Lionel Hampton
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Lionel Leo Hampton (1908–2002), was a U.S. bandleader, jazz percussionist, and vibraphonist.
Hampton was born on 20th April 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, but moved to Chicago as a child, where he began his career as a drummer. He relocated to Los Angeles to play drums in Les Hite’s band. They soon became the house band for Frank Sebastian’s New Cotton Club, a popular L.A. jazz club.
During a 1930 recording date in the NBC studios in L.A., Louis Armstrong discovered a vibraphone. He asked Hampton if he could play it. Hampton, who knew how to play the xylophone, tried it and they agreed to record a few records with Hamp on vibes. Hampton is credited with popularizing the vibraphone as a jazz instrument.
In the mid-1930s, the Benny Goodman Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the Palomar Ballroom. John Hammond brought Goodman to see Hampton play. Goodman asked Hampton to move to New York City and join Goodman, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa who’d already formed a Benny Goodman Trio within the large band - to expand into the Benny Goodman Quartet. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated bands to record and play before wide audiences; they were just as well received at Goodman’s famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert as was the full Goodman band.
Hampton was born on 20th April 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, but moved to Chicago as a child, where he began his career as a drummer. He relocated to Los Angeles to play drums in Les Hite’s band. They soon became the house band for Frank Sebastian’s New Cotton Club, a popular L.A. jazz club.
During a 1930 recording date in the NBC studios in L.A., Louis Armstrong discovered a vibraphone. He asked Hampton if he could play it. Hampton, who knew how to play the xylophone, tried it and they agreed to record a few records with Hamp on vibes. Hampton is credited with popularizing the vibraphone as a jazz instrument.
In the mid-1930s, the Benny Goodman Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the Palomar Ballroom. John Hammond brought Goodman to see Hampton play. Goodman asked Hampton to move to New York City and join Goodman, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa who’d already formed a Benny Goodman Trio within the large band - to expand into the Benny Goodman Quartet. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated bands to record and play before wide audiences; they were just as well received at Goodman’s famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert as was the full Goodman band.
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Lionel Hampton, Vol. 1
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Lionel Hampton, Vol. 2
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Priceless Jazz Collection
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All Star Sessions: Hot Mallets, Vol. 2
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Neue_regel_ class
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Druid66 He's one of the true ambassadors of elegance.
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pachanka 99,828 listeners... go Hampton! One never know's, does one?
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doctorjmo he's good!!
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Maswelle L.S. looking for "THE CHASE played by Lionel Hampton Maswelle
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carlsten i really like the vibraphone
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TheAbbott The vibraphone is a beautiful instrument.
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patgoud I've seen him in the end of the 80s in Düsseldorf. He was so brilliant. He had so much energy - that was great.
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Evil Gal Blues
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Flying Home (1957)
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PIANO STOMP
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13 FLYIN HOME
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