180g High Quality Pressing!
Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering!
The 1967 Newport Jazz Festival, fourteenth in a world-famous series, wasinexplicably the first at which Lionel Hampton had ever appeared. Better latethan never, the great vibist and bandleader came, played and conquered. As thecrowd roars ecstatically at the end of this record, the awed but happy voice ofproducer George Wein is heard: This hasnt happened since Duke… he begins,casting back in his mind to 1956 and the nearest comparable triumph.
There is nothing quite so effective as a big band at an outdoor jazz festival.So the 1967 Newport programme included those of Count Basie, Buddy Rich, WoodyHerman, Don Ellis and Lionel Hampton. Lionel knew the competition he had toface, and knew that in the festivals climatic spotthe last act on the lastnight— his performance would be compared with those of all the others. Heprepared accordingly.
Members of his Inner Circle, the octet with which he normally works, wouldprovide the nucleus for an orchestra largely composed of alumni from his earlierbands. When the call went out to the Old Guard, the response was magnificent, asa glance at the personnel will show. Top names in the profession came back tojoin him, to form one of the great all-star bands of all time. A two weekengagement at The Metropole in New York, immediately before the festival, servedas a prolonged dress rehearsal, where the ensembles were polished and newarrangements familiarized. Enthusiasm mounted night by night in the SeventhAvenue club, among musicians and public alike, until Newport and the evening of3rd July were reached. Then, as you will hear, the spirit was willing and theflesh far, far from weak.
All these preparations ensured a good performance, but the spark, the magicnecessary to make it a great one, had to come from the leader. Everybody knowsthat he is a kind of rhythmic dynamodriving, full of energy, unsparing ofhimself. His commitment and conviction communicate rapidly with any audience, sothat it is soon won over to his side. Yet in the long, ninety minute program,errors in pacing would have been easy, forgivable, but extremely damaging. Aclimax reached too soon would have led to anti-climax, and a flat feeling as thecrowd left the ground. As it was, Lionels long professional experience servedhim superbly, so that his program rose steadily and inexorably to the all-out,emotional frenzy of Flying Home. Like a good general, he never lost his grasp onthe situation. He inspired his men by personal example on the vibes, reinforcedthe beat on a second set of drums, and finally brought up the reserves—AlanDawson, Milt Buckner and Illinois Jacquetat just the right time, and in theright spot, to secure an unforgettable triumph and a tumultuous ovation.
Features:
180g High Quality Vinyl
Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering
Musicians:
Lionel Hampton, vibes, piano, drums
Snooky Young, trumpet
Jimmy Nottingham, trumpet
Joe Newman, trumpet
Wallace Davenport, trumpet
Al Grey, trombone
Garnett Brown, trombone
Britt Woodman, trombone
Benny Powell, trombone
Jerome Richardson, reeds
George Dorsey, reeds
Frank Foster, reeds
Dave Young, reeds
Ed Pazant, reeds
John Spruill, piano
Billy Mackel, guitar
George Duvivier, bass
Steve Little, drums
Alan Dawson, drums (7)
Milt Buckner, piano (7)
Illinois Jacquet, tenor saxophone (9)
Selections:
Side A:
1. Turn Me Loose
2. Thai Silk
3. Tempo’s Birthday
4. Greasy Greens
5. Greasy Greens (encore
Side B:
6. Meet Benny Bailey
7. Medley: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop/Hamp’s Boogie Woogie
8. Misunderstood Blues
9. Flying Home
Recorded at the Nwport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island.
