Search - Lionel Hampton :: Star Dust

Astro Jam: Stellar Session

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 12/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Why is this an essential recording? Let me count the ways. Here are three:



1. Musicians and critics sometimes argue about which "classic" jazz interpretation of "Stardust" is the most definitive--Louis Armstrong's, Artie Shaw's, Paul Desmond's. Play this version by Lionel Hampton and you'll see why Hamp is to "Stardust" what Coleman Hawkins is to "Body and Soul."



2. If Hampton is one of a handful of quintessential swing-era musicians, there's no better representation of his musical virtuosity and showmanship. As masterful as all of the other musicians are on this occasion, Hamp solos last and practically erases the memory of the preceding solos.



3. This is a "jam session" made in heaven. The musicians are "competitive," to be sure, but it's not just another Norman Granz musical circus. (Has anyone, before or since, even considered using "Stardust" as a jam session vehicle?) Each of the soloists on the tune--in particular Charlie Shavers and Slam Stewart--creates a different mood and unique tonal identity. In fact, I've used this recording to introduce jazz and instrumental music to listeners for whom the term "voice" is alien to anything but human vocal production.



This music could not have been created in a studio. Nor is it likely that these same musicians could have enjoyed the same chemistry and achieved the same heights on another "live" occasion. Look for the less expensive 1999 domestic edition first, but in this instance even the pricey import is probably worth the premium."