Lionel Hampton - Golden Vibes/Silver Vibes

The mellow side of Hamp

This CD combines two LPs Lionel Hampton made for Columbia back in 1958 (GOLDEN) and 1960 (SILVER). Both are pretty much based on the same format: ballad performances with the spotlight on Hamp's vibes along with a rhythm section and a reed quintet added on GOLDEN and a trombone quartet on SILVER. The added horn sections don't do much more than provide chordal color. Hampton is, I think, one of the best, if not THE best ballad player on vibes (as good as Milt Jackson, if not better) and is able to make these slow tempos swing. He usually does this by trying to play as many notes as humanly possible in the framework of each piece (remember his famous live STARDUST recording for Decca in 1947?). One track on GOLDEN is taken up tempo (VIBRAHOLIDAY, a blues), and a few on each are at medium tempo, and they are nice and swinging. ROUND MIDNIGHT gets one of the better treatments I know with Hamp drenching it in the blues. BLUE MOON has a clever arrangement with an interesting woodblock effect, and Hamp switches to marimba and chimes before it's over. Usually the slow tempos, especially on SILVER, go double time for at least half a chorus, which adds to the variety somewhat. But it's Hamp front-and-center all the way; nobody else gets a taste. This is a very good ballad CD and features Hamp outside his typical flagwaving role and more on the mellow side - a side that still swings, though, nicely. September 8, 2006

All Hamp

I had this side in high school in 1960. Many a girl and I danced a million miles to "Walking My Baby Back Home". I credit Hamp with my having a lot of dates in HS--they knew they would get to hear Lionel Hampton before the night was over. My parents had danced live to Hamp and all the 30's bands so I grew up with Swing on one side of the house and R&R for my sister and I on the other. November 9, 2004

At Last! Fantastic Vibrophones!

I first purchased these two albums in LP form when they came out in the late 50s, the purchase was through my then-new Columbia Record Club. I was a teenager, moovin' and groovin' with rock and roll, but I was also interested in other types of music. These were the first "jazz" albums I bought, though I had of course heard of Hampton. I couldn't believe these albums would sound so good. I carried them with me through my Air Force years and eventually lost them through my many moves. I am thrilled to be able to find them again! If you enjoy nice, soft melodious jazz music, this is the one for you. Great for listening in front of the fireplace and other romantic settings. Highly recommended! December 27, 2003

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