Lionel Hampton's first interest in music came with the xylophone which he
learned from Jimmy Bertrand as a teenager. He changed his allegiances to the
drums and played for the Chicago Defender Newsboys' Band. Relocating to
California in 1927, Hampton found a spot playing drums for the Dixieland
Blues-Blowers. This step opened many doors for Hampton and he began receiving
offers to play with the likes of Paul Howard and Les Hite. Feeling the need to
spread his wings he started to learn the vibraphone and when he received a
personal request to play on two of Louis Armstrong's new s...