Jazz trumpeter Webster Young was born on December 3, 1932, in Columbia, South Carolina, and raised by his mother in Washington,D.C. His passion for music ignited after seeing Louis Armstrong perform in the all-Black musical film Cabin in the Sky. At the age of 12, Young’s budding talent caughtthe attention of Armstrong, who took him on as a student. As a teenager, Young honed his craft by jamming with Dizzy Gillespie, earning the nickname “Little Diz” in Washington, D.C., area clubs for his Gillespie-inspired style.

Young fulfilled his military service in Japan during the Korean War, playing in an Army band with pianist Hampton Hawes. Upon his return to Washington, D.C., he performed with prominent local musicians, including Rick Henderson, Lloyd Price, and Buck Hill.

In 1956, at 24, Young took Miles Davis’s advice and moved to New York City, where he quickly immersed himself in the modern jazz scene. He performed with legends such as Lester Young, Bud Powell, and alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. Davis was a profound influence on Young, while Billie Holiday served as another major source of inspiration.

In late 1956, McLean, struggling with addiction, faced setbacks in his career. By mid 1957, McLean formed his own quartet with pianist Gil Coggins, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Larry Ritchie. An invitation to play a jazz concert gave McLean the chance to experiment by adding Webster Young on cornet and Ray Draper on tuba. The results fired the imagination of the group and marked the beginning of a long struggle to find opportunities to play together and perfect their sound.

Eventually, Jackie secured steady work for his quartet at the Club Continental in Brooklyn. Young frequently sat in with the group until McLean was able to hire him full-time, expanding the ensemble to a quintet. The group was thriving, and McLean added Draper to the payroll for weekend gigs at Sugar Hill in Newark. Draper’s attendance was limited to weekends since he was attending the High School of Performing Arts during the week. The addition of Draper’s tuba brought a unique texture to the ensemble.

During his time in New York, 1957 proved to be a landmark year for Young. He led a quintet featuring tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette and pianist Mal Waldron on the album For Lady, a heart felt tribute to Billie Holiday. The album, his only one as a leader, highlighted Young’s ability to convey emotion through his smooth, bluesy tone, blending mournfulness and resilience. Additionally, Young appeared on multiple recordings with Jackie McLean, including the albums Fat Jazz, A Long Drink of the Blues, and Strange Blues. That same year, he collaborated with John Coltrane on the album Interplay for Two Trumpets and Two Tenors for Prestige Records.

After three fruitful years in New York, Webster Young returned to Washington, D.C., in 1959, where he continued performing with local musicians. In August 1961, he moved to St. Louis, where he settled for a time and made his first appearance at Jorgie’s Jazz Club. There, he captivated audiences while performing alongside local jazz legend bassist John Mixon,the young pianist John Hicks, and drummer Gene Gammage. Later that month, he began an extended engagement with his quintet at the Little Nero Lounge, a popular jazz venue at 329 DeBaliviere Avenue. On the afternoon of Saturday, August 19, 1961, local jazz enthusiast Frank Sousan organized a live recording session featuring Young's quintet. The group included Freddie Washington on tenor sax, John Chapman on piano, John Mixon on bass, and Chauncey Williams on drums. The session showcased Young’s thoughtful playing, marked by a lyrical and introspective style heavily influenced by Miles Davis. Jazz critic Ira Gitler observed, “Webster has learned from Miles the value of playing a note and having it relate to several chords atthe same time. This pensive style is emotion-packed, lyrical, and heightens the feeling inherent in the tunes themselves.”

In 1962, Young relocated to California, forming a sextet that performed at venues like Eve’s Jazz Room in Pittsburg and Trois Couleurs in Berkeley. His group featured unconventional instrumentation, including an alto horn played by Earl Cross, a former trumpeter from St. Louis. Shaped like a miniature tuba, the alto horn produced a sound akin to a valve trombone, adding a distinctive touch to their hard bop repertoire. Other members of the group included Raymond Boyd on alto sax, Craig Williams on piano, Maurice Jackson on bass, and Ernie Jenkins on drums. Young also worked with saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Jerry Coker, further expanding his musical collaborations.

By 1963, Young was performing successfully with Virgil Gonsalves’s quintet at the Colony Club in Monterey. The group included Gonsalves on baritone sax, Young on trumpet, and notable musicians like pianist Jack Coker, bassist Terry Hilliard, and drummer Kenny Shirlan.

In the 1970s, Young returned to Washington, D.C.,to focus on raising his family while continuing his musical pursuits. In 1992, he traveled to the Netherlands, where he performed with pianist Rein De Graaff’s trio and fellow trumpeter Louis Smith. Jazz NU magazine praised Young’s performances, noting his warm, melodic phrasing and ability to evoke rich emotions despite battling arthritis.

Back in the U.S., Young participated in tributes to Miles Davis, including one in April 1992 at the University of Hartford’s Lincoln Theater, hosted by Jackie McLean, and another in 2001 at Boston’s Bunker Hill Community College.

Beyond performing, Young devoted himself to teaching. He taught at what became the University ofthe District of Columbia, served as musical director for the Lettumplay jazz program, and led the D.C. Music Center Jazz Workshop. For nearly five decades, he taught piano and trumpet privately, inspiring students through his innovative workshops that combined music theory, history, and ensemble playing, often transitioning from the classroom to the stage.

Webster Young passed away on December 13, 2003, at a hospice in Vancouver, Washington, after battling a brain tumor. He was 71. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Gretchen Isenhart Young, his son Dorian, and two children from his first marriage, John Wardell Young and Terry Ann Powell. Dorian Young recalled, “He played concerts up until eight months before his death. He loved to play bebop.”

—Jordi Pujol (Taken from the inside liner notes of FSRCD 1158)