Sunday, July 26, 2026
Charles Mingus • Lionel Hampton Presents the Music of Charles Mingus
Description from Collectors' Choice Music / Who's Who in Jazz:
Founded in 1977 by Lionel Hampton, the Who's Who in Jazz label existed as a means to present to the world the best musicians that the jazz world had to offer. With Lionel chairing the recording sessions (and also featuring on several of the sessions himself), these recordings have truly earned their title featuring jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, Stéphane Grappelli and Dave Brubeck, amidst the many others. Released in 1977, this session sees Mingus and Hampton invite Gerry Mulligan, Danny Richmond, Peter Matt, Bob Nelums, Richard Ford, Paul Jeffrey, Woody Shaw and Jack Walrath to showcase an array of classic jazz compositions including 'Slop', 'Fables of Faubus' and 'Duke Ellington's Sound of Love'.
https://www.ccmusic.com/charles-mingus-lionel-hampton-presents-the-music-of-charles-mingus/730167321181
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Descripción de Collectors' Choice Music / Who's Who in Jazz:
Fundado en 1977 por Lionel Hampton, el sello Who's Who in Jazz existió como un medio para presentar al mundo a los mejores músicos que el mundo del jazz tenía para ofrecer. Con Lionel presidiendo las sesiones de grabación (y también participando en varias de ellas), estas grabaciones han ganado verdaderamente su título, con grandes del jazz como Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, Stéphane Grappelli y Dave Brubeck, entre muchos otros. Publicado en 1977, esta sesión ve a Mingus y Hampton invitar a Gerry Mulligan, Danny Richmond, Peter Matt, Bob Nelums, Richard Ford, Paul Jeffrey, Woody Shaw y Jack Walrath a mostrar una serie de composiciones clásicas del jazz incluyendo 'Slop', 'Fables of Faubus' y 'Duke Ellington's Sound of Love'.
https://www.ccmusic.com/charles-mingus-lionel-hampton-presents-the-music-of-charles-mingus/730167321181
Friday, June 19, 2026
Art Tatum Sextet • The Legendary 1955 Session
"Improbable as it may sound, the sextet was one of the largest groups that Art Tatum ever worked with; it may even be the largest for Tatum, who worked for most of his life with no accompaniment at all, towards the end showed a marked preference for a trio, but rarely ever appeared as one of six. The reasons are easy enough to surmise. Tatum, being a colossus, needed as much room as possible in which to operate, and the more other soloists there were to take solo time and to demand of Tatum the duties of an accompanist, the more Tatum must have felt like a thoroughbred on a light rein. For Tatum, when he worked with other musicians, would sometimes temper his genius with a little tact, for the sake of the cohesion of the performance as well as in deference to the egos of the other musicians involved. Now the listener never cared anything for all this.
Of the supporting musicians, the one with the longest list of battle honors was the founder of the vibes. Lionel Hampton, a musician who, having worked with both Armstrong and Tatum without exhibiting even a flicker of inhibition or loss of nerve, may therefore be said to have done and see everything there was to do and see. Harry Edison, who plays trumpet with Tatum, spent many years in the Basie band, where he perfected a personal manner which consists of paring down the content of every solo to the practical minimum. The rhythm players include Barney Kessel, who was one of the very first musicians to become associated with "Jazz at the Philharmonic", and the Granz recording labels. The drummer, Buddy Rich, is in his own way as remarkable a technical wizard as Tatum himself, although on the Tatum sides the demand for wizardry was limited. Instead Rich laid down a strong, solid beat, assisted by the bass playing of Red Callender." - Benny Green (From the original liner notes)
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"Por improbable que parezca, el sexteto fue uno de los grupos más grandes con los que Art Tatum trabajó; incluso puede ser el más grande para Tatum, quien trabajó la mayor parte de su vida sin ningún acompañamiento, hacia el final mostró una marcada preferencia por un trío, pero rara vez apareció como uno de los seis. Las razones son bastante fáciles de adivinar. Tatum, siendo un coloso, necesitaba la mayor cantidad de espacio posible para operar, y cuantos más solistas había para tomarse un tiempo en solitario y exigirle a Tatum los deberes de un acompañante, más Tatum debía haberse sentido como un pura sangre con riendas ligeras. Porque Tatum, cuando trabajaba con otros músicos, a veces templaba su genio con un poco de tacto, en aras de la cohesión de la interpretación, así como por deferencia a los egos de los otros músicos involucrados. Ahora bien, al oyente nunca le importó nada todo esto.
De los músicos de apoyo, el que tenía la lista más larga de honores de batalla era el fundador de the vibes. Lionel Hampton, un músico que, habiendo trabajado con Armstrong y Tatum sin exhibir ni siquiera un parpadeo de inhibición o pérdida de nervios, se puede decir que hizo y vio todo lo que había que hacer y ver. Harry Edison, que toca la trompeta con Tatum, pasó muchos años en la banda Basie, donde perfeccionó una manera personal que consiste en reducir el contenido de cada solo al mínimo práctico. Los músicos rítmicos incluyen a Barney Kessel, quien fue uno de los primeros músicos en asociarse con "Jazz at the Philharmonic", y los sellos discográficos Granz. El baterista, Buddy Rich, es a su manera un mago técnico tan notable como el propio Tatum, aunque en los lados de Tatum la demanda de magia era limitada. En cambio, Rich estableció un ritmo fuerte y sólido, asistido por el bajo de Red Callender."- Benny Green (De las notas originales)
Tracks:
01 - Verve Blues - 12:46
02 - What Is This Thing Called Love? - 7:40
03 - Plaid - 6:41
04 - Somebody Loves Me - 7:14
05 - September Song - 7:05
06 - Deep Purple - 8:02
07 - September Song (78rpm version) - 2:38
08 - What Is This Thing Called Love? (alternate version) - 7:51
09 - What Is This Thing Called Love? (trio version) - 7:03
10 - Trio Blues - 5:06
11 - September Song (trio version) - 3:19
Credits:
Bass – Red Callender (tracks: 1 to 8, 10), Slam Stewart (tracks: 11)
Drums – Buddy Rich (tracks: 1 to 9), Jo Jones (tracks: 10)
Guitar – Barney Kessel (tracks: 1 to 8), Everett Barksdale (tracks: 11)
Liner Notes – Charles Boldt
Liner Notes [Original] – Benny Green (2)
Piano – Art Tatum (tracks: 1 to 11)
Trumpet – Harry Edison (tracks: 1 to 8)
Vibraphone – Lionel Hampton (tracks: 1 to 9)
Tracks 1 to 8 Los Angeles, California, September 7, 1955
Bonus tracks
9 Los Angeles, California, August 1, 1955
10 Los Angeles, California, January 26, 1956
11 New York, December 20, 1952
Label: Essential Jazz Classics – EJC55409
Country: Europe
Released: 2007
Genre: Jazz
Style: Stride
https://www.discogs.com/release/22709951-Art-Tatum-Sextet-The-Legendary-1955-Session
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Lionel Hampton • Supreme Jazz
Lionel Hampton was the first jazz vibraphonist and was one of the jazz giants beginning in the mid-'30s. He has achieved the difficult feat of being musically open-minded (even recording "Giant Steps") without changing his basic swing style. Hamp started out as a drummer, playing with the Chicago Defender Newsboys' Band as a youth. His original idol was Jimmy Bertrand, a '20s drummer who occasionally played xylophone. Hampton played on the West Coast with such groups as Curtis Mosby's Blue Blowers, Reb Spikes, and Paul Howard's Quality Serenaders (with whom he made his recording debut in 1929) before joining Les Hite's band, which for a period accompanied Louis Armstrong. At a recording session in 1930, a vibraphone happened to be in the studio, and Armstrong asked Hampton (who had practiced on one previously) if he could play a little bit behind him and on "Memories of You" and "Shine"; Hamp became the first jazz improviser to record on vibes.
It would be another six years before he found fame. Lionel Hampton, after leaving Hite, had his own band in Los Angeles' Paradise Cafe, until one night in 1936 when Benny Goodman came into the club and discovered him. Soon, Hampton recorded with B.G., Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa as the Benny Goodman Quartet, and six weeks later he officially joined Goodman. An exciting soloist whose enthusiasm even caused B.G. to smile, Hampton became one of the stars of his organization, appearing in films with Goodman, at the famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert, and nightly on the radio. In 1937, he started recording regularly as a leader for Victor with specially assembled all-star groups that formed a who's who of swing; all of these timeless performances (1937-1941) were reissued by Bluebird on a six-LP set, although in piecemeal fashion on CD.
Hampton stayed with Goodman until 1940, sometimes substituting on drums and taking vocals. In 1940, Lionel Hampton formed his first big band, and in 1942 had a huge hit with "Flying Home," featuring a classic Illinois Jacquet tenor spot (one of the first R&B solos). During the remainder of the decade, Hampton's extroverted orchestra was a big favorite, leaning toward R&B, showing the influence of bebop after 1944, and sometimes getting pretty exhibitionistic. Among his sidemen, in addition to Jacquet, were Arnett Cobb, Dinah Washington (who Hampton helped discover), Cat Anderson, Marshall Royal, Dexter Gordon, Milt Buckner, Earl Bostic, Snooky Young, Johnny Griffin, Joe Wilder, Benny Bailey, Charles Mingus, Fats Navarro, Al Gray, and even Wes Montgomery and Betty Carter. Hampton's popularity allowed him to continue leading big bands off and on into the mid-'90s, and the 1953 edition that visited Paris (with Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Cleveland, Gigi Gryce, George Wallington, and Annie Ross) would be difficult to top, although fights over money and the right of the sideman to record led to its breakup. Hampton appeared and recorded with many all-star groups in the 1950s including reunions with Benny Goodman, meetings with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Stan Getz, Buddy DeFranco, and as part of a trio with Art Tatum and Buddy Rich. He also was featured in The Benny Goodman Story (1956).
Since the 1950s, Lionel Hampton has mostly repeated past triumphs, always playing "Hamp's Boogie Woogie" (which features his very rapid two-finger piano playing), "Hey Ba-Ba-Re-Bop," and "Flying Home." However, his enthusiasm still causes excitement and he remains a household name. Hampton has recorded through the years for nearly every label, including two of his own (Glad Hamp and Who's Who). Despite strokes and the ravages of age, Lionel Hampton remained a vital force into the 1990s. In January 2001, a vibraphone he had played for 15 years was put into the National Museum of American History. On August 31, 2002, at age 94, Lionel Hampton suffered major heart failure and passed away.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lionel-hampton-mn0000833150#biography
Lionel Hampton fue el primer vibrafonista de jazz y uno de los gigantes del jazz a mediados de los años 30. Ha logrado la difícil hazaña de tener la mente musicalmente abierta (incluso grabando "Giant Steps") sin cambiar su estilo básico de swing. Hamp comenzó como baterista, tocando en la banda de Newsboys de Chicago Defender cuando era joven. Su ídolo original era Jimmy Bertrand, un baterista de los años 20 que ocasionalmente tocaba el xilófono. Hampton tocó en la Costa Oeste con grupos como Blue Blowers de Curtis Mosby, Reb Spikes y Quality Serenaders de Paul Howard (con quienes hizo su debut discográfico en 1929) antes de unirse a la banda de Les Hite, que durante un período acompañó a Louis Armstrong. En una sesión de grabación en 1930, un vibráfono estaba en el estudio, y Armstrong le preguntó a Hampton (que había practicado en uno anteriormente) si podía tocar un poco detrás de él y en "Memories of You" y "Shine"; Hamp se convirtió en el primer improvisador de jazz en grabar en vibes.
Pasarían otros seis años antes de que encontrara la fama. Lionel Hampton, después de dejar Hite, tenía su propia banda en Paradise Cafe de Los Ángeles, hasta que una noche de 1936 Benny Goodman entró al club y lo descubrió. Pronto, Hampton grabó con B. G., Teddy Wilson y Gene Krupa como el Cuarteto Benny Goodman, y seis semanas después se unió oficialmente a Goodman. Hampton, un emocionante solista cuyo entusiasmo incluso hizo sonreír a B. G., se convirtió en una de las estrellas de su organización, apareciendo en películas con Goodman, en el famoso concierto del Carnegie Hall de 1938 y todas las noches en la radio. En 1937, comenzó a grabar regularmente como líder de Victor con grupos de estrellas especialmente reunidos que formaron un quién es quién del swing; todas estas actuaciones atemporales (1937-1941) fueron reeditadas por Bluebird en un set de seis LP, aunque de manera fragmentaria en CD.
Hampton permaneció con Goodman hasta 1940, a veces sustituyendo la batería y tomando la voz. En 1940, Lionel Hampton formó su primera big band, y en 1942 tuvo un gran éxito con "Flying Home", con un clásico spot de tenor de Illinois Jacquet (uno de los primeros solos de R&B). Durante el resto de la década, la extrovertida orquesta de Hampton fue una de las grandes favoritas, inclinándose hacia el R&B, mostrando la influencia del bebop después de 1944 y, a veces, mostrándose bastante exhibicionista. Entre sus acompañantes, además de Jacquet, se encontraban Arnett Cobb, Dinah Washington (a quien Hampton ayudó a descubrir), Cat Anderson, Marshall Royal, Dexter Gordon, Milt Buckner, Earl Bostic, Snooky Young, Johnny Griffin, Joe Wilder, Benny Bailey, Charles Mingus, Fats Navarro, Al Gray e incluso Wes Montgomery y Betty Carter. La popularidad de Hampton le permitió continuar liderando grandes bandas de vez en cuando hasta mediados de los 90, y la edición de 1953 que visitó París (con Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Cleveland, Gigi Gryce, George Wallington y Annie Ross) sería difícil de superar, aunque las peleas por el dinero y el derecho del acompañante a grabar llevaron a su disolución. Hampton apareció y grabó con muchos grupos de estrellas en la década de 1950, incluidas reuniones con Benny Goodman, reuniones con el Trío Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, Buddy DeFranco y como parte de un trío con Art Tatum y Buddy Rich. También apareció en The Benny Goodman Story (1956).
Desde la década de 1950, Lionel Hampton ha repetido principalmente triunfos pasados, siempre tocando "Hamp's Boogie Woogie" (que presenta su muy rápida interpretación del piano con dos dedos), "Hey Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" y "Flying Home."Sin embargo, su entusiasmo todavía causa emoción y sigue siendo un nombre familiar. Hampton ha grabado a lo largo de los años para casi todos los sellos, incluidos dos propios (Glad Hamp y Who's Who). A pesar de los derrames cerebrales y los estragos de la edad, Lionel Hampton siguió siendo una fuerza vital en la década de 1990. En enero de 2001, un vibráfono que había tocado durante 15 años fue colocado en el Museo Nacional de Historia Estadounidense. El 31 de agosto de 2002, a los 94 años, Lionel Hampton sufrió una insuficiencia cardíaca grave y falleció.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lionel-hampton-mn0000833150#biography
Friday, April 10, 2026
Art Tatum • The Genius of Keyboard
Review
by arwulf arwulf
The Genius of Keyboard is the title of a smart little Art Tatum anthology released in 1998 by the Giants of Jazz label. Perhaps unusually for Giants of Jazz, all 15 tracks come from the same source and were recorded within a relatively short span of time (1954-1956). The Genius of Keyboard is really a cousin to The Best of the Pablo Group Masterpieces, which might tell you that everything on this disc was recorded under the supervision of producer Norman Granz, and that Tatum's gifted session mates include trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Harry "Sweets" Edison, saxophonists Benny Carter and Ben Webster, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and guitarist Barney Kessel. One of the two bassists on this collection is Red Callender, and three of the five drummers are Louie Bellson, Jo Jones and Buddy Rich. If you are wise or lucky enough to hear this great music, and then find yourself digging it deeply and feeling the need to obtain The Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces, do not doubt your instincts. Nor should you resist the inclination to experience the rest of the music recorded at these remarkable sessions near the end of Tatum's all-too-brief lifetime. This is what jazz is all about.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-genius-of-keyboard-mw0000236341
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Revisión
por arwulf arwulf
The Genius of Keyboard es el título de una pequeña antología inteligente de Art Tatum lanzada en 1998 por el sello Giants of Jazz. Quizás inusualmente para los Gigantes del Jazz, las 15 pistas provienen de la misma fuente y se grabaron en un lapso de tiempo relativamente corto (1954-1956). El Genio del Teclado es realmente primo de las Mejores Obras Maestras del Grupo Pablo, lo que podría decirte que todo en este disco fue grabado bajo la supervisión del productor Norman Granz, y que los talentosos compañeros de sesión de Tatum incluyen a los trompetistas Roy Eldridge y Harry "Sweets" Edison, los saxofonistas Benny Carter y Ben Webster, el clarinetista Buddy DeFranco, el vibrafonista Lionel Hampton y el guitarrista Barney Kessel. Uno de los dos bajistas de esta colección es Red Callender, y tres de los cinco bateristas son Louie Bellson, Jo Jones y Buddy Rich. Si eres lo suficientemente sabio o afortunado como para escuchar esta gran música, y luego te encuentras cavando profundamente y sintiendo la necesidad de obtener las Obras Maestras Completas del Grupo Pablo, no dudes de tus instintos. Tampoco debes resistirte a la inclinación de experimentar el resto de la música grabada en estas notables sesiones cerca del final de la vida demasiado breve de Tatum. De esto se trata el jazz.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-genius-of-keyboard-mw0000236341
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Friday, October 24, 2025
Lionel Hampton • His French New Sound, Vol. 1-2
Review by Ken Dryden
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Lionel Hampton & Axel Zwingenberger • The Boogie Woogie
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Friday, May 30, 2025
Jazz At The Philharmonic • Norman Granz' Jazz At The Philharmonic Vol.17
Oscar Peterson is present throughout these recordings, which begin with an improvisation, followed by a drum solo by Louis Bellson, then Oscar Peterson's Trio, joined first by De Franco and Buddy Rich to form a quintet and finally by Lionel Hampton to form a sextet.
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Oscar Peterson está presente a lo largo de estas grabaciones, que comienzan con una improvisación, seguida de un solo de batería de Louis Bellson, luego el Trío de Oscar Peterson, al que se unen primero De Franco y Buddy Rich para formar un quinteto y, finalmente, Lionel Hampton para formar un sexteto.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Monday, April 14, 2025
Bill Doggett • Bill's Honky Tonk
Biography
Friday, April 4, 2025
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Friday, March 28, 2025
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Lionel Hampton • You Better Know It
Review
by Ron Wynn
Vibist Lionel Hampton's rhythmic abilities haven't been dulled by age, and he displayed his proficiency on this date, which includes the enjoyable bonus track "Moon Over My Annie." There was no wasted energy or unnecessary or exaggerated solos; just bluesy, assertive, muscular arrangements, accompaniment, and ensemble segments. Highlights included "Vibraphone Blues," "Trick or Treat" and "Swingle Jingle," in which Hampton shifted from vibes to piano.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-better-know-it%21%21%21-mw0000623627
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Reseña
por Ron Wynn
Las habilidades rítmicas del vibrante Lionel Hampton no han sido opacadas por la edad, y mostró su destreza en esta fecha, que incluye el agradable bonus track "Moon Over My Annie". No hubo derroche de energía ni solos innecesarios o exagerados; sólo arreglos, acompañamientos y segmentos de conjunto blueseros, asertivos y musculosos. Destacaron "Vibraphone Blues", "Trick or Treat" y "Swingle Jingle", en la que Hampton pasó del vibráfono al piano.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-better-know-it%21%21%21-mw0000623627
Friday, February 14, 2025
Lionel Hampton • Lionel Hampton Plays Love Songs
Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Lionel Hampton & Oscar Peterson • Verve Jazz Masters 26
Vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and pianist Oscar Peterson are the stars of this delightful collection of jazz recordings supervised by producer Norman Granz over an almost exactly 12-month period extending from 1953 to 1954. Granz's marvelous knack for bringing together excellent musicians resulted in the combined presence of trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, trombonist Bill Harris, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, tenor saxophonists Ben Webster and Flip Phillips, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Buddy Rich. The combination of musical minds is extraordinary, and Hamp's amazing wavelength is dependably positive and uplifting.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-masters-26-lionel-hampton-with-oscar-peterson-mw0000122273
El vibrafonista Lionel Hampton y el pianista Oscar Peterson son las estrellas de esta deliciosa colección de grabaciones de jazz supervisadas por el productor Norman Granz a lo largo de un periodo casi exacto de 12 meses, entre 1953 y 1954. La maravillosa habilidad de Granz para reunir a excelentes músicos dio como resultado la presencia conjunta de los trompetistas Roy Eldridge y Dizzy Gillespie, el trombonista Bill Harris, el clarinetista Buddy DeFranco, los saxofonistas tenores Ben Webster y Flip Phillips, el guitarrista Herb Ellis, el bajista Ray Brown y el batería Buddy Rich. La combinación de mentes musicales es extraordinaria, y la asombrosa longitud de onda de Hamp es siempre positiva y edificante.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-masters-26-lionel-hampton-with-oscar-peterson-mw0000122273