SwingDJs

these threads amuse me.

my favourite is "flyin' on a v-disc/flying home" from the first esquire concert (released on various albums). i've never played it at a dance, though, because it's long and has lots of crowd noise and what have you.

Lionel Hampton: Reunion @ Newport 1967

I love the version on the Lionel Hampton Swingsation series - have no idea when it was recorded but it's around 200 bpm.

My favorite alternative version is one by the Molestics: http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Hok ... B00000I8XO

Joel from Vancouver used to DJ this song back in the day and it still cracks me up: "Flying home - Flying home to Winnipeg -- that's a vacation!".

You of course cannot beat the Hamp '42 cut with the immortal Jacquet solo (It still blows my mind that Jacquet was only 19 when he blew that solo) but one of my favorites to play is actually by the studio band on the League of Their Own Soundtrack. I think I get more inquiries about that track than any other I play.

GuruReuben wrote:Lionel Hampton: Reunion @ Newport 1967

I lovelovelove this entire album.

Swifty wrote:I think I get more inquiries about that track than any other I play.

I think it goes in the "wrong" order, yet otherwise sounds so close to the original standard versions in its mood/feel/timbres. Definitely a puzzler when you're out on the floor and it comes on.

When that LP came out in 1967 as "Newport Uproar!", they programeed the tracks very oddly.

Instead of going from the medley of "Hey Ba Ba Re Bop" and "Hamp's Boogie Woogie" right into "Flying Home", they put "Misunderstood Blues" between the 2 track.....which made zero sense. Totally broke up the building excitement there.

They fixed it for the CD.

LP had a great cover photo of Hamp at the NJF at night on stage with everything all shimmering. Quite evocative.

Charlie Barnet's version... purely for the energy of the song. It's only a slightly different arrangement from the standard goodman/hampton stuff, but the energy it's delivered in moves my feet something fierce.

A few I play regularly have already been mentioned:

Lionel Hampton - Hamp
Doc's Rhythm Cats - A League Of Their Own Soundtrack
Charlie Barnet - Fabulous Swing Collection (great compilation!)

Two other great versions that I enjoy playing:

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra - Tribute To A Generation (modern version very similiar to Hamp's in both arrangement and energy)
Joe Salzano - Savoy Nites (I always forget how kick-ass his band was!!!)

Hamp's '67 recording is KILLER, but a bit long for my personal tastes when DJing.

Jesse

Swifty wrote:You of course cannot beat the Hamp '42 cut with the immortal Jacquet solo (It still blows my mind that Jacquet was only 19 when he blew that solo) but one of my favorites to play is actually by the studio band on the League of Their Own Soundtrack. I think I get more inquiries about that track than any other I play.

GuruReuben wrote:Lionel Hampton: Reunion @ Newport 1967

I lovelovelove this entire album.

The 1942 Hampton version has strangely enough not been overplayed in my scene, so that still really gets me going, but I don't think I've ever heard the 1967 live version in its entirety, and it gets a lot of recommendations everywhere, so I think I'll have to get that album...

/Jonas

JesseMiner wrote:Hamp's '67 recording is KILLER, but a bit long for my personal tastes when DJing.

Indeed... though I used it for an instructor introduction jam with great sucess.

Indeed it was. Took me a while to figure out it was Flying Home.

I'm actually digging the Glenn Miller/Army Air Force Band version at the moment. Has good energy, kind of similar to the classic Hamp version.

I have a version by Harry James with a false ending that's pretty sweet.