Travelin' Band - Lionel Hampton

 

Shalom-Shalom

Travelin' Band

The Lionel Hampton Big Orchestra

Supervised by Norman Granz

Cover Photo by Phil Stern

Verve Records Cliff Series MGV-8019

1957

Vibraharp - Lionel Hampton

Bass - Peter Badie

Saxophone - Jim Arak

Alto Saxophone and Clarinet - Bob Plater

Tenor Saxophone - Eddie Chamblee, Retney Braver

Bariton Saxophone - Joseph Evans

Trumpet - Edward Preston, Wallis Davenport, Julius Brooks, Edward Mullens

Tormbone - Alvin Hayes, Arnet Spanow, Harold Roberts

French Horn - Willie Ruff

Piano - Dwike Mitchell

Guitar - John Mackel

Drums - Rufus Jones

Conga Drum - Isavro Hernandez

From the back cover: Travelin' Band. Once there was a time when the word "travelin'," had a different meaning. When a band was travelin' – it was, well, in the current jazz jargon it was "wailing." And yet in terms of dated musical patois and in the bedrock dictionary definition of the word, the Lionel Hampton band is definitely a very, very travelin' band. ("Flyin' Home" is not only the title of a song associated with Hamp; it is a description of homeward transportation). Hampton is the Bob Hope of the bandleaders. Call out the name of a city in Europe or the Near East or in the North American hemisphere and Hamp has either been there, on his way there or has plans to leave very soon. In one year, 1953, Hampton's band played more than 200 one-night stands (Richard Gehman tells us) and this included a 44-day tour or Europe. Hamp is very big in Israel, they love him in Stockholm, he's the darling of Paris, the rage of London and just mention his name in Sheboygan!

None of this came about simply because Hampton himself had a yen for seeing the world; the converse is near the truth; after Hampton had achieved a reputation as "travelin'" steps in. and how did the reputation come Hampton's way. Once, when he was queried on how the source of his success, Hampton declared: "You swing the blues, man, and you can't miss." Swing the blues – in three words an entire musical philosophy put to action. Hampton, a native of Louisville who grew up in Chicago, was, of course, just about the first musician to use the vibraharp for jazz solos. He joined the Benny Goodman crew in 1936 and then, in 1940, formed his own band in which the hallmark has certainly been the unique Hampton excitement.

Pig Ears And Rice

Flying Home

Midnight Sun

The Blues Ain't News To Me (Vocal by Lionel Hampton)

Swingin' On C

It's A Blue World

Airmail Special 

Baby Don't Love Me No More (Vocal by Vickie Lee)

A Song Of The Vineyard

Shalom-Shalom