SLIDE HAMPTON
THE CLASSIC ALBUMS 1959-1963

Locksley Wellington “Slide” Hampton was born April 21, 1932, in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. Laura and Clarke "Deacon" Hampton raised 12 children, taught them how to play instruments and set out with them as a family band. The family first came to Indianapolis in 1938. The Hamptons were a very musical family in which mother, father, eight brothers, and four sisters, all played. His sisters included Dawn Hampton and Virtue Hampton Whitted. Slide Hampton is one of the few left-handed trombone players. As a child, Hampton was given the trombone set up to play left-handed, or backwards; and as no one ever dissuaded him, he continued to play this way. 
As his reputation grew, he soon began working with bands led by Art Blakey, Tadd Dameron, Barry Harris, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, and Max Roach, contributing both original compositions and arrangements. In 1959, he formed the Slide Hampton Octet, with horn players Freddie Hubbard, and George Coleman. The band toured the U.S. and Europe and recorded on several labels.
Hampton released his first album as leader in 1959 on the independent Strand label. Slide Hampton and His Horn of Plenty was also his first to include Freddie Hubbard and George Coleman, and additionally featured Booker Little, Jay Cameron, George Tucker and Kenny Dennis. Allmusic said of the album in its review; "The hard bop music is ably interpreted by the medium-size group, which was overflowing with young talent."
For his next LP, Sister Salvation, Slide signed to Atlantic, and again featured Hubbard and Coleman in the line-up. He stayed with Atlantic until 1962, releasing four albums with the label. Also issued in ’62, Drum Suite came out on Epic, and continuing Hampton’s tendency to work with exceptional talent, Yusef Lateef played flute and tenor sax, Tommy Flannagan was on piano, and Max Roach handled drums. As always, George Coleman and Jay Cameron featured as well.
Exodus (Philips, 1963) was recorded live in Paris. Billboard, in its review of the record stated, "Trombonist Slide Hampton, just 30 years old at the time of this octet session in Paris, had already developed into a forward-thinking arranger by this time.”
This four CD set compiles the finest albums Slide Hampton released as leader, all from his golden years, 1959 - 1963. Featuring too some of the finest American Jazz musicians around during this period, this collection will delight fans new and old, containing as it does some of the best hard bop released during the era in question.