One of the best of the hard bop trombonists, the recently deceased Slide Hampton (1932-2021) was a musician of classic style and voicings. He never put out anything less than stellar, whether playing or arranging. This four cd set covers eight of his high water mark recordings, and you don’t have to be a brass fan to enjoy it.
His 1959 debut has been hard to locate, so it’s a treat to find it included here. You’ve got Harold McKinney/bh, George Coleman/ts, Jay Cameron/bs, George Tucker/b and Pete LaRoca-Kenny Dennis/dr on exciting pieces like “Newport” and “Woody’n You”. He put out two albums the next year, the first with a similar team but also including guest Freddie Hubbard for a funky “Sister Salvation” and muscular “Assevervation”. The team is in a bopping mood with Hampton in glowing form on “Milestones” and “The Thrill Is Gone”.
In 1962, Hampton uses his favorite setting, the octet, employing two different ones including Booker Little, Hubbard, LaRoca and Coleman with some rich brass work on the impressionistic “The Cloister” while stately on “Go East, Young Man”. Also that year was an album featuring drummer Max Roach along with the exotic Yusef Lateef for a forward looking “Drum Suite” as well as a cooking “It’s All Right With Me”. Another album from that year has Hampton getting clever with a team that includes Coleman, pianist Horace Parlan and bringing in percussionist Ray Barretto for a hip “Work Song” and catchy “Mack The Knife” while adapting to the latest dance craze with “The Jazz Twist”. Bringing in Joe Farrell on tenor sax, Hampton explodes with a bel canto “Maria”, poppish “Bye Bye Love” and even goes C&W with Hank Williams’ tear in beer “Your Cheatin’ Heart”. This guy could swing Wikipedia!