Lionel Hampton with Milt Buckner - Alive & Jumping

2021 European CD reissue.

Maybe it’s taking an old warhorse like Avalon and turning it into a thoroughbred, with Cat Anderson’s pulsating screech trumpet heralding the race. Or it could be Hamp’s classic Midnight Sun with its mysterioso vibraphone prelude. One thing’s for sure: Alive and Jumping is a “live” jazz-fest. It’s also a master-class in swing, as Milt Buckner’s cascading chromatic runs on the 1944 hit Hamp’s Boogie Woogie rile up the crowd, and the tune’s call and response choruses unearth the roots of rock ‘n roll. On Funky Mama, Eddie Chamblee’s ripping, rocking sax solo along with Cat Anderson’s growling wa-wa mute and high-note antics bring down the house. A must for all Lionel Hampton fans!