Golden Vibes / Silver Vibes

Lionel Hampton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 27, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1958
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collectables
• ASIN: B000058T9F
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,748 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #58 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz

Track Listings

1. My Prayer

2. My Funny Valentine

3. Satin Doll

4. The Nearness of You

5. Vibraholiday

6. The High and the Mighty

7. (When Your Heart's on Fire) Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

8. 'Round Midnight

9. But Beautiful

10. Just You, Just Me

11. Blues in Gold

12. The More I See You

13. Skylark

14. What's New?

15. Speak Low

16. 'Til You Return

17. Blue Moon

18. Walkin' My Baby Back Home

19. Day by Day

20. For Better or Worse

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The mellow side of Hamp, September 8, 2006

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Golden Vibes / Silver Vibes (Audio CD)

This CD combines two LPs Lionel Hampton made for Columbia back in 1958 (GOLDEN) and 1960 (SILVER). Both are pretty much based on the same format: ballad performances with the spotlight on Hamp's vibes along with a rhythm section and a reed quintet added on GOLDEN and a trombone quartet on SILVER. The added horn sections don't do much more than provide chordal color. Hampton is, I think, one of the best, if not THE best ballad player on vibes (as good as Milt Jackson, if not better) and is able to make these slow tempos swing. He usually does this by trying to play as many notes as humanly possible in the framework of each piece (remember his famous live STARDUST recording for Decca in 1947?). One track on GOLDEN is taken up tempo (VIBRAHOLIDAY, a blues), and a few on each are at medium tempo, and they are nice and swinging. ROUND MIDNIGHT gets one of the better treatments I know with Hamp drenching it in the blues. BLUE MOON has a clever arrangement with an interesting woodblock effect, and Hamp switches to marimba and chimes before it's over. Usually the slow tempos, especially on SILVER, go double time for at least half a chorus, which adds to the variety somewhat. But it's Hamp front-and-center all the way; nobody else gets a taste. This is a very good ballad CD and features Hamp outside his typical flagwaving role and more on the mellow side - a side that still swings, though, nicely.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At Last! Fantastic Vibrophones!, December 27, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Golden Vibes / Silver Vibes (Audio CD)

I first purchased these two albums in LP form when they came out in the late 50s, the purchase was through my then-new Columbia Record Club. I was a teenager, moovin' and groovin' with rock and roll, but I was also interested in other types of music. These were the first "jazz" albums I bought, though I had of course heard of Hampton. I couldn't believe these albums would sound so good. I carried them with me through my Air Force years and eventually lost them through my many moves. I am thrilled to be able to find them again! If you enjoy nice, soft melodious jazz music, this is the one for you. Great for listening in front of the fireplace and other romantic settings. Highly recommended!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful music for jazz and R&B lovers, July 1, 2010

By 

New England Pat (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Golden Vibes / Silver Vibes (Audio CD)

This CD combines two of Lionel Hampton's best albums from the late 1950s and is a beautiful collection of old standards by the great master of the vibraphone. Every selection is a delight to listen to and there's not one soft or throwaway track, although some selections may seem a bit dated today. The music is relaxing and R&B and hard rock fans will appreciate the dulcet tones of this master musician. Hampton was an early influence on the great jazz-fusion vibraphonist Roy Ayers.