Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra
Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002), was a bandleader, ja… Read Full Bio ↴Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002), was a bandleader, jazz percussionist and vibraphone virtuoso. Hampton was born in Louisville, Kentucky.
"Hamp" ranks among the greatest names in jazz history and worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman to Charlie Parker to Quincy Jones.
Hampton moved to Chicago as a child and 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 (which is similar to a xylophone, but with metal bars and a vibrato mechanism). 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-30s, 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.
While Hampton worked for Goodman in New York, he recorded with several different small groups known as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as assorted small groups within the Goodman band. In the early 40s he left the Goodman organization to form his own touring band.
Hampton's band fostered the talents of Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Ernie Royal, Jack McVea, Charlie Mingus, Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Dinah Washington, Betty Carter, Joe Williams, Arnett Cobb, Earl Bostic, and John Colianni among many others.
His wife, Gladys Hampton, was his manager throughout much of his career. Many musicians recall that Lionel ran the music and Gladys ran the business.
Hampton's recording of "Flying Home" (1939) with the famous honking tenor sax solo by Jacquet, later refined and expanded by Cobb (1946), is considered by some to be the first rock and roll record. Quincy Jones once stated that Hamp was like a rock and roll musician in that "Hamp would go for the throat every night and the people would freak out".
He was known for his tireless energy and his skill on the vibes, drums, and lightning speed two-fingered piano. The bars on the vibraphone are laid out like the piano; Hampton played both instruments the same way.
Beginning in the mid-1980s, Hampton and his band started playing at the University of Idaho's jazz concert, which in 1985 was renamed the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. In 1987 the University's music college was renamed the Lionel Hampton School of Music, the first and only university music college to be named after a jazz musician.
Lionel Hampton died of cardiac arrest at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York at about 06:15 AM, on August 31, 2002. He was interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
Hampton was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans.
"Hamp" ranks among the greatest names in jazz history and worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman to Charlie Parker to Quincy Jones.
Hampton moved to Chicago as a child and 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 (which is similar to a xylophone, but with metal bars and a vibrato mechanism). 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-30s, 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.
While Hampton worked for Goodman in New York, he recorded with several different small groups known as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as assorted small groups within the Goodman band. In the early 40s he left the Goodman organization to form his own touring band.
Hampton's band fostered the talents of Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Ernie Royal, Jack McVea, Charlie Mingus, Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Dinah Washington, Betty Carter, Joe Williams, Arnett Cobb, Earl Bostic, and John Colianni among many others.
His wife, Gladys Hampton, was his manager throughout much of his career. Many musicians recall that Lionel ran the music and Gladys ran the business.
Hampton's recording of "Flying Home" (1939) with the famous honking tenor sax solo by Jacquet, later refined and expanded by Cobb (1946), is considered by some to be the first rock and roll record. Quincy Jones once stated that Hamp was like a rock and roll musician in that "Hamp would go for the throat every night and the people would freak out".
He was known for his tireless energy and his skill on the vibes, drums, and lightning speed two-fingered piano. The bars on the vibraphone are laid out like the piano; Hampton played both instruments the same way.
Beginning in the mid-1980s, Hampton and his band started playing at the University of Idaho's jazz concert, which in 1985 was renamed the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. In 1987 the University's music college was renamed the Lionel Hampton School of Music, the first and only university music college to be named after a jazz musician.
Lionel Hampton died of cardiac arrest at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York at about 06:15 AM, on August 31, 2002. He was interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
Hampton was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans.
More Genres
More Albums
Load All
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra Lyrics
'S Wonderful Don't mind telling you, in my humble fash That you thrill…
After You've Gone Now won't you listen honey, while I say, How could…
Alone Just picture a penthouse way up in the sky With hinges…
Always Always and always I'll go on adoring The glory and wonder…
Any Time At All Anytime you're feelin' lonely Anytime you're feelin' blue …
Baby Won't You Please Come Home I've got the blues, I feel so lonely I'd give…
Blue I'm an evil gal; don't you bother with me Yes, I'm…
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus Well look here Jack There's something down the track He's go…
Chop-Chop A dai yon dai yon dai yon dai yon ta…
Confessin I'm confessin' that I love you, Tell me, do you love…
crying You've got me crying again You've got me sighing again What …
Everybody Loves My Baby Yeah, everybody loves my baby But my baby don't love nobody…
Evil Gal Blues I'm an evil gal Don't you bother with me Yes, I'm an…
Fiddle Dee Dee Tweedle dee dee, tweedle dee dee Tweedle dee dee, tweedle de…
Gates Steps Out Come out, come out wherever you are, I know, I know…
Gin For Christmas I broke my bat on Johnny's head; somebody snitched on…
Hannah Hannah In old Savannah, I said Savannah, The weather there is nice…
High Society [Instrumental]…
How High the Moon Somewhere there's music How faint the tune Somewhere there's…
I Can I've been around the world in a plane Settled revolutions i…
I Can Give You Love Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Can't Get Started I've been around the world in a plane Settled revolutions in…
I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance I need your love so badly, I love you, oh,…
I Know That You Know Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
I Surrender Dear Pride, sad, splendid liar, Sworn enemy of love Kept my…
I'll Remember April This lovely day will lengthen into evening We'll sigh goodby…
I'm a Ding Dong Daddy I reckon you all don't know me at all I just…
I'm Confessin' I'm confessin' that I love you, Tell me, do you love…
I'm in the Mood for Swing I'm in the mood for love Simply because you're near me. Funn…
I've Found a New Baby Everybody look at me, Happy girlie, you will see, I've…
If It's Good It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
Jam Blues Baby, take me down to Duke's place Wildest box in town…
June Memphis in June A shady veranda under a Sunday blue sky Memp…
Just for Laffs Love me love me say you love me Just for fun Softly…
Just for You Just you, just me Let's find a cozy spot To cuddle and…
Lullaby of the Leaves Rustling of the leaves used to be my lullaby In the…
Martin On Every Block Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo? Track twe…
Medley Swine lane gal, swine lane gal Swine lane gal will you…
Memories of You Waking skies at sunrise Every sunset too Seems to be bringin…
Merry Christmas Baby Well, Merry Christmas baby, you sure did treat me nice Well,…
Midnight Sun Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, warmer…
Million Dollar Smile It was a lucky April shower It was the most convenient…
Moonglow It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue It…
Muskrat Ramble Look at them shuffling shuffling down Rambling and scramblin…
My Buddy Life is a book that we study, Some of its leaves…
My Last Affair Can't you see What love and romance have done to me I'm…
Now High the Moon Somewhere there's music How faint the tune Somewhere there's…
Now That You're Mine The way that you touched me made me believe You never…
OH Babe! First you say heeeeello! Then ya get meeeellow! Mustn't be l…
Oh Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
On the Sunny Side of the Street Walked with no one and talked with no one And I…
Perdido Perdido, I look for my heart It's perdido I lost it way down…
Please Give Me a Chance Oh, give me something to remember you by When you are…
Rag Mop M I say M-O M-O-P M-O-P-P Mop M-O-P-P Mop Mop Mop Mop R I …
Ring Dem Bells Mister Stacy, ring dem bells Oh boy, music′s swell If you li…
Robbins In Your Hair Last night we met And I dream of you yet With…
Singin' the Blues Well, I never felt more like singin' the blues 'Cause I…
Someday Somewhere waiting for me There is someone I'm longing to see…
Star Dust And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the…
The Mess Is Here It's very clear, our love is here to stay Not for…
The Mood That I'm In Never dared to have your arms around me Not that I…
The Object of My Affection The object of my affection Can change my complexion From w…
The Sheik of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
When Lights Are Low Listen to the melody entrancing Blending in a soft and sweet…
White Christmas I'm dreaming of a white Christmas Just like the ones I…
Who Cares Let it rain and thunder, Let a million firms go under. I…
You Better Be Satisfied You won't be satisfied until you break my heart You're never…
You're My Ideal You're breaking my heart 'cause you're leaving You've fallen…
You’re My Ideal Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…