The story of a man’s struggle against musical and racial prejudice and his own lifestyle choices, while trying to have his very personal, musical voice heard. A life that affected his closest friend, jazz great Billie Holiday and his mentor Count Basie and changed the course of music.

The film’s spine is an interracial triangle between young Lester Young, teen-aged Billie Holiday (fresh from a brothel since 12), and Mary DiMaggio, a young Italian nurse who falls madly in love with him. It is also the story of Lester’s struggle against the system culminating with his US Army imprisonment, torture and court martial. Finally rescued by a jazz impresario and given his just reward.