Garnished with a fistful of alternate takes, the 2007 release of Mosaic's 107-track Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-1941 is a welcome and long overdue CD realization of The Complete Lionel Hampton 1937-1941, a six-LP box set released during the 1970s by the Bluebird label. Only Teddy Wilson came close to achieving what Hamp did in the late 1930s and early '40s, by bringing together the greatest soloists on the scene for a staggeringly productive and inspired series of recordings that essentially defined the state of jazz during the years immediately preceding the Second World War.
Nearly every musician heard on this collection may be traced to the most important and influential bands on the scene during the '30s, including groups operating under the leadership of Duke Ellington, Luis Russell, Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Earl Hines, Fats Waller, John Kirby, and Nat King Cole (these last two appear with Hampton as sidemen). Even a detailed list of the master musicians gathered together by Lionel Hampton during this five year period would scarcely do justice to the depth and scope of the music represented here. This set defines swing, and jazz itself, as few other compilations ever have, can or will. Utterly essential listening, second to none. The fact that this is a limited edition rather than required listening in every public school in North America is bittersweet food for thought.
DISC I
1. My Last Affair (A) 2:33
(Haven Johnson)
2. Jivin' The Vibres (A) 2:19
(Lionel Hampton)
3. The Mood That I'm In (A) 2:40
(A. Silver-A. Sherman)
4. Stomp (A) 3:07
(Lionel Hampton)
5. Buzzin' 'Round With The Bee (B) 3:04
(John Hancock)
6. Whoa Babe (B) 2:50
(Larry Clinton)
7. Stompology (B) 2:59
(Lionel Hampton)
8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (C) 3:14
(J. McHugh-D. Fields)
9. Rhythm, Rhythm (I Got Rhythm) (C) 2:49
(G & I Gershwin)
10. China Stomp (Chinatown, My Chinatown) (C) 2:46
(W. Jerome-J. Schwartz)
11. I Know That You Know (C) 2:55
(V. Youmans-A. Caldwell)
12. I'm Confessin' (D) 3:26
(Neiburg-Dougherty-Reynolds)
13. Drum Stomp (Crazy Rhythm) (D) 3:06
(Meyer-Kahn-Caesar)
14. Piano Stomp (Shine) (D) 2:55
(Mack-Brown-Dabney)
15. I Surrender Dear (D) 3:21
(H. Barris-G. Clifford)
16. The Object Of My Affection (E) 3:12
(Grier-Poe-Tomlin)
17. Judy (E) 3:03
(H. Carmichael-S. Lerner)
18. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (E) 2:49
(C. Warfield-C. Williams)
19. Everybody Loves My Baby (E) 2:48
(J. Palmer-S. Williams)
20. After You've Gone (E) 3:02
(H. Creamer-T. Layton)
21. I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby (E) 3:06
(M. Holiner-A. Nichols)
22. My Last Affair (alt tk) (A) 2:45
(Haven Johnson)
23. The Object Of My Affection (alt tk) (E) 3:09
(Grier-Poe-Tomlin)
DISC II
1. You're My Ideal (F) 3:13
(F. Waller-S. Williams)
2. The Sun Will Shine Tonight (F) 3:10
(Rose-Fetter-Lehac)
3. Ring Dem Bells (F) 3:21
(D. Ellington-I. Mills)
4. Don't Be That Way (F) 2:33
(Goodman-Sampson-Parish)
5. I'm In The Mood For Swing (G) 2:45
(B. Carter-S. Williams)
6. Shoe Shiner's Drag (G) 3:22
(Jelly Roll Morton)
7. Any Time At All (G) 3:14
(J. Dorsey-J. Van Heusen)
8. Muskrat Ramble (G) 3:16
(Armstrong-Gilbert-Ory)
9. Down Home Jump (H) 3:13
(Lionel Hampton)
10. Rock Hill Special (H) 2:44
(Lionel Hampton)
11. Fiddle Diddle (H) 3:21
(B. Goodman-L. Hampton)
12. I Can Give You Love (I) 2:45
(L. Hampton-J. Evans)
13. High Society (I) 3:12
(A.J. Piron-C. Williams)
14. It Don't Mean A Thing (I) 3:12
(D. Ellington-I. Mills)
15. Johnny Get Your Horn And Blow It (I) 3:08
(Hathaway-Hirsch-Hampton)
16. The Sun Will Shine Tonight (alt tk) (F) 3:05
(Rose-Fetter-Lehac)
17. It Don't Mean A Thing (alt tk) (I) 3:11
(D. Ellington-I. Mills)
DISC III
1. Sweethearts On Parade (J) 2:58
(C. Lombardo-C. Newman)
2. Shufflin' At The Hollywood (J) 3:03
(L. Hampton-A. Reuss)
3. Denison Swing (J) 3:13
(Lionel Hampton)
4. Wizzin' The Wizz (J) 2:23
(Lionel Hampton)
5. If It's Good (K) 2:48
(W. Hirsch-G. Marks)
6. Stand By! For Further Announcements (And More Good News) (K) 2:53
(Brown-Stept-Tobias)
7. Ain't 'Cha Comin' Home? (K) 3:16
(Bernardi-Hampton-Hathaway)
8. Big Wig In The Wigwam (K) 2:28
(D. Katz-B.Young)
9. Memories Of You (L) 3:13
(E. Blake-A. Razaf)
10. The Jumpin' Jive (L) 3:12
(Calloway-Froeba-Palmer)
11. Twelfth Street Rag (L) 3:06
(E.Bowman-A. Razaf)
12. When Lights Are Low (M) 2:11
(B. Carter-S. Williams)
13. One Sweet Letter From You (M) 3:17
(Warren-Clare-Brown)
14. Hot Mallets (M) 2:13
(Lionel Hampton)
15. Early Session Hop (M) 2:37
(T. Wilson-B. Harding)
16. I'm On My Way From You (N) 3:04
(L. Hampton-D. Burley)
17. Haven't Named It Yet (N) 2:55
(L. Hampton-C. Christian)
18. The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town (-2) (N)
(B. Atkins-L. Hampton)
19. Shufflin' At The Hollywood (alt tk) (J) 3:05
(L. Hampton-A. Reuss)
20. Wizzin' The Wizz (alt tk) (J) 2:23
(Lionel Hampton)
21. Big Wig In The Wigwam (alt tk) (K) 2:29
(D. Katz-B.Young)
22. Twelfth Street Rag (alt tk) (L) 3:04
(E. Bowman-A. Razaf)
23. When Lights Are Low (alt tk) (M) 2:06
(B. Carter-S. Williams)
24. The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin' The Town (-1) (N) 2:41
(B. Atkins-L. Hampton)
DISC IV
1. The Munson Street Breakdown (O) 3:14
(Lionel Hampton)
2. I've Found A New Baby (O) 2:52
(J. Palmer-S. Williams)
3. I Can't Get Started (O) 2:52
(V. Duke-I. Gershwin)
4. Four Or Five Times (O) 2:46
(Byron Gay)
5. Gin For Christmas (O) 2:28
(Lionel Hampton)
6. Dinah (P) 2:43
(Akst-Young-Lewis)
7. My Buddy (P) 2:43
(W. Donaldson-G. Kahn)
8. Singin' The Blues (P) 2:51
(Conrad-Lewis-Robinson-Young)
9. Shades Of Jade (Q) 3:24
(Toots Mondello)
10. Till Tom Special (Q)
(B. Goodman-L. Hampton)
11. Flyin'Home (Q) 2:56
(B. Goodman-L. Hampton)
12. Save It, Pretty Mama (Q)
(Davis-Denniker-Redman)
13. Tempo And Swing (Q) 3:19
(Lionel Hampton)
14. House Of Morgan (R) 3:08
(Lionel Hampton)
15. I'd Be Lost Without You (R) 2:57
(Donaldson-Forrest-Wright)
16. Central Avenue Breakdown (R) 3:01
(Lionel Hampton)
17. Jack The Bellboy (R) 2:48
(Lionel Hampton)
18. Dough-Rey-Mi (S) 3:04
(Cole-Hampton-Southern)
19. Jivin' With Jarvis (S) 2:37
(Lionel Hampton)
20. Blue (S) 2:55
(Clarke-Leslie-Handman)
21. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You (S) 2:52
(Crosby-Washington-Young)
22. Dinah (alt tk) (P) 2:36
(Akst-Young-Lewis)
23. Dough-Rey-Mi (alt tk) (S) 3:05
(Cole-Hampton-Southern)
DISC V
1. Just For Laffs (T) 3:05
(Bresler-Hampton-Salzman)
2. Martin On Every Block (T) 2:48
(Lionel Hampton)
3. Pig Foot Sonata (T) 3:01
(L. Hampton-D. Burley)
4. Charlie Was A Sailor (T) 3:26
(Jaffe-Keefer-Lopez)
5. Lost Love (-2) (U) 3:08
(G. Callender-L. Hampton)
6. I Nearly Lost My Mind (U) 3:10
(G. Jones-L. Hampton)
7. Altitude (U) 2:57
(L. Hampton-I. Ashby)
8. Fiddle-Dee-Dee (U) 3:21
(Lionel Hampton)
9. Bogo-Jo (V) 2:51
(Lionel Hampton)
10. Open House (V) 2:58
(L. Hampton-M. Royal)
11. Smart Alec (V) 3:18
(L. Hampton-I. Ashby)
12. Bouncing At The Beacon (V) 3:20
(L. Hampton-J. Lee)
13. Give Me Some Skin (W) 3:13
(L. Hampton-T. Parham)
14. Now That You're Mine (W) 2:44
(Pharis Evans Jr.)
15. Chasin' With Chase (W) 2:56
(B. Shivers-G. Neal)
16. Three Quarter Boogie (W) 2:34
(Elliott-Fascinato-Goldberg)
17. Just For Laffs (alt tk) (T) 3:04
(Bresler-Hampton-Salzman)
18. Martin On Every Block (alt tk) (T) 2:45
(Lionel Hampton)
19. Chasin' With Chase (alt tk) (W) 3:02
(B. Shivers-G. Neal)
20. Three Quarter Boogie (alt tk) (W) 2:34
(Elliott-Fascinato-Goldberg)
