Air Mail Special - Lionel Hampton

 

Airmail Special 

Air Mail Special

Lionel Hampton And His All Stars

Cover Photo by Herman Leonard

Verve Clef Series MGV-8106

From the back cover: Lionel Hampton is, as the author Richard Gehman once quoted of one of his more ardent fans, "a virtual virtuoso," which is a phrase that hits the ear pleasantly, insinuatingly. Hampton is indeed a virtual virtuoso and his music, too, hits the ear pleasantly – but with force. Hampton, of course, is one of the more forceful personalities to come along in jazz. To quote Gehman once more: "The only time he (Hampton) is still is when he is crouched over the vibes, and then the stillness is only relative. He bounces up and down in rhythm, singing to himself in a sort of half-chant, half-ground. Invariably, the audience and band take up this curious sound and sing along..."

There is no audience to  be heard on these sides, but Hampton himself is, as always, fairly audible. Whether or not his own personal accompaniment helps Hampton swing just a little better is a debatable point – it might, at that. In either case, this would scarcely be a Hampton album without it and this most certainly is a Hampton album; if there were any lingering doubts one listen to the insistency throbbing beat would settle such an issue. Appropriately enough, Hampton and his All-Stars start off with "Airmail Special," the old Benny Goodman-Jimmy Mundy-Charlie Christian tune – appropriately, because it was Goodman who discovered Hampton, encouraged him, gave him confidence, even backed him in his first venture as a bandleader away from the Goodman fold. This was in 1940 and it wasn't too long after then, as time is measured, that Hampton was high on his way.

Lionel Hampton, born in Louisville and reared in Chicago, started out as a drummer, turning to the vibraharp only by accident while he was with the Les Hite band, fronted by the redoubtable Louis Armstrong himself. Later Hampton formed his own band on a small caste, playing in the old Cotton Club in Los Angeles. It was there, playing "Avalon" (as everyone who saw "The Benny Goodman Story" will recall) that Goodman found him; soon Hampton was a part of the Goodman trio and quartet – until the breakaway in 1940 and subsequent success through the years.

In this album you will hear the Lionel Hampton Quartet, with Oscar Peterson, Piano; Ray Brown, Bass and Buddy Rich, Drums, an A side. On side B the group with augmentation by Buddy DeFranco. On Side B you will hear the Lionel Hampton Quartet, with the addition of Buddy DeFranco on Clarinet.

Airmail Special 

Soft Winds

The Way You Look Tonight

It's Only A Paper Moon