Lester Young All of Me — Free Saxophone Transcription

Lester Young — Biography

The President of the Tenor Saxophone

Lester Willis Young was born in Woodville, Mississippi on 27 August 1909 and grew up in a musical family — his father taught all of his children to play multiple instruments. Young initially played drums and alto saxophone before settling on the tenor, and by the mid-1930s he had developed a style that was utterly unlike anything else in jazz. Where Coleman Hawkins — the dominant tenor voice of the era — played with a heavy, rhapsodic vibrato and densely harmonic approach, Young offered something lighter, cooler and more lyrical: a sound that floated above the rhythm section with effortless grace.

His time with the Count Basie Orchestra, beginning in 1936, cemented his reputation. Young's playing on the early Basie small-group recordings — including Shoeshine Boy — announced a new way of playing the tenor saxophone. His tone was airy and relaxed, his phrasing vocal and behind the beat, and his melodic choices startlingly original. He had a gift for creating long, flowing lines that sounded inevitable, as though there were no other notes he could possibly have played.

Billie Holiday nicknamed him 'Pres' — short for President — and the name stuck. His influence on the generation of musicians who followed, from Charlie Parker to Stan Getz, was immense. Despite personal struggles in later life, including a devastating period of military service during World War II, Young's recorded legacy remains one of the most beautiful and influential in all of jazz. Explore more of his playing in our free saxophone transcriptions collection.

All of Me — The Tune and the Solo

A Jazz Standard and a Legendary Saxophone Solo

'All of Me' was written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons in 1931 and quickly became one of the most popular standards in the Great American Songbook. The song's 32-bar form in C major, with its memorable melody and accessible chord changes, has made it a favourite vehicle for jazz musicians across every era. All of Me remains in copyright in the US until 2027, so we don't currently host a lead sheet for it. There is background on the tune on our All of Me lead sheet page.

This transcription is taken from Lester Young's solo on Billie Holiday's recording of the tune. Young and Holiday shared one of the most celebrated musical partnerships in jazz history — their interplay on recordings from this period is a masterclass in sensitivity, space and melodic invention. Lester's solo here is a perfect example of his lyrical approach: relaxed, behind the beat, and full of beautiful melodic ideas that seem to float effortlessly above the rhythm section. For comparison with another masterful Lester Young transcription, see our Shoeshine Boy transcription — a study in driving time feel over rhythm changes.

Time and Articulation in Lester Young's All of Me Solo

Playing Across the Beat — What Makes This Transcription Special

There's a lot of really advanced playing across the beat in this solo. Lester, and the great players of his generation, had an ability to stretch the time through their phrases, playing right across the beat before landing squarely on beat 1. This technique — probably absorbed from vocalists — can be heard in the playing of Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges and many others. There are a few great examples of this in this incredible solo. It is impossible to write down precisely, so learning this solo must be done aurally. Gently copy this approach and allow the lyricism to enter your playing.

There are also some really nice contrasts in articulation throughout the solo — small glisses, staccato and legato contrasts. Don't skip out on this small but important detail. If you'd like guidance on developing your own articulation, our saxophone lessons cover these techniques in depth.

Jazz Vocabulary in Lester Young's All of Me Solo

Seminal Language That Shaped Bebop and Beyond

There is a lot of seminal jazz vocabulary contained in this short solo that has been absorbed and developed by the subsequent generations of musicians. All of the phrases outlined below were taken and developed by Charlie Parker and other bebop saxophonists. Understanding these vocabulary patterns is essential for any serious jazz student — for a broader overview of how to develop your jazz vocabulary, see our Tutorial Hub.

Bar 2 — Triplet ornament and minor 7th arpeggio vocabulary. A classic Lester Young device that became standard bebop language.

Bars 3–5 — IV–IVm–I stock progression. This common harmonic movement is handled beautifully by Lester, and the melodic shape he uses over it became a template for later players.

Bar 9, beats 1 & 2 — Chromatic approach to major arpeggio. A simple but effective device that adds tension and resolution to the line.

Lester Young All of Me — Full Transcription

Free Saxophone Sheet Music — Tenor Saxophone Solo

The full Lester Young transcription of All of Me is shown below. Study the score alongside the recording — focus on absorbing Lester's articulation and rhythmic feel, not just the pitches. Free PDF downloads for both tenor and alto saxophone are available beneath the score.

How to Practise This Lester Young Transcription

Advice on Learning a Jazz Saxophone Solo

Relax with the solo, and spend time with the articulation. Don't try too hard to copy the laid-back phrases — just relax and absorb the sound over time. Don't worry about speed; play it as faithfully as possible with perfect phrasing and articulation at a speed which is comfortable and relaxed.

Try to explore how the vocabulary in this solo was absorbed and taken forward by following generations of players. Understanding the lineage of these phrases deepens your appreciation and helps you integrate them into your own playing more naturally.

Alto players: please note that the transposition for alto saxophone includes a 'low A,' which obviously can't be played on the saxophone. Use a low Bb instead — it's not what he played but it adds a nice colour.

Above all, try to imagine how Lester was feeling when he was playing this. Practise this feeling as you practise playing the solo. That's where the real magic of transcription study lies — not in the notes themselves, but in the intention and expression behind them. If you'd like help working through this solo, consider booking a saxophone lesson — working with a teacher can accelerate your progress enormously.