Lionel Hampton, in full Lionel Leo Hampton, byname Hamp, (born April 20, 1908, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.—died August 31, 2002, New York, New York), American jazz musician and bandleader, known for the rhythmic vitality of his playing and his showmanship as a performer. Best known for his work on the vibraphone, Hampton was also a skilled drummer, pianist, and singer.
As a boy, Hampton lived with his mother in Kentucky and Wisconsin before finally settling in Chicago, where he received tuition on the xylophone from percussionist Jimmy Bertrand. Hampton got his start playing drums in the Chicago Defender Newsboys’ Band before moving to California in the late 1920s. There he played drums in a succession of bands, the most notable being Paul Howard’s Quality Serenaders, with which Hampton made his recording debut in 1929. He next joined Les Hite’s band and accompanied Louis Armstrong on several recordings. At one session in 1930, Armstrong asked Hampton to play a vibraphone that had been fortuitously left in the studio. The results were “Memories of You” and “Shine,” the first jazz recordings to feature improvised vibraphone solos. From this point on, the vibes became Hampton’s main instrument.
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Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Wednesday, April 20th 2022 at 8:46AM
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