Most of this CD is taken up by a special Newport Jazz Festival concert featuring a big band full of
Lionel Hampton
's alumni. With trombonist
Al Grey
,
Frank Foster
on tenor and a screaming trumpet section that boasted
Snooky Young
Jimmy Nottingham
Joe Newman
and
Wallace Davenport
, the explosive nature of the music is not too surprising; the climax is provided by guest
Illinois Jacquet
on
"Flying Home."
The remainder of this disc contains half of a very effective 1956 session cut in Spain in which the medium-size group includes a castanet player and two songs match
Hampton
with the great Spanish pianist
Tete Monteliu
. ~ Scott Yanow