Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz With Guest Lionel Hampton

Marian McPartland welcomes vibraphonist Lionel Hampton (in his early 80s) to this edition of her radio show Piano Jazz. The talking mostly goes over the usual stories of Hampton’s beginnings and his meeting Benny Goodman; it offers no new revelations, but the seven duets (with Hampton switching to piano on three of the numbers) are the real reason to acquire this disc. Hampton had never lost his enthusiasm for playing, and only one of the performances is under four minutes (with “Midnight Sun” being nearly nine). Hampton takes vocals on “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Mack the Knife” and sounds quite exuberant jamming with pianist McPartland on “How High the Moon” and “Flyin’ Home.” – Scott Yanow