Lionel Lionel Hampton And His Orchestra

On a stopover in Madrid during a six-month European tour in 1956, Lionel Hampton recorded what's possibly one of the strangest and most interesting albums in his discography. This album includes local castanets player named Maria Angelica. By featuring castanets, Hampton added a unexpected peppery flavor. In Angelica's hands, the castanets actually swings than just exotic percussion.
Recorded on June 30, 1956, Jazz Flamenco featured Hampton's full 17-piece band plus several unnamed Spanish percussionists. Hampton also recorded three tracks with a smaller, breakout group he dubbed the "Flamenco Five." The album showcases a wide range of beats I've Got a Brand New Baby, for example, is a roadhouse blues while Bop City Flamenco has an Afro-Cuban undertone, and Lovely Nights in Spain has much in common with Midnight Sun…

In 1937, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton began leading a series of all-star swing recording dates. Although he would still be a member of Benny Goodman's organization for another three years, Hampton was a natural-born leader and his record dates featured top sidemen from a variety of major jazz bands. This CD begins the chronological reissue of all of this music (except alternate takes). Hampton is teamed with players from the Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington orchestras plus a large assortment of guests. Among the many highlights are "Hampton Stomp" (featuring Hampton playing rapid lines on the piano with two fingers), "Stompology," Johnny Hodges on "On the Sunny Side of the Street," and some good spots for Jonah Jones' trumpet.

The Lionel Hampton Big Band made it big during the period covered by this CD. "Flying Home," which Hampton had recorded at least twice earlier with combos, became a sensation thanks to Illinois Jacquet's honking tenor (which largely launched R&B) and the excitement generated by Hampton and his band (including the screaming trumpet section). This disc covers most of the war years, has a few V-discs (including the hit version of "Flying Home" and a two-part remake), and such numbers as "Loose Wig," "Hamp's Boogie-Woogie," "Overtime," and "Tempo's Boogie." Jacquet was actually with Hampton for a relatively brief period of time, but Arnett Cobb proved to be a perfect replacement. Also quite notable in the band is pianist Milt Buckner (whose block chords became influential) and such high-note trumpeters as Ernie Royal, Cat Anderson, and Snooky Young.

Lionel Hampton's series of record dates leading all-star swing bands produced some of the more exciting music of the late '30s. Just on this CD alone, Hampton led groups with musicians drawn from the Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, Cab Calloway, and Benny Goodman big bands, among others. Among the more notable performances are Benny Carter's "I'm in the Mood for Swing," a swing version of Jelly Roll Morton's "Shoe Shiner's Drag," tenor saxophonist Chu Berry having one of his best showcases on "Sweethearts on Parade," and a romp on "Twelfth Street Rag." Through it all, Hampton (whether on vibes, two-fingered piano, drums, or singing) often steals the show.

Musicians play music, and when they play, they don't begin something so much as they pick something back up that was there all along, and music expands like a delta this way, an unbreakable loop that doesn't begin or end but just rolls onward like a wave. And rock & roll as an American musical form is very much like a delta, collecting elements from jazz, blues, country, gospel, R&B, show tunes, and whatever else was floating around into a high-charged, rambunctious music that defined and drove pop culture across the backwaters of the 20th century and into the 21st…

John Cornelius Hodges began working with Duke Ellington in 1928 and soon became one of the prime voices in the Ellington orchestra. Hodges began leading his own recording ensembles - actually scaled-down versions of Duke's band - in 1937. Occasionally sitting in with other leaders like Lionel Hampton, Hodges also led groups of his own, including a quartet at New York's Apollo Club during the summer of 1948 and five of the six bands heard on this first volume of his complete recordings in chronological order. (All records issued under Hodges' name prior to 1947 have been included in the massive Classics chronology of Duke Ellington.) Sandy Williams' Big Eight was one of many ensembles recording for the Hot Record Society - and one of the very best of them…

The 1937 Benny Goodman & His Orchestra are still considered one of the top big bands ever. With a trumpet section featuring Harry James, Ziggy Elman, and Chris Griffin; pianist Jess Stacy and drummer Gene Krupa in the rhythm section; the leader's clarinet; and his trio and quartet with Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton, it is no wonder that Benny Goodman was so popular during this era. The main addition to the band during the second half of 1937 was singer Martha Tilton, who fit in quite well. Highlights of this often-stirring program include "Roll 'Em," the quartet on "Avalon" and "Handful of Keys," "Sugar Foot Stomp," and a swinging "Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day."

The 1938 version of Benny Goodman & His Orchestra was still a strong ensemble, featuring Goodman, Harry James, Ziggy Elman, tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman, Jess Stacy, Martha Tilton, and Dave Tough on drums, plus in the trio/quartet Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton. Gene Krupa might have been missed, but the ensemble still swung hard. Highlights of this chronological study include "Lullaby in Rhythm," "I Let a Song Go out of My Heart" (featuring Tilton), "Big John's Special," "Wrappin' It Up," and the quartet version of "Dizzy Spells."

Gerald Wilson - The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings of Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra (1961-69) [5CD] {2000 Mosaic Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.36 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 900 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 96 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 2000 Mosaic Records / EMI-Capitol | MD5-198
Jazz / Har Bop / Post Bop / Modern Big Band

These are among the finest of all large ensemble jazz recordings of the past 50 years, and Gerald Wilson is a great big-band composer/arranger/leader, although he has not received enough credit for a couple of major reasons. He came to the fore after the end of the big band era, and his outfits did not tour. Hopefully, this five-CD set will refocus attention on his major accomplishments.