TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
The role of the vibraphone is unique in jazz, blending rhythm, melody, and atmosphere.
Its shimmering metallic tone can swing hard or create a dreamlike mood.
Lionel Hampton brought the vibes to fame in Benny Goodman’s band, lighting up stages with tunes like Flying Home.
Later, Milt Jackson of the Modern Jazz Quartet gave the instrument a soulful, blues-drenched voice on pieces like Bags’ Groove.
In the 1960s, Bobby Hutcherson stretched the instrument’s possibilities with adventurous harmonies and textures that shaped modern jazz.
Whether delivering sparkling solos or adding subtle colors to an ensemble, the vibraphone has remained one of jazz’s most distinctive sounds—proof that innovation and tradition can strike a perfect chord.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.