Without a doubt, Lionel Hampton was one of the most exciting bandleaders of his era - by which I mean that he and his bands not only made great music, they looked great doing it, as exemplified in this video clip from (I believe) the early 1950s. The tune is called "Cobb's Idea" (note the brief, but outstanding, scat-singing solo by Betty Carter). In the last minute, Hampton is bobbing and weaving and juggling his drumsticks, Milt "The Beast" Buckner is pounding the piano as if he's trying to turn it into kindling, and some guy in the trumpet section throws his mute in the air like it's a mortarboard hat on graduation day. Very lively performance.
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Wondered who the Asian trombonist was - Paul Higaki:
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Nisei-recall-their-times-as-sultans-of-swing-3310839.php
Good detective work, Bruce! Interesting article, too.
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