This live album brings together two legendary Parisian concerts, recorded in 1956 and 1961, that capture all the explosive energy and contagious enthusiasm of a "Lion" at the peak of his glory. These dynamite performances are a testament to the boundless generosity of one of the most formidable entertainers in jazz history, an artist capable of transforming a simple concert into a true show. The listener is carried away by Hampton's infectious enthusiasm and the powerful swing of his big band. It's dance jazz at it's zenith. - Patrick Frémeaux The Live in Paris collection by Michel Brillié allows listeners to hear previously unreleased recordings (made at concerts, private-, or radio-sessions) by the great 20th century stars in jazz, rock & roll and song. These "live" takes, and the artists' rapport with their audiences, give these performances an additional soul and sensibility in counterpoint to the rigorous demands of studio recordings. Particular care was taken when restoring the sound of these tapes in order to meet CD standards while preserving the original colours of the period. - Patrick Frémeaux & Gilles Pétard

Hampton Hawes - "For Real! (Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series)" / Hampton Hawes, "For Real!" was recorded in 1958 but not released on the Contemporary Records label until 1961. Featuring Hawes (piano) alongside Harold Land (tenor sax), Scott LaFaro (bass) and Frank Butler (drums) the album incudes a mixture of both jazz standards and originals. This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket

This four CD set compiles the finest albums Slide Hampton released as leader, all from his golden years, 1959-1963. Featuring too some of the finest American Jazz musicians around during this period, this collection will delight fans new and old, containing as it does some of the best hard bop released during the era in question.

Founded in 1977 by Lionel Hampton, the Who's Who in Jazz label existed as a means to present to the world the best musicians that the jazz world had to offer. With Lionel chairing the recording sessions (and also featuring on several of the sessions himself), these recordings have truly earned their title featuring jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, Stephane Grappelli and Dave Brubeck, amidst the many others. 'Stardust' is a studio album that sees Hampton invite Slam Stewart (bass), Lee Young (drums), Willie Smith (alto sax), Barney Kessel (guitar), Tommy Todd (piano), Corky Corcoran (tenor sax) and Charlie Shavers (trumpet) to showcase some truly great performances across an array of classic jazz compositions including 'Stardust', 'Running Home' and 'As Long as We're Here'. Tracklisting: 1. Tenderly 2. Running Home 3. As Long as We're Here 4. Estranho 5. Stardust 6. Midnight Blues 7. Fantastique 8. C Minor Blues.

Founded in 1977 by Lionel Hampton, the Who's Who in Jazz label existed as a means to present to the world the best musicians that the jazz world had to offer. With Lionel chairing the recording sessions (and also featuring on several of the sessions himself), these recordings have truly earned their title featuring jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, Stephane Grappelli and Dave Brubeck, amidst the many others. Released in 1977 this studio album sees Hampton invite George Duvivier (bass), Grady Tate (drums), Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar), Hank Jones (piano) and Candido (congas) to showcase some truly great performances across an array of classic jazz compositions including 'Ain't Misbehavin', 'Satin Doll' and 'It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)'. Tracklisting: 1. Satin Doll 2. Mr. PC 3. I Wish You Love 4. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) 5. Memories of You 6. Old Man River 7. How High the Moon 8. Sleepy Time Down South 9. Ain't Misbehavin'.

Founded in 1977 by Lionel Hampton, the Who's Who in Jazz label existed as a means to present to the world the best musicians that the jazz world had to offer. With Lionel chairing the recording sessions (and also featuring on several of the sessions himself), these recordings have truly earned their title featuring jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, Stephane Grappelli and Dave Brubeck, amidst the many others. Recorded in 1977 in New York City during a cross-city power outage, 'Blackout' sees Hampton invite Vinnie Bell (guitar), Roland Hanna (piano), Sam Turner (congas), Frank Wess (flute, saxophone), Janice Robinson (trombone) and Victor Paz (trumpet) to showcase an array of classic compositions including 'Twelfth Street Rag' and 'Birth of the Blues'.

Founded in 1977 by Lionel Hampton, the Who's Who in Jazz label existed as a means to present to the world the best musicians that the jazz world had to offer. With Lionel chairing the recording sessions (and also featuring on several of the sessions himself), these recordings have truly earned their title featuring jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, Stephane Grappelli and Dave Brubeck, amidst the many others. An exciting concert recording featuring two of the jazz greats, Cick Corea (keys) and Lionel Hampton (vibes), recorded live at Palm Beach Casino, Cannes, France during the MIDEM Jazz Gala on January 22, 1978. Horn parts by Ron Moss (trombone) and Al Vizzutti (trumpet) were overdubbed later on at Excalibur Studios, Studio City, California. Gayle Moran features as guest vocals on 'Come Rain or Come Shine'.

Founded in 1977 by Lionel Hampton, the Who's Who in Jazz label existed as a means to present to the world the best musicians that the jazz world had to offer. With Lionel chairing the recording sessions (and also featuring on several of the sessions himself), these recordings have truly earned their title featuring jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, St�phane Grappelli and Dave Brubeck, amidst the many others. Recorded in 1977 in New York City during a cross-city power outage, 'Blackout' sees Hampton invite Vinnie Bell (guitar), Roland Hanna (piano), Sam Turner (congas), Frank Wess (flute, saxophone), Janice Robinson (trombone) and Victor Paz (trumpet) to showcase an array of classic compositions including 'Twelfth Street Rag' and 'Birth of the Blues'.

Founded in 1977 by Lionel Hampton, the Who's Who in Jazz label existed as a means to present to the world the best musicians that the jazz world had to offer. With Lionel chairing the recording sessions (and also featuring on several of the sessions himself), these recordings have truly earned their title featuring jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Terumasa Hino, Sonny Stitt, Teddy Wilson, Stephane Grappelli and Dave Brubeck, amidst the many others. An exciting concert recording featuring two of the jazz greats, Cick Corea (keys) and Lionel Hampton (vibes), recorded live at Palm Beach Casino, Cannes, France during the MIDEM Jazz Gala on January 22, 1978. Horn parts by Ron Moss (trombone) and Al Vizzutti (trumpet) were overdubbed later on at Excalibur Studios, Studio City, California. Gayle Moran features as guest vocals on 'Come Rain or Come Shine'.

Rivka Golani’s portrait album invites listeners on a musical journey spanning the 1820s to the late 1940s; its style ranges from early romanticism to post romanticism. Another of the music peculiarities is that it shows how the millennial heritage of Jewish culture enriched European art music. Rivka Golani is recognized as one of the outstanding modern violists. More than 300 works have so far been composed for her, including 77 concertos: a record matched by no other violist in history.

Personnel: Lionel Hampton (vibraphone, piano); Clifford Scott, Alix Combelle (tenor saxophone); Walter Williams (trumpet); James Cleveland, Al Hayse (trombone); Milton "Mezz" Mezzrow (clarinet); Claude Bolling (piano); Billy Mackel (guitar); William Monk Montgomery (electric bass); Curley Hamner (drums).

Recorded live at Ecole Normale De Musique, Salle Pleyel, Paris, France on September 28, 1953. Includes liner notes by Claude Carriere.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

This is part of RCA/Victor's Original Vogue Masters series.

Personnel: Lionel Hampton (piano, vibraphone); Billy Mackel (guitar); Alix Combelle (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Cleveland (trombone); Claude Bolling (piano).

Recording information: Ecole Normale De Musique, Paris, France (09/28/1953).

Since his childhood as a percussionist in the Chicago Defender Boys' Band and his work with Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton's drumming and vibraphone playing have delighted audiences in person and on record. This collection includes tracks from Hamp's New Jazz Inner Circle's recording debut.

Lionel Hampton, the master of the vibes, classic mid-seventies recording. This rare album features a unique selection of material including Buddy Miles' "Them Changes," Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone" and the Mamas & Papas' "California Dreaming" performed as jazz instrumentals. All selections newly remastered.

Rizzi and his superb Welsh Opera forces now grace the Janacek canon.

This is the fifth Janácek opera in Chandos’s Opera in English series, and with vivid, well separated sound, balancing the voices in front of the orchestra, the first impression is how clear the words are from the singers of the Welsh National Opera production on which the recording is based. This is a very welcome companion to the outstanding English version of The Makropulos Case (4/07) conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras.

Carlo Rizzi, who conducted the live performances for WNO, is a comparably persuasive Janácek interpreter. It is fascinating to compare this version with Mackerras’s Decca recording (12/05) with the Vienna Philharmonic and an excellent, mainly Czech cast, Elisabeth Söderström taking the title-role. If that recording is marginally richer and weightier than the new Chandos, the strings of WNO play with comparable refinement. Rizzi’s interpretation in all three acts is a degree more urgent, with speeds consistently faster, no doubt reflecting his experience of conducting it live.

As in the English Makropulos Case, the principal singer is Cheryl Barker, fresh, clear and powerful, more girlish-sounding than Söderström. Jane Henschel is outstanding as Marfa Kabanova, the rich widow who persecutes her daughter-in-law, wonderfully rich and firm throughout her range. The three tenor roles are exceptionally well taken, even if the contrasts between Robert Brubaker as Boris, Peter Wedd as Kudryash and Peter Hoare as Tichon, husband of Katya and son of Marfa, are not ideally marked. Gwynne Howell as the merchant Dikoi, uncle of Boris, is also excellent.

The old Norman Tucker translation is used with some minor amendments by Rodney Blumer, nom de plume of critic Rodney Milnes, with words admirably clear throughout, adding to the dramatic impact of the piece. Another outstanding issue in the Opera in English series.

-- Edward Greenfield, Gramophone [12/2007]

With the enormous success Hampton enjoyed with the Benny Goodman Quartet he was able to secure recording sessions of his own. Utilizing the cream of Jazz musicians he laid down an extraordinary body of small group recordings between 1937 and 1940,25 of which are featured on this collection. Tracks include 'Jiving' the Vibes', 'Jack the Bellboy', '12th Street Rag', 'Wizzin' the Wiz' and 'Ring Dem Bells'. Acrobat. 2003.