England and Africa behind Armstrong and the following year he supported Jack Teagarden and Earl Hines during their trek across Europe. After spending the late 1950s backing Billy Butterfield, Lesberg spent much of the early 1960s overseas, touring Europe with Georgie Auld and Doc Severinsen in 1962. A Pacific jaunt with Condon followed in 1964 as did a 1965 Icelandic tour with Armstrong. Gigs with Urbie Green, Bobby Hackett and Joe Venuti preceded Lesberg's 1970 decision to relocate to Australia, where he spent four years with the Sydney Symphony. Upon returning stateside, Lesberg recorded for Famous Door in 1977. He toured Europe several more times during the 1980s with the Tribute to Louis Armstrong group and served in 1986 with Goodman's last band, but his pace slowed in the years to follow. After a long bout with Alzheimer's disease, Lesberg died at a convalescent home in Englewood, New Jersey on September 17, 2005. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi