Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra - Ridin' On The L&N

Side 1
1 - Ridin' On The L&N
2 - The Pencil Broke
3 - Doublin' With Dublin
4 - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
5 - Royal Family
6 - There Will Never Be Another You
7 - I've Been A Fool (Thinking You Cared)
8 - Hawk's Nest
9 - The Man I Love

Side 2
1 - Adam Blew His Hat
2 - Cherokee
3 - Wee Albert
4 - Moonglow
5 - Everybody's Somebody's Fool
6 - Tempo's Birthday
7 - Lavender Coffin
8 - Sky Blue
9 - I'll Remember April

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More big band swing with quite a few small group tracks in the mix this time round. This LP is much more of a mixed bag than the uniformly excellent "Leapin' With Lionel." There's a smattering of sentimental ballads and formulaic instrumental workouts, but there are definitely quite a few gems in among the mediocre tracks. "Ridin' On The L&N", "The Pencil Broke", "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus", "Adam Blew His Hat", "Wee Albert" and "Lavender Coffin" are all outstanding in my opinion.

Here's the lowdown, track by track:

"Royal Family" - recorded by The Lionel Hampton Octet, 2nd March 1942. Not released as a single.

"Doublin' With Dublin" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Septet, 21st May 1945. Released on 1969 LP "Steppin' Out."

"Ridin' On The L&N" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Quartet on  30th January 1946. "Ridin' On The L&N" released February 1947 on Decca 23839 with "Hamp's Walkin' Boogie."

Billboard November 9th 1946

"Tempo's Birthday" and "Adam Blew His Hat" were recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra on September 9th, 1946. "Tempo's Birthday" was released on Decca 23696 with "The Pencil Broke", November 1946. "Adam Blew His Hat" b/w "Reminiscing Mood" was released on Decca 24015 in August 1947.

"The Pencil Broke" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra, September 17th, 1946. Released on Decca 23696 b/w "Tempo's Birthday", November 1946.

"Hawk's Nest" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra, 10th November 1947. Released on Decca 24505 b/w "Goldwyn Stomp" October 1948.

"Cherokee" recorded by The Lionel Hampton Sextet, 14th November, 1947. Released on Decca 24430 b/w "Re-Bop And "Be-Bop" in May 1948. Part of 4 disc album "New Movements In Re-Bop."

"Wee Albert" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra, 28th January, 1949. Released on Decca 24699 b/w "Beulah's Sister's Boogie", August 1949.

"Moonglow" recorded by Lionel Hampton Quartet, 28th April 1949. Not released as a single.

"Lavender Coffin" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra, 10th May, 1949. Released on Decca 24652, b/w "The Hucklebuck", May 1949. "Hampton's version of this highly original novelty really jumps sanctified" says Billboard review, 25th June 1949. Listen to "Lavender Coffin":



"Sky Blue" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra, 29th December, 1949. Not released as a single.

"I've Been A Fool (Thinking You Cared)" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra  with vocal by Little Jimmy Scott, 5th January, 1950. Released on Decca 24864 b/w "I Almost Lost Mind", January 1950.  "Young Jimmy Scott gets off a haunting, note-bending vocal in his piercing, high-pitched voice" says Billboard on 18th February 1950. They were being very kind.

"Everybody's Somebody's Fool" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra with vocal by Irma Currey, 25th January 1950. Released on Decca 27176 in October 1950, b/w "September In The Rain" by Gil Bernal.

"There Will Never Be Another You" recorded by Lionel Hampton And His Quintet, 26th January, 1950. Released on Decca 27198, b/w "Where Or When",  in September 1950. "Mood jazz disking of this revival spots large chunks of Hamp's vibes in subdued garb. There's a neat slice of Doug Duke's Hammond organ work sandwiched in as well." Billboard, 30th September 1950.

"I'll Remember April" and "The Man I Love" recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Sextet, 14th September, 1950. "The Man I Love" released on Decca 27373; "I'll Remember April" released on Decca 27875. Both discs were part of a 4 disc album "Moonglow" by the Lionel Hampton Sextet, released in March 1951. This album was available in 3 formats - as a set of 4 78 rpm discs; as a set of 4 45 rpm records; and as a 10-inch LP.

"Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" was recorded by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra on October 27th, 1950. Released on Decca 27325 b/w "Merry Christmas Baby" in November 1950. Both sides sung by Sonny Parker. Said Billboard (2nd December 1950): "Parker chants the ditty registered last year by Mabel Scott. Unimpressive job." Actually I quite like it!

More big band grooves coming soon, swingsters!