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Artist

Sonny Lester

12+ albums
lounge

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about

Contrary to the Musichound's Guide to Lounge speculation that he was a fictitious creation whose name was taken from Sonny Rollins and Lester Young, Sonny Lester is a real person who's been an active and successful A&R man and producer throughout most of the last 50 years. Like many of the musicians discussed on this site, Lester got his start as an instrumentalist in the big band days. In his case, he played in the trumpet section of several bands until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He wasn't able to get into one of the many fine military bands active at the time, though, and slogged through France, Belgium, and Germany as an infantryman, earning a Purple Heart along the way. One of his duties as a dogface was turning prisoners over to his battalion's intelligence officer, Henry Kissinger, for interrogation. At the very end of the campaign, Lester was finally transferred into the band of the 84th Infantry Division. When the division was later presented with a Presidential Unit Citation, President Truman commented that he'd never seen so many combat decorations in a military band before. After the war, he married and decided to settle in New York City rather than go back on the road. Having learned to arrange and orchestrate, he was able to make ends meet through a combination of writing and performing gigs. In 1954, he was hired into the Edwin Morris Music publishing company, where he worked on putting together music instruction folios. He quickly had somethin

top songs

1

Desert love

385
2

Green Dolphin Street

213
3

Turkish

181
4

Salome's Veil

168
5

Green Dolphin Street (Jazz We've Got)

165
6

For Strippers Only

162
7

Shivas Regal

162
8

Inside a Silent Tear

147
9

Jasmine

144
10

Lament

136

albums

After Hours Middle East

After Hours Middle East

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Jazz for a Sunday Afternoon

Tribe Vibes Vol. 1

Tribe Vibes Vol. 1

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Music to Keep Your Husband Happy

How To Strip For Your Husband

How To Strip For Your Husband

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Tournée

Ann Corio Presents How to Strip For Your Husband & More Vol 1 & 2

Ann Corio Presents How to Strip For Your Husband & More Vol 1 & 2

The Low End Theory: Original Samples

The Low End Theory: Original Samples

How to Strip for Your Husband & More...

How to Strip for Your Husband & More...

How To Belly-Dance For Your Husband

How To Belly-Dance For Your Husband

How To Belly Dance For Your Husband

How To Belly Dance For Your Husband

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Music For A Bachelor's Den Vol. 2: Exotica

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