Lionel Hampton

Lionel Hampton (born 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky; died 2002 in New York City) was a pioneering jazz vibraphonist and bandleader whose driving, rhythmic orchestrations heavily influenced the development of rhythm and blues. Hampton first gained national prominence in the 1930s as a key member of the Benny Goodman Quartet, breaking racial barriers as one of the first integrated jazz groups to perform publicly. In the 1940s, Hampton formed his own big band, focusing on a heavy, riff-based swing that frequently utilized 12-bar blues structures. His signature 1942 recording, "Flying Home," featured an explosive, honking tenor saxophone solo by Illinois Jacquet.