As his fame grew, he began to lead his own small groups in performances and recordings, but he kept a connection with Goodman, performing with the band and joining in for special events — for example, the landmark 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert. By 1940 Hampton was ready for the next stage of his career — he left Goodman and formed his own large swing band.

The Lionel Hampton Orchestra was an immediate success, and had a huge hit with "Flying Home," a tune that perfectly illustrated the band's strong points. Not only was Hamp front and center, but it also featured strong sax solos with a definite R&B touch, all backed by a first-class group of musicians.

The band and subsequent groups headed by Hampton generated a lot of memorable pieces, including "Hey Ba-Ba-Re-Bop," and "Hamp's Boogie Woogie" (in which the multi-talented Hampton would often contribute some dazzling two-finger piano play). Some of lesser known recordings were just as good, even if they weren't heard as often. One of my favorites is "On Green Dolphin Street."

For the next several decades, Hamp continued to perform and record with just about everybody in the jazz world. Even when failing health took away some of his strength, he continued to do what he could until his death at age 94 in 2002. Beloved by all, he's generally considered to be the first pure jazz vibraphonist, and one of his instruments now resides in the National Museum of American History, a tribute to one of the best ever — a true legend of jazz.