The great players listened to Lester Young. I've been checking him out since I was about fifteen. When I was in the Army I got ten days off, so I went to Canada, and he was playing at the Town Tavern. During intermission he came down to where I was standing at the bar, the place was packed, and he said to me, 'You look like you're from New York.' I had a pin-strip suit on (laughter). I was trying to get a drink at the bar and he said, 'Do you want some Cognac?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Let's go down to the wine cellar and get some real cognac!' He grabbed two big water glasses and went down there. I went back to camp and I told these people. They said, 'You were talking with Lester Young?' And then about five weeks after that he passed away.
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