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Dedicated to DIZ Slide Hampton & the Jazz Masters TELARC JAZZ CD-83323

1. Overture – Con Alma, Ow!, Bebop, I Waited for You, Blue & Boogie
2. San Sebastian
3. Lover Man
4. BeBop
5. Diddy Wah Diddy
6. Tour De Force
7. A Night in Tunisia
8. Ow!

Slide Hampton – Trombone
Jon Faddis – Trumpet & Flugel
Roy Hargrove – Trumpet & Flugel
Antonio Hart – Soprano & Alto
Jimmy Heath – Tenor
George Mraz – Bass
Danilo Perez – Piano
Douglas Purviance – Bass Trombone & Tuba
Claudio Roditi – Trumpet
David Sanchez – Tenor, Soprano & Flute
Steve Turre – Trombone

This was recorded during the Jazz Master’s first performances at the Village Vanguard in NYC in 1993. The critics universally acclaimed the performances and listening to the record it is easy to understand why. This band entirely catches the spirit of what Dizzy Gillespie was all about, but without any attempt to copy. Dizzy, who was one of the great innovators of the jazz world, would have appreciated this approach, he never rested on his laurels, he continued to push forward the musical frontiers the whole time.

Slide Hampton worked in Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra and was therefore able to see the genius of Diz at first hand. Many of the arrangements in Dizzy’s pad at that time were written by Slide Hampton and it was he who wrote the arrangements for the Jazz Masters. As well as being an outstanding composer, arranger and musical educator, Slide has take over the legacy of J. J. Johnson as the No. 1 bebop trombone player.

A glance at the personnel listed above tells you just what to expect from a band so packed with talent. Jimmy Heath and Jon Faddis alone would be well worth the entrance fee at any club. Jon Faddis, a superb trumpet player is himself a terrific MD. I saw him at the Carnegie Hall with the Carnegie Hall Big Band. Not only was the band amazing, but his trumpet playing stole the show in a band of all stars players. It tells you something of the man that all through the interval he sat on the end of the stage chatting to members of the audience.

When the musician’s in a band enjoy each others playing, something special happens and that’s what happens here. What it must have been like at the Village Vanguard during the time they were in residence! You can feel the excitement of band and audience alike in this recording,

There are no poor tracks here, everyone is a joy, the three trumpet feature on Dizzy’s Tour De Force is something special and a new take on A Night in Tunisia is well arranged and terrifically well played.

If there are any more recordings available from these sessions, the please TELARC JAZZ lets have Dedicated to Diz No2.

 

This is a must buy record, don’t miss it!
 
Don Mather
 

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